SSI FALL TERM CLASS DESCRIPTIONS 2023
October 2023 CLASSES
Week of October 2
Monday Oct. 2 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Poetry Reading Fun!
Presenter: Trina Gaynon, SSI member
Location: Zoom only
Class description: Know a lot about poetry? Know nothing about poetry? Somewhere in-between?
There’s a place for you in this very popular class led by Trina Gaynon. We read from a variety of
published works. Really FUN!
______________________________________________________________
Tuesday Oct. 3 — 1 - 3 pm
Title: Luck
Presenter: Susan Schenk, SSI Member
Location: PCC CLIMB and by Zoom
Class description: Can you influence how lucky you are? Can luck be learned or are some people
just born lucky? Learn the results of a psychologist’s scientific study of lucky and unlucky people to
learn the four essential principles of being a lucky person, regardless of your past, your intelligence,
or your age. By understanding the nature of luck, you can create a luckier lifestyle and even change
your future.
______________________________________________________________
Wednesday Oct. 4 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Shakespeare's 12th Night (Part 1 of 2) (Part 2 on Oct. 18)
Presenter: Charlie Holmes, SSI Member
Location: NHH; in person only
Class description: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night presents his most popular love triangle. A look at the
play, its themes, its characters, its winners, its losers, and Malvolio's final line.
______________________________________________________________
Thursday Oct. 5 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Our Universe from Beginning to End
Presenter: Duane Ray, SSI Lifelong Member
Location: WC; in person and by Zoom
Class description: Science continues to provide more information about the universe around us.
Brian Greene, who has written several books explaining to lay people the revelations of modern
science, always provides insights supported by the science. His latest book Until the End of Time
(2020 ) guides us to the expected ultimate end of our universe. We will first review the present
understanding of our universe to better understand his expectation for our finale.
—————————————————————————————————--
Week of October 9
Monday Oct. 9 — 10 am – Noon
Title: Curiosity Cafe: The Future of Media & Journalism
Presenter: Prof. Lee Shaker, PSU
Location: Zoom only
Class description: With only 5 companies now controlling 90% of the media we consume, this means
that independent media is rare to find nowadays and a few individuals control what we can see, hear
and read. What does this mean for our understanding of our community, nation, and the world? We
will examine this topic with an expert that has dedicated almost 20 years to teaching and working in
this space.
Bio: Lee is a professor in Communications at Portland State University and currently is the Board
Chair for XRAY-FM radio, one of 3 local not-for-profit radio stations.
______________________________________________________________
Tuesday Oct. 10 — 1 - 3 pm
Title: Ethnobotany
Presenter: Aaron Campbell, Nature Nerd Expeditions
Location: CLIMB; in person and by Zoom
Class description: Learn how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous.
(native) plants. Plants provide food, medicine, shelter, dyes, fibers, oils, resins, gums, soaps, waxes,
latex, tannins, and even contribute to the air we breathe. A few plant specimens will be shown.
Bio: Aaron, the “Nature Nerd,” spent most of his life studying and observing the natural world around
him, beginning by birding when 8 years old. He knew he wanted to work with animals. During and
after college, he worked on multiple wildlife projects studying birds, small mammals, and the effects of
the oil industry and climate change on our environment. He is a nature educator for the city of
Hillsboro at Jackson Bottom Wetlands. He’s worked there for 8 years and feels privileged to share his
knowledge and experiences with the community hoping to inspire change–and possibly the next
future scientist.
______________________________________________________________
Wednesday Oct. 11 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Video Class – “Paris 1919: Six Months that Changed the World”
Presenter: George Davidson, SSI Member
Location: Zoom only
Class description: This class consists of a 95-minute video followed by an opportunity for discussion.
Many of the geopolitical hot-button issues of recent decades trace their roots directly back to
decisions made during the 1919 Paris peace talks. Inspired by historian Margaret MacMillan’s
acclaimed book Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World, this docudrama dramatically blends
historical reenactments with archival footage of Paris during the 1919 peace talks to shed light on the
long moment in history when the victorious combatants of the Great War—fueled by a combination of
hope, opportunism, anger and revenge—created the League of Nations, redrew the map of the
modern world, and avenged themselves upon Germany via the Treaty of Versailles.
