Albany Lifelong Learning Institute (ALLI)

Instructor: Bob Berman, astronomy editor of the Old Farmers Almanac and contributing editor of Astronomy magazine

Day/Time: Mondays, 10 AM to 12 Noon 

Dates: 9/14, 9/21, 9/28, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19

Location: Albany Guardian Society, 12 Corporate Woods Blvd 1st Floor, Albany, NY 12211

Format: In-Person or Zoom 

Overview:  Everyone’s heard of black holes, quantum mechanics, and Einstein’s relativity. But how many know enough to truly enjoy them? The same is true of such commonplace phenomena as the three varieties of twilight, rainbows, and the fact that one section of the sky always displays a deeper blue than the rest. There’s magic hidden beneath everyday happenings, secrets that will be increasingly obvious as we explore such basics as what nature’s colors are telling us.

Astronomer Bob Berman will lead participants on a step by step immersive voyage across the cosmos with emphasis on the astounding discoveries of the past thirty years. Whether a know-nothing or serious science enthusiast, you'll come away truly understanding Z-point energy, the nature of light, and the strange consequences of our Moon being the only one in the solar system that doesn’t orbit around its parent planet’s equator, while also probing such modern head-spinning concepts as how the double slit experiment shows how observers affect the physical world, and why subatomic events bewilderingly unfold with all possibilities happening at once.    

Course Schedule:

• Week One
         How the observable universe began, and how its mechanisms introduce us to the four forces of nature. We’ll see how most of the universe’s physical and energy items have been created from pre-existing entities, and learn which other of nature’s entities appear to be eternal. This introduces us to concepts involving time such as half-life, and also enjoyably introduces objects that are indestructible, such as the 65 billion neutrinos that pass through each of our fingernails every second. We’ll learn about others that are extremely long-lived and thus handed down through generations of stars, such as the oxygen atoms that make up most our body’s mass. We’ll then look at methods and tools that let us probe the universe, and emphasize the difference between factual realities, reasonable conclusions, logical theories, and mere hypotheses. We’ll then shift gears to review our lifelong surroundings to ponder important common aspects such as color and motion and see how they can lead us into the unknown. The class will be offered the course textbook at a discount, and given reading suggestions.
   
• Week Two
       The history of astronomical discoveries begins in classical times and introduces us to the handful of geniuses who opened the doors of understanding, and we’ll enjoyably see how they did so. We’ll learn that the most well-known figures of antiquity such as Plato and Aristotle gave us relatively little, while Eratosthenes and Aristarchus were centuries ahead of their time. After exploring their astonishing methods and discoveries, we’ll see how variations and improvements built upon our knowledge, leading to Galileo’s first telescopic revelations, Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion, Tycho Brahe’s supernova observations, and more. And how, among other sensational findings, they knocked Earth from its long-assumed stationary status at the center of the universe. We’ll also be introduced to using simple enjoyable math to discover stunning unsuspected relationships among the heavenly bodies. The math in this second session – mostly avoided in this course -- will make it easier to learn and review fundamentals such as the speed of light and the gravitational constant.
   
• Week Three
       Of the five human senses only vision lets us probe and understand our universe. We will therefore devote this entire session to exploring the facts, oddities, and misconceptions of the two types of human vision, and how their strengths and weaknesses have created unshakable biases when it comes to understanding the cosmos. For example, while red is the universe’s most common color, our human aversion to it (thanks no doubt to blood and fire) have instead made blue the favorite color for most adults. Once we’ve landed at that hue, we’ll let it take us to a variety of surprising oddities and aspects to the blue sky, including a primer on how to “read” the day’s current overhead hue. (We’ll venture out to see what it tells us, and what it predicts.) We’ll review diffraction, refraction, and other ways light is manipulated by nature, and what each hue reveals, including quirks and origins. Each student will use a spectroscope and learn to analyze what it tells us. The session will conclude with a reality about vision that is both fundamental and, to most educated people, utterly bewildering.
   
