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Golden’s 160+year mining history left many legacies. Full of local resources due to its unique geology, Golden became a mining center for clay and coal and limestone. Fueled by local coal, Golden in the late 1800s had five smelters, a paper-mill, several brick factories, and a now-famous beer-brewery. During this time, however, chronic complaints about Clear Creek water quality helped prompt Golden’s acquisition of a then-pristine domestic water supply on Lookout Mountain. Post-1900 Golden was a major clay-mining center, fostered by rising public health awareness, Prohibition, and World War I. Automobiles created demand for road aggregate. Post-WW II aggregate demand collided with changing public attitudes about the environment in the late 1960s, ultimately leading to the now-public open-spaces around Golden. Clear Creek water quality reached a nadir in 1980. Subsequent remediation of upstream acid mine-drainage and a local Superfund site led to successful Clear Creek cleanup where trout fishing, kayaking, and tubing are popular today.

In this enlightening and informative webinar, Professor Mohammad H. Mahoor will delve deeply into the fascinating world of Social Robots equipped with Artificial Intelligence and their profound impact on enriching the quality of life and overall well-being of elderly individuals residing in senior care facilities. Attendees will gain valuable insights as the speaker showcases Ryan CompanionBot, an innovative socially assistive robot developed at DreamFace Technologies in collaboration with the esteemed University of Denver. Moreover, participants will have the unique opportunity to witness a captivating live demonstration of Ryan, the remarkable robot, in action, providing a firsthand experience of its capabilities and functionalities.

In this enlightening and informative webinar, Professor Mohammad H. Mahoor will delve deeply into the fascinating world of Social Robots equipped with Artificial Intelligence and their profound impact on enriching the quality of life and overall well-being of elderly individuals residing in senior care facilities. Attendees will gain valuable insights as the speaker showcases Ryan CompanionBot, an innovative socially assistive robot developed at DreamFace Technologies in collaboration with the esteemed University of Denver. Moreover, participants will have the unique opportunity to witness a captivating live demonstration of Ryan, the remarkable robot, in action, providing a firsthand experience of its capabilities and functionalities.

While completing his doctoral fieldwork in Indonesian New Guinea 50 years ago, Peter Van Arsdale heard rumors of previously uncontacted bands living in upper river drainages, some 100 miles inland from the SW coast and Arafura Sea. He mounted an expedition with five colleagues in March 1974, using a diesel-powered launch which took them up several remote rivers in search. At several junctures, there were clues such as abandoned shelters but no previously uncontacted people. Then, on March 17th, at the last upstream bend on the Upper Eilanden River before the boat bottomed out, six men were spotted hiding in riverbank bushes. Several hours passed patiently waiting, shouting, cajoling, when at last the team carefully moved the boat to shore and the warriors -- armed with bows, arrows, and bone knives -- crept forward. First contact! Later 24 more men appeared. Both still photos and motion footage were captured by the team, which will be presented.

While completing his doctoral fieldwork in Indonesian New Guinea 50 years ago, Peter Van Arsdale heard rumors of previously uncontacted bands living in upper river drainages, some 100 miles inland from the SW coast and Arafura Sea. He mounted an expedition with five colleagues in March 1974, using a diesel-powered launch which took them up several remote rivers in search. At several junctures, there were clues such as abandoned shelters but no previously uncontacted people. Then, on March 17th, at the last upstream bend on the Upper Eilanden River before the boat bottomed out, six men were spotted hiding in riverbank bushes. Several hours passed patiently waiting, shouting, cajoling, when at last the team carefully moved the boat to shore and the warriors -- armed with bows, arrows, and bone knives -- crept forward. First contact! Later 24 more men appeared. Both still photos and motion footage were captured by the team, which will be presented.

If you think living in Denver is ordinary, think again. Plenty of oddities abound in this former mining encampment established in 1858 on the banks of Cherry Creek and the South Platte. Of course we will start with our Native American past, but we will delve into the various influences, people and neighborhoods that make Denver what it is today. We will expound on jazz legends and Beat poets, railroad barons, gravediggers, activists, politicians, and craft brewers. We will explore architectural wonders and wander the seedy side of Colfax Avenue, once written about as America’s Longest and Wickedest Street. It’s time to uncover the stories and truisms of a mile high city that will surprise and delight. You will walk away with a deeper understanding of what we have lost through the years while learning about some of Denver’s best and most unusual locales.

If you think living in Denver is ordinary, think again. Plenty of oddities abound in this former mining encampment established in 1858 on the banks of Cherry Creek and the South Platte. Of course we will start with our Native American past, but we will delve into the various influences, people and neighborhoods that make Denver what it is today. We will expound on jazz legends and Beat poets, railroad barons, gravediggers, activists, politicians, and craft brewers. We will explore architectural wonders and wander the seedy side of Colfax Avenue, once written about as America’s Longest and Wickedest Street. It’s time to uncover the stories and truisms of a mile high city that will surprise and delight. You will walk away with a deeper understanding of what we have lost through the years while learning about some of Denver’s best and most unusual locales.

Abortion is an emotionally charged issue where reasonable people on both ends of the spectrum have strong views. Since the passage of the Dobbs decision, medical providers have been experiencing moral distress where they are placed between their obligations to follow local and state laws, and medical best-practices. It also places pregnant patients in the potential position of being a medical refugee within their own country, bringing up issues of reproductive justice. As time passes, the scope of questions raised continues to creep into other areas of medicine including oncologic care and infertility.

Abortion is an emotionally charged issue where reasonable people on both ends of the spectrum have strong views. Since the passage of the Dobbs decision, medical providers have been experiencing moral distress where they are placed between their obligations to follow local and state laws, and medical best-practices. It also places pregnant patients in the potential position of being a medical refugee within their own country, bringing up issues of reproductive justice. As time passes, the scope of questions raised continues to creep into other areas of medicine including oncologic care and infertility.