______________________________________________________________
Thursday Oct. 12 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Early Cancer Detection Studies at OHSU Knight Cancer Institute
Presenters: Megan Lonhart, Clinical Research Coordinator; Saron Mekonnen, Pathfinder 2 Study
team lead for the clinical trials team; Madeleine Matheis, Healthy Oregon Project team lead for the
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research team
Location: WC; in person and by Zoom
Class description: Learn the importance of cancer early detection in survivorship with specific focus
on multi-cancer early detection blood tests, the Healthy Oregon Project, and current cancer screening
methods. The Pathfinder 2 Study is a multi-cancer early detection blood test, which provides results
to participants that aim to detect cancers at their earliest stages.
______________________________________________________________
Week of October 16
Monday Oct. 16 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Poetry Reading Fun!
Presenter: Trina Gaynon, SSI member
Location: Zoom only
Class description: Know a lot about poetry? Know nothing about poetry? Somewhere in-between?
There’s a place for you in this very popular class led by Trina Gaynon. We read from a variety of
published works. Really FUN!
______________________________________________________________
Tuesday Oct. 17 — 1 - 3 pm
Title: Timberline Lodge: An American Icon
Presenter: Sara Munro
Location: CLIMB; in person and by Zoom
Class description: Everyone is familiar with Timberline Lodge, Oregon's iconic ski resort on Mt. Hood, but many are not familiar with the history of the construction and furnishing of this WPA resource, its history as a ski resort, and its partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, R.L.K. and Company, and the
non-profit Friends of Timberline.
Bio: Sarah Baker Munro is the author of Timberline Lodge: The History, Art, and Craft of an
American Icon, first published by Timber Press in 2009, and reissued in 2020 by Cascadian
Publishing Company; Timberline Lodge in 2016, part of the Images of America series by Arcadia
Publishing Company, and numerous articles. Sarah has been called the historian of Timberline and
has been an active member of Friends of Timberline since 1975.
______________________________________________________________
Wednesday Oct. 18 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Shakespeare's 12th Night (Part 2 of 2)
Presenter: Charlie Holmes, SSI Member
Location: NHH; in person only
Class description: Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT: his most popular love triangle. A look at the
play, its themes, its characters, its winners, its losers, and Malvolio's final line.
______________________________________________________________
Thursday Oct. 19 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Writing Workshop: Memoir/Haiku
Presenter: Trina Gaynon, SSI Member
Location: WC; in person only
Class description: A type of travel memoir from Japan is the haibun. Dating back to the 17th century,
haibun are prose passages that end with a haiku. Come explore capturing your travel adventures and
sharing them. Please bring your preferred medium for writing: Paper, pen or pencil, a tablet or laptop.
You may also want to bring photographs from a journey.
______________________________________________________________
Week of October 23
Monday Oct. 23 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Curiosity Café: Community Investment Trust
Presenter: John Haines
Location: Zoom only
Class description: The Community Investment Trust (CIT) is a low-dollar, loss protected investment
opportunity for neighborhood community residents. This unique entity is the first of its kind in the USA
that was founded in Southeast Portland five years ago. Through the CIT, investors build equity in a
thriving and diverse commercial property with investments as low as $10 a month. In this presentation
you will learn how this project came into being from its creator, why it is now spreading to over a
dozen other cities across the country and why it is so critical for improved economic equity.
Bio: John is currently the Executive Director at Community Investment Trust and was the Executive
Director of (Portland based) Mercy Corps Northwest for over fifteen years. He has been a Vice
President, ShoreBank Pacific as well as a Senior Finance Advisor, Chemonics International.
______________________________________________________________
Tuesday Oct. 24 — 1 - 3 pm
Title: Yayoi Kusama
Presenter: Alice Cotton, SSI Member
Location: Zoom only
Class description: Join us as we explore Yayoi Kusama’s work and life. She was born in 1929, and is
acknowledged as one of the most important living artists to come out of Japan. She happens to be
the world's top-selling female artist. Let’s have artistic fun with her! You will need colors, pencil and
paper.
______________________________________________________________
Wednesday Oct. 25 — 10 am - Noon
Title: The Canada Elections Act: A Template for the United States?
Presenter: Howard Shuster
Location: Zoom only
Class description: In Canada all aspects of federal elections are governed by The Canada Elections
Act. This provides uniformity across the country. Is a statute of this nature a solution for the United
States? Would it prevent dark money, outrageous expenditures, and gerrymandering? What are the
impediments to a "big fix" of a broken system? What happens when the politics are taken out of the electoral system?