• Week Four
     This is a highly visual session in which students will learn the structure and organization of solar systems, satellite orbits, and galaxy rotation, after being introduced to the grandest structures the naked eye can ever see -- our Milky Way Galaxy. This brings up space travel and the pros and cons of humans visiting other worlds. We will also learn the two magnitude systems for measuring and expressing brightness, as well as units of distance, volume, and motion. We will then begin the important new topic of observational astronomy, which will include eclipses, auroras, stars and constellations and the nightly and seasonal motions of the sky. We’ll discuss optics, binoculars, and telescopes and make recommendations and important cautions for any students who are thinking about obtaining such instruments.
   
• Week Five
       This session revolves around the newest discoveries, some of which came out of left field. Students will come to understand dark matter, dark energy, Z Point Energy, and quantum mechanics with emphasis on several of its most bewildering attributes such as particle entanglement. This session also dives into both of Einstein’s relativity theories and lets us see how they conflict with quantum mechanics. We’ll be introduced to several of Einstein mind-stretching expressions such as local realism and see why modern astrophysics puts them in serious jeopardy. This session will encourage student imagination and cosmological speculation. One chapter of the course textbook that students will just have read will lead naturally to these pursuits.
   
• Week Six
       After reviewing the importance of separating fact from speculation, we will nonetheless speculate about how modern cosmology connects with philosophy and metaphysics. We will explore the evidence supporting a fundamental role for consciousness. We will also see why major changes in the Hubble constant discovered in 1998 lead us to disquieting possibilities regarding the long-term fate of the universe. We’ll also explore the multiverse concept. We’ll examine the many worlds hypothesis and see why physicists are divided between it and the Copenhagen interpretation. We’ll then follow a new avenue by examining the limits of the human intellect as a tool for solving the deepest questions, starting with understanding how logic strictly operates via a dualistic methodology (e.g. the word water is not actual water) and what alternatives there may be if we are ever to solve seemingly intractable issues such as the conditions antecedent to the Big Bang. Pondering things like whether the universe is eternal may lead to new problem-solving methodologies as we consider the deepest aspects of the cosmos.
   

Instructor: Tassiana Moura de Oliveira, Visiting Assistant Professor, Political Science/UAlbany 

Day/Time: Tuesday, 2 to 4 PM 

Dates: 9/8, 9/15, 9/22, 9/29, 10/6 and 10/13

Location: ETEC Building, Room 203

Format: In-Person Only 

Overview: Are the courts our last bastion of democracy, or are they accelerating its decline? Given the current state of political affairs, understanding the judiciary has never been more critical. This six-session course is designed for lifelong learners and engaged citizens who want to demystify the federal court system and understand its profound impact on everyday policy.

Moving from the basics of how the courts work to complex global political dynamics, this course explores the American judiciary's current legitimacy crisis. We will examine the strategic, partisan appointment of judges, the realities of lifetime tenure, and how the courts shape public policy. Broadening our scope, we will analyze recent news and pair it with new findings from scholars around the globe exploring how judiciaries worldwide are both targeted by autocratization and used to defend against it. By looking at international successes, such as Brazil's recent judicial defense of its electoral system, we will evaluate the consequences we face in the United States today. Ultimately, the course asks whether the future of American democracy depends on the individual will of the justices to break down the partisan walls they themselves have helped build.

Learning Objectives:

•    Explain the basic structure and function of the US federal, state, and local court systems.
•    Analyze how strategic judicial appointments and lifetime tenure impact long-term policy decisions.
•    Understand the global context of democratic decline.
•    Compare the American judiciary’s response to political crises with international case studies.
•    Critically evaluate the institutional barriers and individual choices that will dictate the future of the US Supreme Court.

