Every fortnight during term time, we organise for someone to give a presentation to which any of our members can attend. Thanks for Cath Bauman and Pam Griffith for organising. Here are the talks over the past couple of years.
On 15th September, Guy Palmer talked about 10 animals who, for genetic or other reasons, make for interesting life stories.
On 25th August, Fiona Malcolm, who is the Librarian at Melbourne Athenaeum Library, discussed mysteries set on and around trains. The event was held on Zoom and attracted getting on for 40 participants.
Here is Fiona’s suggested reading list for mysteries set on and around trains (all 140 of them!).
On 28th July, Louis Roller, from Monash University, gave a talk on Zoom about human smiles, their function and the various meanings given to different types of smiles.
Among humans, a smile expresses delight, sociability, happiness, joy or amusement. It is distinct from a similar, but usually involuntary, expression of anxiety known as a grimace.
Although cross-cultural studies have shown that smiling is a means of communication throughout the world, there are large differences among different cultures, religions and societies, with some using smiles to convey confusion or embarrassment.
Click here to view/download Louis’ slides (all 120 of them!).
On 11th May, U3A member June Rushton gave a talk about what it was like being the daughter of a lighthouse keeper, living variously at Bruny Island, Swan Island, Cape Sorrell, Wilsons Promontory, Cape Otway and Cape Nelson. Everyone who attended found it very interesting.
On 5th May, Louis Roller, from Monash University, gave a talk on music and well-being, investigating the effects of music on all sorts of conditions.
On 31st March, U3A members Kelvin and Beverly Spiller gave a presentation on understanding your own and others’ personal preferences for how information is taken in and decisions are made, and how to think about how others interact with you, you with them and they with one another.
On 17th March, Jim Connor, from the Eltham Historical Society, gave a talk on some of the notable Eltham ‘pioneers’, both during the early days and in later times. One dictionary definition of a pioneer is a colonist, explorer or settler of a new land or region, an innovator or developer of something new. Many people in many ways contributed to the establishment of the area we know as Eltham and their pioneering activities helped develop the town and the region.
On 3rd March, Louis Roller, from Monash University, gave a talk on Zoom about hair, specifically human hair, its structure, functions and hair problems.
On 17th February, Fiona Malcolm, who works for Melbourne Athenaeum Library, discussed the best (and rest) of the exciting sub-genre of Australian rural crime fiction. Participants discovered new authors, new towns and some amazing scenery as they travelled around outback Australia between the pages of the books.
Here is Fiona’s suggested reading list for Australian rural crime fiction.
Melinda Clarke, who is driving force behind The Melbourne Map website, which includes illustrated maps of Melbourne in both 1991 and 2019, discussed how the illustrated maps were produced. She explained the project, beginning with the idea’s conception and publication of the first illustrated map back in 1991. She shared the trials and tribulations of bringing the project to fruition from research, design, crowd funding, publishing and product development.
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| 2019 map of Melbourne | 1991 map of Melbourne |
On 10th November, Guy Palmer, who is our tutor on genetics, gave a talk via Zoom on why ants work together in colonies. The key word is ‘haplodiploid’.
On 27th October, Fiona Malcolm, who works for Melbourne Athenaeum Library, ran a session on what crime novel would you want with you if you were stranded on a desert island. She kicked things off with some of her ‘must take’ and most re-read crime novels before asking the audience for their suggestions.
Here are Fiona’s own suggestions.
| They ‘select themselves’ | Connelly, Michael | The Poet |
| Christie, Agatha | And Then There Were None OR Murder On The Orient Express | |
| Tracy, P.J. | Want to Play? (apa Monkeewrench) | |
| Locke, Attica | Bluebird, Bluebird | |
| Dostoevsky, Fyodor | Crime And Punishment | |
| Almost made it | Barton, Fiona | The Widow |
| Berna, Paul | A Hundred Million Francs | |
| Blyton, Enid | Five Go To Billycock Hill | |
| Bolton, Sharon | Little Black lies | |
| Clark, Douglas | The Gimmel Flask OR Golden Rain | |
| Flynn, Gillian | Sharp Objects | |
| French, Tana | In The Woods | |
| Griffiths, Elly | The Stranger Diaries | |
| Lippman, Laura | Sunburn | |
| McGown, Jill | Murders Of Mrs Austin & Mrs Beale | |
| McIlvanney, William | Laidlaw | |
| Neel, Janet | Death’s Bright Angel OR Death On Site | |
| Sayers, Dorothy L. | Gaudy Night OR Nine Tailors | |
| The series | Grafton, Sue | The Alphabet series |
| Muller, Marcia | Sharon McCone series | |
| Rankin, Ian | Rebus series | |
| The Aussies | Cleary, Jon | Scobie Malone series |
| Disher, Garry | Dragon Man | |
| Downes, Anna | No Safe Place | |
| Kovacic, Katherine | Portrait Of Molly Dean | |
| Maloney, Shane | Stiff |
On 13th October, Louis Roller discussed his journey from hunted untermensch to successful academic. Louis was born in Paris of Jewish parents three months before the fall of Paris to the Nazis. Despite life-threatening events and many near-misses, Louis survived the holocaust and arrived in Australia in 1947. He was the first refugee seen at the primary school he went to, had no English and was highly traumatised. Despite all this, Louis has managed to have a successful academic career in pharmacy and medicine.
On 15th September, Guy Palmer gave a talk via Zoom on the history of modern art, from the mid 19th Century to today, covering the Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, Fauvists, Expressionists, Cubists, Surrealists, Abstract Expressionists and Pop Artists. Around 30 of our members attended.
On 1st September, Louis Roller, from Monash University, gave a talk via Zoom on some common laboratory tests in terms of their clinical uses, how they relate to disease pathophysiology, and how to correctly interpret test results. Around 20 of our members attended.
On 18th August, Jim Connor, from the Eltham Historical Society, gave a talk via Zoom on the history of using earth to create various types of structures, extending from early days up to the more recent use of mud bricks for housing in Eltham and the surrounding area. Around 30 of our members attended.
On 4th August, Zara Thompson, who is a registered Music Therapist working with children and adults with disabilities and people seeking asylum, gave a talk about music therapy and ageing. It started with an overview of how and why music can be useful to health and wellbeing and finished with some experiential music activities to demonstrate how music can impact mood and physical health.
On 25th June, Louis Roller gave a online talk about disease and medicines in Shakespeare’s plays.
On 25th March, Victorian Energy Compare discussed how to: understand your electricity bill; use the Victorian Energy Compare website to find a better energy offer; claim a $50 Power Saving Bonus; and ensure that government energy concessions are applied to your bill.
Dianne Parslow was planning to run a few training sessions on Powerpoint but the coronavirus got in the way. So she has turned her session into a little online course. Just follow these instructions. When you have completed Part I of the instructions, you should have something that looks like this powerpoint presentation.
For some further tips, read this powerpoint presentation, remembering to select 'slide show' to show all aspects of this demonstration. Dianne is happy to give individual help via email (dianneparslow@gmail.com) or phone (0434 986 424).
On 16th March, Louis Roller gave a talk about what we need to ask our doctor and pharmacist about the medicines that have been prescribed for us.
On 26th February, Jim Connor gave a guided tour of Eltham cemetery. It was a sellout!
On 10th February, Guy Palmer gave a talk about first world poverty and social exclusion, including underlying philosophical issues and major policy challenges.
On 28th November, Alan Cuthbertson gave a talk on climate change and Extinction Rebellion.
On 21st November, Jim Connor gave a talk on the history of Old Eltham Courthouse.
Thanks to Cath Baumann and Pam Griffith for organising these talks.