Bio: Howard is a Canadian attorney and political activist supporting the Liberal Party of Canada.
______________________________________________________________
Thursday Oct. 26 — 10 am - Noon
Title: The 1980s: Crossroads of Modern History
Presenter: Sean Munger, PhD
Location: WC; in person and by zoom
Class description: Most retrospectives of the 1980s are heavily steeped in pop culture and nostalgia,
a view that obscures how pivotal the decade was in recent world history. We'll examine why the '80s
were perhaps the most consequential years of the 20th century and how they shaped our modern
world.
Bio: Sean is an historian, teacher, and author. He teaches history classes online and in person and
has been published in this country and internationally on topics involving history, law, and climate
change. He has presented classes at SSI for over 15 years.
______________________________________________________________
Week of October 30
Monday Oct. 30 — 10 am – Noon
Title: Curiosity Café: Reparations
Presenter: Barry Bennett, SSI Member
Location: Zoom only
Class description: Should the United States pay reparations for slavery? For years some have
argued that we should pay reparations to address an historic wrong that still has consequences that
are felt today. We will review the background of this issue and discuss the arguments for and against
reparations.
_____________________________________________________________
Tuesday Oct. 31 — 1 - 3 pm
Title: Witchy Wisdom for Today
Presenter: Sandy Miller, SSI Member
Location: PCC CLIMB; in person and by Zoom
Class description: What makes a woman a witch? Could you be one, or have one in your life? This
“Witches 101” class looks at modern witchcraft, in all its radical diversity, and explores how many
modern witches work their magic on behalf of social justice and the environment, with a little magic
thrown into the cauldron.
______________________________________________________________
Wednesday Nov. 1 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Understanding Humor: Why we laugh and why it’s important that we do
Presenter: Carl Wolfson
Location: NHH; in person only
Class description: Carl will discuss why we laugh and the importance of humor in our lives. He will
tap his 43-year career as a standup to share insights, stories, and lessons from the world of comedy.
There will be jokes. Lots of them.
Bio: Carl has been one of the country's top headlining comedians. He is a veteran of more than
8,000 performances, including some 300 appearances on national television. Carl currently teaches
introductory, intermediate, and advanced standup comedy classes at Comedy Sportz in Portland.
From 2007 to 2016, Carl was the host of "Carl in the Morning"; on AM 620 KPOJ and FM 107.1
KXRY, Portland's progressive talk stations. He is the author of the bestselling memoir, Slide! The
Baseball Tragicomedy That Defined Me, My Family, and the City of Philadelphia -- And How It All
Could Have Been Avoided Had Someone Just Listened to My Lesbian Great Aunt. Carl received his
B.S. in Communications from the Univ. of Tennessee and his M.A. in Political Science from UCLA.
______________________________________________________________
Thursday Nov. 2 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Planet Ocean
Presenter: David Lonsdale
Location: WC; in person and by zoom
Class description: An introduction to what everyone should know about earth’s most abundant and
diverse environment–its oceans. It follows the “Seven Principles of Ocean Literacy” developed by the
National Marine Educators Association (NMEA). Content includes human interactions with the ocean,
the role of the ocean on earth’s weather & climate, geography of the ocean’s bottom & continental coastlines, how life probably evolved and is sustained by the ocean, and much more.
Bio: David has been a leader in public aquariums for over 32 years. He directed aquarium
operations, developed exhibits, and oversaw educational programs at the Bermuda Aquarium,
Museum and Zoo; Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and Duluth (MN) Great Lakes Aquarium. David has
taught college level courses in ecology, aquatic biology, and marine biology.
NOTES:
● Weekly classes (one per week at each location) will be in-person (unless otherwise noted) at:
o PCC CLIMB Center (CLIMB): 1626 SE Water Ave., Portland; pay for parking.
o Neighborhood House (NHH): 7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland; free parking but limited.
o PCC Willow Creek (WC) Campus, 241 SW Edgeway Dr, Hillsboro; free ample parking.
● For classes noted as “in-person & by Zoom,” the Zoom access information, as well as any
unforeseen changes, will be announced in the weekly email newsletter prior to the class.
● Please wear your name tag to all in-person classes; be sure to fill out the medical information on
the reverse side.
● Wearing a mask is optional at any of the locations.