Course Schedule:

Class 1: Demystifying the System: How the Courts Actually Work
•    The structure of local, state, and federal courts
•    The path of a case: from district courts to the Supreme Court
•    Jurisdictions and the limits of judicial power
•    Why the courts are thrust into the center of the current political arena

Class 2: The Long Game: Strategic Appointments and Policy Impact
•    The nomination and confirmation process
•    How political parties strategically seat judges favorable to their interests
•    The impact of lifetime tenure on generational policy shifts

Class 3: The Global Context: Judiciaries and Democratic Decline
•    The concept of the courts as the "last bastion" of democracy
•    The role of the courts in global autocratization
•    How illiberal movements target judicial independence

Class 4: Defending Democracy: A Comparative Success Story
•    Examining Brazil's recent political history and electoral challenges
•    The role of the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court and the Superior Electoral Court (TSE)
•    How Brazil's judiciary actively fought election denialism
•    Lessons the US judicial system can learn from its international counterparts

Class 5: The American Judiciary Today: Consequences and Realities
•    The current makeup and ideological divide of the US Supreme Court
•    The consequences of strategic appointments on modern civil rights and regulations
•    The growing public trust and legitimacy crisis of the Court
•    The tension between the "rule of law" and partisan outcomes

Class 6: Breaking the Walls: The Future of the Judiciary
•    Proposed institutional reforms (term limits, court expansion, ethics codes)
•    The self-imposed doctrines and institutional walls the Court has built
•    Why reform may ultimately depend on the individual will of the justices
•    Final discussion: What citizens can do to engage with the judicial system 

Instructor: Al Lawrence, Emeritus Professor of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies, Empire State University 

Day/Time: Wednesday, 1:30 to 3:30 PM

Dates: 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, and 10/14

Location: ETEC Building, Room 203

Format: In-Person Only

Overview: The course will examine in depth the details of several notorious murder cases throughout American history and the effects they had on the law and legal and public policy as the result of legislation, administrative rules, case law and legal ethics.

Course Schedule:

I. The Murder of a Congressman and the Insanity Defense (1859)
The death of a federal prosecutor at the hand of a New York representative was the first successful use of the defense of “temporary” insanity. But was it the state of mind of the defendant or a belief that he had the right to avenge his wife’s seducer that convinced the jury?

II. The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping and Federal Law Enforcement (1932)
The kidnapping and death of the infant son of a celebrated aviator led to legislation that changed the way that kidnapping is investigated and prosecuted and enhanced the powers of federal law enforcement.

III. Dr. Sam Sheppard and Free Press/Fair Trial (1954)
The murder of an Ohio doctor’s wife and the resulting “media circus” prompted new ethical rules for both the bar and the press, as well as a court decision that detailed how judges must protect a defendant’s right to a fair trial.

IV. Emmett Till and Civil Rights (1955)
The lynching of a young boy in Mississippi and the execution of a man convicted of rape in Georgia moved federal officials to draft, promote and pass the first civil rights bill in 80 years.

V. Robert Garrow and Attorney/Client Privilege (1973)
Murders and a manhunt in the Adirondacks led to a court decision concerning what information lawyers can withhold about unsolved cases, and the prison escape of the defendant in the same case prompted new administrative rules and security regulations.

VI. A Number of Sex Offender Cases and Resulting Conventions
The 9-1-1 emergency telephone system, sex-offender registries, three-strikes laws and prohibitions that prevent murderers from profiting from their crimes by writing books or producing other forms of entertainment all resulted from notorious sex-crime cases.

Instructor: Aaron Noble, Senior Historian, New York State Museum 

Day/Time: Thursdays, 1:30 – 3:30 PM 

Dates: 9/10, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, and 10/15  

Location:  ETEC Building, Room 203. Special note - The class will not meet at ETEC 203 on 9/17. Instead, the second class will be be held at the NYS Museum on Sunday, 9/20 to visit the Revolutionary New York exhibit.