Distinguishing between credible and unreliable news is increasingly difficult for Americans of all ages, and especially for America’s youth. Recognizing this, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Allen C. Miller launched the News Literacy Project (NLP). Though small at first, the NLP has grown dramatically since 2008, and today provides online programs and resources free of charge to teachers, schools, and now, to the general public, as an important expansion of NLP’s educational goal of improving Americans’ literacy skills to navigate today’s complex news landscapes. NLP’s programs have become a key resource in states where new laws encourage instruction in media literacy—Colorado included. In addition to learning what the NLP is and how it works, we will look at NLP’s programs for grades 7-12, at Colorado’s Media Literacy Act, and try out a few skills it teaches—reverse image searching and evaluating online resources, including AI-generated ones. Come discover this resource you can share with family and friends.

Distinguishing between credible and unreliable news is increasingly difficult for Americans of all ages, and especially for America’s youth. Recognizing this, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Allen C. Miller launched the News Literacy Project (NLP). Though small at first, the NLP has grown dramatically since 2008, and today provides online programs and resources free of charge to teachers, schools, and now, to the general public, as an important expansion of NLP’s educational goal of improving Americans’ literacy skills to navigate today’s complex news landscapes. NLP’s programs have become a key resource in states where new laws encourage instruction in media literacy—Colorado included. In addition to learning what the NLP is and how it works, we will look at NLP’s programs for grades 7-12, at Colorado’s Media Literacy Act, and try out a few skills it teaches—reverse image searching and evaluating online resources, including AI-generated ones. Come discover this resource you can share with family and friends.

We see and hear daily news stories about the impacts of climate change. Fossil fuels are a major source of CO2 emissions. Operations of renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and hydro, do not cause CO2 emissions. Can fossil fuels be replaced by renewable energy to eliminate CO2 emissions? This webinar looks at existing sources and uses of energy in the U.S. and discusses the technical and economic issues involved in moving away from fossil fuels.

We see and hear daily news stories about the impacts of climate change. Fossil fuels are a major source of CO2 emissions. Operations of renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and hydro, do not cause CO2 emissions. Can fossil fuels be replaced by renewable energy to eliminate CO2 emissions? This webinar looks at existing sources and uses of energy in the U.S. and discusses the technical and economic issues involved in moving away from fossil fuels.

In the smaller, more immediate picture, we will discuss this election year, and the political forces and dynamics shaping it. We will then bridge to the bigger picture and talk about the accelerating tribalism and dysfunction that define this political era…the built-in, structural incentives that lead to ever-greater polarization…and what conscientious citizens can do to push back, promote sanity and maintain some semblance of balance.

In the smaller, more immediate picture, we will discuss this election year, and the political forces and dynamics shaping it. We will then bridge to the bigger picture and talk about the accelerating tribalism and dysfunction that define this political era…the built-in, structural incentives that lead to ever-greater polarization…and what conscientious citizens can do to push back, promote sanity and maintain some semblance of balance.

This webinar will focus on water resources in Colorado. Topics discussed will include a brief introduction to water resources, and history of water resource development in the state, as well as the existing doctrine of water rights/”ownership” in Colorado. Main topics covered will include present and future water related issues in the state and Denver Metro area such as potential water conflicts, supply needs, quality concerns, and the influence of climate change on Colorado’s water resources.

This webinar will focus on water resources in Colorado. Topics discussed will include a brief introduction to water resources, and history of water resource development in the state, as well as the existing doctrine of water rights/”ownership” in Colorado. Main topics covered will include present and future water related issues in the state and Denver Metro area such as potential water conflicts, supply needs, quality concerns, and the influence of climate change on Colorado’s water resources.

The philosophy of Ubuntu is ubiquitous in traditional African communities. Ubuntu translates roughly as “I am because we are, and since we are, therefore I am.” Additionally, it implies “I in you, and you in me.” Beyond the basic idea of group or communal identity, Ubuntu connotes a complex interplay between the concerns of the individual and the concerns of the group. Employing vignettes, music samples, and writings on Ubuntu, Arthur Jones will invite reflections on lessons from Ubuntu that we might all strive to apply to our increasingly polarized social and political lives in America.

The philosophy of Ubuntu is ubiquitous in traditional African communities. Ubuntu translates roughly as “I am because we are, and since we are, therefore I am.” Additionally, it implies “I in you, and you in me.” Beyond the basic idea of group or communal identity, Ubuntu connotes a complex interplay between the concerns of the individual and the concerns of the group. Employing vignettes, music samples, and writings on Ubuntu, Arthur Jones will invite reflections on lessons from Ubuntu that we might all strive to apply to our increasingly polarized social and political lives in America.

Communicating about our own or loved one’s mortality can be uncomfortable, which often leads us to avoid talking about death. However, when we communicate about dying, we open opportunities to make space for our fears, reflect on the purpose of our lives, and build meaningful connections with the living, dying, and those who have passed. In this webinar, participants will learn about research focused on final conversations, deathbed visions, and continuous bonds. They also will be provided with an opportunity to engage in a creative reflective exercise designed to facilitate communication and connection in the space between life and death.

Communicating about our own or loved one’s mortality can be uncomfortable, which often leads us to avoid talking about death. However, when we communicate about dying, we open opportunities to make space for our fears, reflect on the purpose of our lives, and build meaningful connections with the living, dying, and those who have passed. In this webinar, participants will learn about research focused on final conversations, deathbed visions, and continuous bonds. They also will be provided with an opportunity to engage in a creative reflective exercise designed to facilitate communication and connection in the space between life and death.