October 2023 CLASSES
Week of October 2
Monday Oct. 2 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Poetry Reading Fun!
Presenter: Trina Gaynon, SSI member
Location: Zoom only
Class description: Know a lot about poetry? Know nothing about poetry? Somewhere in-between?
There’s a place for you in this very popular class led by Trina Gaynon. We read from a variety of
published works. Really FUN!
______________________________________________________________
Tuesday Oct. 3 — 1 - 3 pm
Title: Luck
Presenter: Susan Schenk, SSI Member
Location: PCC CLIMB and by Zoom
Class description: Can you influence how lucky you are? Can luck be learned or are some people
just born lucky? Learn the results of a psychologist’s scientific study of lucky and unlucky people to
learn the four essential principles of being a lucky person, regardless of your past, your intelligence,
or your age. By understanding the nature of luck, you can create a luckier lifestyle and even change
your future.
______________________________________________________________
Wednesday Oct. 4 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Shakespeare's 12th Night (Part 1 of 2) (Part 2 on Oct. 18)
Presenter: Charlie Holmes, SSI Member
Location: NHH; in person only
Class description: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night presents his most popular love triangle. A look at the
play, its themes, its characters, its winners, its losers, and Malvolio's final line.
______________________________________________________________
Thursday Oct. 5 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Our Universe from Beginning to End
Presenter: Duane Ray, SSI Lifelong Member
Location: WC; in person and by Zoom
Class description: Science continues to provide more information about the universe around us.
Brian Greene, who has written several books explaining to lay people the revelations of modern
science, always provides insights supported by the science. His latest book Until the End of Time
(2020 ) guides us to the expected ultimate end of our universe. We will first review the present
understanding of our universe to better understand his expectation for our finale.
—————————————————————————————————--
Week of October 9
Monday Oct. 9 — 10 am – Noon
Title: Curiosity Cafe: The Future of Media & Journalism
Presenter: Prof. Lee Shaker, PSU
Location: Zoom only
Class description: With only 5 companies now controlling 90% of the media we consume, this means
that independent media is rare to find nowadays and a few individuals control what we can see, hear
and read. What does this mean for our understanding of our community, nation, and the world? We
will examine this topic with an expert that has dedicated almost 20 years to teaching and working in
this space.
Bio: Lee is a professor in Communications at Portland State University and currently is the Board
Chair for XRAY-FM radio, one of 3 local not-for-profit radio stations.
______________________________________________________________
Tuesday Oct. 10 — 1 - 3 pm
Title: Ethnobotany
Presenter: Aaron Campbell, Nature Nerd Expeditions
Location: CLIMB; in person and by Zoom
Class description: Learn how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous.
(native) plants. Plants provide food, medicine, shelter, dyes, fibers, oils, resins, gums, soaps, waxes,
latex, tannins, and even contribute to the air we breathe. A few plant specimens will be shown.
Bio: Aaron, the “Nature Nerd,” spent most of his life studying and observing the natural world around
him, beginning by birding when 8 years old. He knew he wanted to work with animals. During and
after college, he worked on multiple wildlife projects studying birds, small mammals, and the effects of
the oil industry and climate change on our environment. He is a nature educator for the city of
Hillsboro at Jackson Bottom Wetlands. He’s worked there for 8 years and feels privileged to share his
knowledge and experiences with the community hoping to inspire change–and possibly the next
future scientist.
______________________________________________________________
Wednesday Oct. 11 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Video Class – “Paris 1919: Six Months that Changed the World”
Presenter: George Davidson, SSI Member
Location: Zoom only
Class description: This class consists of a 95-minute video followed by an opportunity for discussion.
Many of the geopolitical hot-button issues of recent decades trace their roots directly back to
decisions made during the 1919 Paris peace talks. Inspired by historian Margaret MacMillan’s
acclaimed book Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World, this docudrama dramatically blends
historical reenactments with archival footage of Paris during the 1919 peace talks to shed light on the
long moment in history when the victorious combatants of the Great War—fueled by a combination of
hope, opportunism, anger and revenge—created the League of Nations, redrew the map of the
modern world, and avenged themselves upon Germany via the Treaty of Versailles.