Format: In-Person Only 

Overview:

The course will explore 250 years of revolution in what became New York State. The American War for Independence raged from 1775 to 1783, but the ideas of American Revolution did not end there. From the Battles of Saratoga to the birth of the Women’s Suffrage Movement at Seneca Falls to the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, New York has remained at the heart of this continuing Revolution.  

Course Schedule:

• Week 1 (9/10): THE AMERICAN PARADOX

  The ideals espoused in the Declaration of Independence - that "all men are created equal" - were not wholly realized in the Founding generation. We will explore the contradictions, shortcomings, and successes of these revolutionary ideas through the lens of George Washington. Suggested (but not required) reading: Thy Will Be Done: George Washington's Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory by John Garrison Marks (University of North Carolina Press, 2026).

• Week 2: (9/20): REVOLUTIONARY NEW YORK (Exhibition Tour) 

  Note that class will not meet at our regularly scheduled time, but will instead meet on Sunday, September 20 at the New York State Museum (222 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY from 1:30 to 3:30). Tour of the New York State Museum's Revolutionary New York exhibition detailing the Empire State's central role in 250 years of Revolution. 

• Week 3 (9/24): THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
  Most Americans are familiar with the introductory language of the Declaration of Independence, that "all men are created equal" and of the inalienable rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." But what about the remainder of the 1,320-word document? Through a close reading of the Declaration, we will discuss the Revolutionary ideals and some of the motivations behind them. 
• Week 4 (10/1): BATTLEGROUND NEW YORK
  No other state in the nation experienced the American Revolution from beginning to end as significantly as New York State. From the capture of Fort Ticonderoga weeks after the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775 to the British evacuation of New York City in 1783, the American Revolution touched every corner of what is, today, New York State. 
• Week 5 (10/8) FIRE AND FREEDOM
  Revisit the American Revolution in New York through some of the newest scholarship from experts in the field. Topics will include Loyalism in New York, the impact of the 1779 Sullivan Campaign on the Seneca people, and New York's Gradual Emancipation. Suggested (but not required) reading: Fire and Freedom: The American Revolution in New York, Thomas S. Wermuth, Devin Lander, Jennifer Lemak, and Robert Chiles, eds. (Cornell University Press, 2026). 
• Week 6 (10/15) WE THE PEOPLE
  Take a deep dive into the Unfinished Revolutions sparked in 1776 that continue to the present. Exploring passages from the book, Revolutionary New York: 250 Years of Social Change, the class will explore how the ideals of the American Revolution inspired marginalized communities to push for equality within the American Civic Body to the present. Suggested (but not required) reading: Revolutionary New York: 250 Years of Social Change, Bruce Dearstyne, ed. (SUNY Press, 2026).

Instructor: James Ketterer, Senior Fellow, Center for Civic Engagement, Bard College

Day/Time: Wednesday, 10 AM to 12 Noon

Dates: 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, and 10/14. 

Format: Mr Ketterer is currently at the American University in Yerevan, Armenia, so all classes will be will be delivered remotely.  Attend at home or elsewhere over Zoom.

Overview:

This course will explore the core interests and dynamics at play in the U.S. relationship with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) from the early 20th century to the present. We will explore the institutions at the center of U.S. foreign policy and how they interact with the MENA region; key aspects of the region; persistent American misunderstandings; and notable changes and consistencies in the region. In addition, the course will analyze four case studies that highlight various aspects of U.S. policy: the landmark 1970s agreement between Egypt and Israel at Camp David; 9/11 and its aftermath; The Arab Spring and the challenge of revolt; and the fractured and fraught U.S. relationship with Iran.

Class Schedule:

Session One - Unlearning the Middle East:  Misunderstanding and mythologies pervade much of the thinking about the MENA region. We will address and confront those misreadings and begin to construct a deeper and more accurate understanding of the region.

Session Two – “We are here from the government, and we are here to help you:” We will explore and analyze the relevant components of the institutions of US foreign policy, civil society and allies/adversaries which affect the nature, direction and outcomes of US policy in the region.

