Online 

Note:  This class will be recorded.

You will leave this short masterclass with the 5 top things you could be doing to have more energy and sustainably release weight using plant nutrition.

October 17, 2023

9 am - 10:30 am

Alanna is a naturopath specializing in plant nutrition, phytotherapy, Bach flower elixirs, and massage.  She studied naturopathy at ENA MNC in France and is a certified raw vegan coach. She has been plant-based for 32 years.

In-Person

This is an introduction to residential solar energy.

October 25th 

1:00 pm

Location: Education Center, room 110

John is a retired High School and Community College teacher.

In-Person

This course will be a comprehensive tour of the Town's Wastewater Treatment Facility and a step-by-step explanation of how it operates. The tour will include the collection system, treatment facility, and all the State and Federal laboratory testing requirements. This course will be a comprehensive tour of the Town's Wastewater Treatment Facility and a step-by-step explanation of how it operates. The tour will include the collection system, treatment facility, and all the State and Federal laboratory testing requirements.

October 30, 2023

269 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington, ME 04938

Stephen has been in the wastewater field for over 39 years and has a State of Maine Grade 5 Biological Treatment Certification which is the highest grade Maine offers. Stephen has been the superintendent at Farmington for nearly 10 years.

In-Person

The Maine Mineral and Gem Museum is a fascinating and interactive museum tucked away in Bethel Maine, which rivals small museums in bigger cities. The quality and quantity of samples are stunning and the displays are interesting and very well done.

The cost per person is $10.00, (this is discounted from the regular $15 admission) payable at the admissions desk on arrival. We will spend roughly 2 hours (flexible) visiting the museum (you can wander the museum on your own; there is much to “ooo and ahhh” over) From tourmaline to talc and mica to meteorites, you will come away with new knowledge and appreciation of the minerals and gems of Maine!

If interested, after the visit, participants can stay for lunch at a local restaurant (if available)

November 27, 2023

10:00 am

Snow date:  Friday, December 8, 2023

Self-Guided

Maine Mineral & Gem Museum, 99 Main St, Bethel, ME 04217

Carpool at the Park & Ride next to Walgreens at 8:30 a.m.

In-person

This class will demystify the fascinating world of diadromous fishes. Fish described as diadromous migrate between fresh water and salt water for reproductive purposes. The diadromous fishes are further divided into those that return to freshwater to reproduce (i.e., anadromous) while the catadromous fishes begin their lives in saltwater and migrate to freshwater to develop as adults. 

January 11, 2024

10 am - 12 pm

North Dining Hall East End C & North Dining Hall Middle Section B

Richard Behr grew up in coastal Maine. After graduating from the University of Maine in Farmington with a degree in geology and chemistry, Richard attended graduate school in Canada where he studied biogeochemistry. Within a few short months of graduation, Richard was back in Maine. Richard worked for several research scientists before embarking on a career in hydrogeology with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. In addition to a lifelong passion for fishing, Richard has been an active participant in fishery restoration projects within the Kennebec watershed. Today he lives on the Kennebec with his wife.

Online

Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) refers to a growing world of sophisticated computer programs that “learn” from data in order to make decisions. Many of these AI systems are invisible to the public, yet the results of the decisions they make (or help humans make) have a huge impact on modern life.

"For many of us, AI primarily impacts the way we do things online: it controls whose updates we read on Facebook, which products we select on Amazon, and which movies we watch on Netflix. However, AI is increasingly being used to make decisions in more serious areas of life like hiring (E.g., deciding whose resume gets reviewed by a human and whose gets skipped), education (E.g., assigning grades based on past performance), and even law enforcement (E.g., helping a judge decide who gets bail).

Because of how important AI is in our lives, we should understand how it works so that we can control it together! The goal of this 5-week learning circle course is to introduce the basics of AI, discuss some of the social and ethical dimensions of the use of AI in modern life, and empower individuals to engage with how AI is used and governed." This learning circle was developed by the Center for Responsible AI (R/AI) at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering, Peer 2 Peer University (P2PU), and the Queens Public Library (QPL).

Tuesdays,  January 16, 23, 30,  February 6, 20

Michelle and Chip are a retired couple living in New Vineyard. Before retiring, Michelle was a professor and academic administrator who focused on transforming higher education institutions to better serve adult learners. She has worked with Peer-to-Peer University to develop credit-bearing learning circles for those considering a return to higher education. After earning an MBA and a Ph.D. in Computer Science, Chip combined technology with learning sciences to build training and development systems.