______________________________________________________________
Thursday Oct. 12 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Early Cancer Detection Studies at OHSU Knight Cancer Institute
Presenters: Megan Lonhart, Clinical Research Coordinator; Saron Mekonnen, Pathfinder 2 Study
team lead for the clinical trials team; Madeleine Matheis, Healthy Oregon Project team lead for the
Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research team
Location: WC; in person and by Zoom
Class description: Learn the importance of cancer early detection in survivorship with specific focus
on multi-cancer early detection blood tests, the Healthy Oregon Project, and current cancer screening
methods. The Pathfinder 2 Study is a multi-cancer early detection blood test, which provides results
to participants that aim to detect cancers at their earliest stages.
______________________________________________________________
Week of October 16
Monday Oct. 16 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Poetry Reading Fun!
Presenter: Trina Gaynon, SSI member
Location: Zoom only
Class description: Know a lot about poetry? Know nothing about poetry? Somewhere in-between?
There’s a place for you in this very popular class led by Trina Gaynon. We read from a variety of
published works. Really FUN!
______________________________________________________________
Tuesday Oct. 17 — 1 - 3 pm
Title: Timberline Lodge: An American Icon
Presenter: Sara Munro
Location: CLIMB; in person and by Zoom
Class description: Everyone is familiar with Timberline Lodge, Oregon's iconic ski resort on Mt. Hood, but many are not familiar with the history of the construction and furnishing of this WPA resource, its history as a ski resort, and its partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, R.L.K. and Company, and the
non-profit Friends of Timberline.
Bio: Sarah Baker Munro is the author of Timberline Lodge: The History, Art, and Craft of an
American Icon, first published by Timber Press in 2009, and reissued in 2020 by Cascadian
Publishing Company; Timberline Lodge in 2016, part of the Images of America series by Arcadia
Publishing Company, and numerous articles. Sarah has been called the historian of Timberline and
has been an active member of Friends of Timberline since 1975.
______________________________________________________________
Wednesday Oct. 18 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Shakespeare's 12th Night (Part 2 of 2)
Presenter: Charlie Holmes, SSI Member
Location: NHH; in person only
Class description: Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT: his most popular love triangle. A look at the
play, its themes, its characters, its winners, its losers, and Malvolio's final line.
______________________________________________________________
Thursday Oct. 19 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Writing Workshop: Memoir/Haiku
Presenter: Trina Gaynon, SSI Member
Location: WC; in person only
Class description: A type of travel memoir from Japan is the haibun. Dating back to the 17th century,
haibun are prose passages that end with a haiku. Come explore capturing your travel adventures and
sharing them. Please bring your preferred medium for writing: Paper, pen or pencil, a tablet or laptop.
You may also want to bring photographs from a journey.
______________________________________________________________
Week of October 23
Monday Oct. 23 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Curiosity Café: Community Investment Trust
Presenter: John Haines
Location: Zoom only
Class description: The Community Investment Trust (CIT) is a low-dollar, loss protected investment
opportunity for neighborhood community residents. This unique entity is the first of its kind in the USA
that was founded in Southeast Portland five years ago. Through the CIT, investors build equity in a
thriving and diverse commercial property with investments as low as $10 a month. In this presentation
you will learn how this project came into being from its creator, why it is now spreading to over a
dozen other cities across the country and why it is so critical for improved economic equity.
Bio: John is currently the Executive Director at Community Investment Trust and was the Executive
Director of (Portland based) Mercy Corps Northwest for over fifteen years. He has been a Vice
President, ShoreBank Pacific as well as a Senior Finance Advisor, Chemonics International.
______________________________________________________________
Tuesday Oct. 24 — 1 - 3 pm
Title: Yayoi Kusama
Presenter: Alice Cotton, SSI Member
Location: Zoom only
Class description: Join us as we explore Yayoi Kusama’s work and life. She was born in 1929, and is
acknowledged as one of the most important living artists to come out of Japan. She happens to be
the world's top-selling female artist. Let’s have artistic fun with her! You will need colors, pencil and
paper.
______________________________________________________________
Wednesday Oct. 25 — 10 am - Noon
Title: The Canada Elections Act: A Template for the United States?
Presenter: Howard Shuster
Location: Zoom only
Class description: In Canada all aspects of federal elections are governed by The Canada Elections
Act. This provides uniformity across the country. Is a statute of this nature a solution for the United
States? Would it prevent dark money, outrageous expenditures, and gerrymandering? What are the
impediments to a "big fix" of a broken system? What happens when the politics are taken out of the electoral system?