Session Three – the U.S. Role in the Camp David Accords: In 1978, President Jimmy Carter played a centrally important role in concluding a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. This agreement followed decades of enmity and outright violent conflict. But it also left other regional issues unresolved. The agreement still holds today, and the session will explore the ups and downs of the Israel-Egypt bilateral relationship while also examining the broader regional issues and dynamics in the decades following the agreement.

Session Four – 9/11 and its Aftermath: This session will examine the trajectory of events that led to the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, and the dynamics unleashed and activated in the wake of those attacks, including the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the rise of the Islamic State, the effects on U.S. institutions, the difficulty of withdrawing from Iraq, and many effects across the region.

Session Five – the Arab Spring and the Challenge of Instability:  The uprising and swift toppling of Ben Ali in Tunisia in late 2010 soon spread across the region, followed by revolutions and uprisings in Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya and more. What led to this unleashing of demands for political change, how did the U.S. react and what are the results of those decisions across the region now?

Session Six – The Tortured Relationship between the U.S. and Iran: The U.S. has been enmeshed in a difficult and dangerous relationship with Iran since the days immediately following World War II, including coups, support for authoritarianism, Cold War dynamics, the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the taking of American hostages, the Iran-Contra scandal, regional entanglements, nuclear challenges, possible regime change and the politics of petroleum. How did we get here, and where might we go with this relationship?
 

Instructor: Rukhsana Ahmed, Professor, Department of Communication, UAlbany

Day/Time: Fridays, 10 AM to 12 Noon 

Dates: 9/11, 9/18, 9/25, 10/2, 10/9, and 10/16 

Location: Albany Guardian Society, 12 Corporate Woods Blvd 1st Floor, Albany, NY 12211

Format: In-Person or Zoom 

Overview: This course invites lifelong learners to explore how new technologies are changing the ways we learn about health, talk with providers, and make decisions for ourselves and our families. Participants will not need any technical background, just an interest in understanding how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of everyday health conversations, from online searches and wearable devices to public health messages and medical decision tools.

Across six friendly, discussion based sessions, we will explore real-world examples and applications of AI in health settings, talk through the benefits and challenges, and learn how to spot misinformation, bias, and privacy concerns. By the end of the course, participants will feel more confident navigating AI driven health tools and better prepared to make informed choices about how these technologies shape personal, family, and community well being. 

Class Schedule:

Week 1: How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing the Way We Talk About Health
•    What “AI” means in everyday health situations
•    How people use AI to look up symptoms, understand diagnoses, and learn about treatments
•    How AI is influencing public health messages and community outreach
•    Why these changes matter for patients, families, and caregivers

Class 2: Introduction to How AI Works
•    What happens behind the scenes when AI gives you information
•    How health data is collected and used
•    Why AI sometimes gets things right and sometimes gets them wrong
•    Understanding AI without math, coding, or jargon

Class 3: AI in Daily Health Decisions
•    AI in apps, wearables, online searches, and patient portals
•    Personalized health suggestions: helpful or confusing?
•    How AI can  spread misinformation
•    Case stories of when AI supports good decisions and when it does not

Class 4: Fairness, Privacy, and Trust
•    How bias can appear in AI health tools
•    What happens to health data
•    Who is responsible when AI gives poor advice
•    How to decide whether to trust an AI generated health message

Class 5: AI in Healthcare, Caregiving, and Aging
•    How doctors and nurses use AI in communication and decision making
•    How AI supports independence, chronic disease management, and aging in place
•    How AI affects caregivers and the healthcare workforce
•    When relying on AI becomes risky

Class 6: Shaping the Future of AI in Health 
•    New policies and protections in development
•    How everyday citizens can influence how AI is used in health
•    How to evaluate claims about AI health products
•    Practical tips for using AI tools wisely and safely