Bio: Howard is a Canadian attorney and political activist supporting the Liberal Party of Canada.
______________________________________________________________
Thursday Oct. 26 — 10 am - Noon
Title: The 1980s: Crossroads of Modern History
Presenter: Sean Munger, PhD
Location: WC; in person and by zoom
Class description: Most retrospectives of the 1980s are heavily steeped in pop culture and nostalgia,
a view that obscures how pivotal the decade was in recent world history. We'll examine why the '80s
were perhaps the most consequential years of the 20th century and how they shaped our modern
world.
Bio: Sean is an historian, teacher, and author. He teaches history classes online and in person and
has been published in this country and internationally on topics involving history, law, and climate
change. He has presented classes at SSI for over 15 years.
______________________________________________________________
Week of October 30
Monday Oct. 30 — 10 am – Noon
Title: Curiosity Café: Reparations
Presenter: Barry Bennett, SSI Member
Location: Zoom only
Class description: Should the United States pay reparations for slavery? For years some have
argued that we should pay reparations to address an historic wrong that still has consequences that
are felt today. We will review the background of this issue and discuss the arguments for and against
reparations.
_____________________________________________________________
Tuesday Oct. 31 — 1 - 3 pm
Title: Witchy Wisdom for Today
Presenter: Sandy Miller, SSI Member
Location: PCC CLIMB; in person and by Zoom
Class description: What makes a woman a witch? Could you be one, or have one in your life? This
“Witches 101” class looks at modern witchcraft, in all its radical diversity, and explores how many
modern witches work their magic on behalf of social justice and the environment, with a little magic
thrown into the cauldron.
______________________________________________________________
Wednesday Nov. 1 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Understanding Humor: Why we laugh and why it’s important that we do
Presenter: Carl Wolfson
Location: NHH; in person only
Class description: Carl will discuss why we laugh and the importance of humor in our lives. He will
tap his 43-year career as a standup to share insights, stories, and lessons from the world of comedy.
There will be jokes. Lots of them.
Bio: Carl has been one of the country's top headlining comedians. He is a veteran of more than
8,000 performances, including some 300 appearances on national television. Carl currently teaches
introductory, intermediate, and advanced standup comedy classes at Comedy Sportz in Portland.
From 2007 to 2016, Carl was the host of "Carl in the Morning"; on AM 620 KPOJ and FM 107.1
KXRY, Portland's progressive talk stations. He is the author of the bestselling memoir, Slide! The
Baseball Tragicomedy That Defined Me, My Family, and the City of Philadelphia -- And How It All
Could Have Been Avoided Had Someone Just Listened to My Lesbian Great Aunt. Carl received his
B.S. in Communications from the Univ. of Tennessee and his M.A. in Political Science from UCLA.
______________________________________________________________
Thursday Nov. 2 — 10 am - Noon
Title: Planet Ocean
Presenter: David Lonsdale
Location: WC; in person and by zoom
Class description: An introduction to what everyone should know about earth’s most abundant and
diverse environment–its oceans. It follows the “Seven Principles of Ocean Literacy” developed by the
National Marine Educators Association (NMEA). Content includes human interactions with the ocean,
the role of the ocean on earth’s weather & climate, geography of the ocean’s bottom & continental coastlines, how life probably evolved and is sustained by the ocean, and much more.
Bio: David has been a leader in public aquariums for over 32 years. He directed aquarium
operations, developed exhibits, and oversaw educational programs at the Bermuda Aquarium,
Museum and Zoo; Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and Duluth (MN) Great Lakes Aquarium. David has
taught college level courses in ecology, aquatic biology, and marine biology.
NOTES:
● Weekly classes (one per week at each location) will be in-person (unless otherwise noted) at:
o PCC CLIMB Center (CLIMB): 1626 SE Water Ave., Portland; pay for parking.
o Neighborhood House (NHH): 7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland; free parking but limited.
o PCC Willow Creek (WC) Campus, 241 SW Edgeway Dr, Hillsboro; free ample parking.
● For classes noted as “in-person & by Zoom,” the Zoom access information, as well as any
unforeseen changes, will be announced in the weekly email newsletter prior to the class.
● Please wear your name tag to all in-person classes; be sure to fill out the medical information on
the reverse side.
● Wearing a mask is optional at any of the locations.