MCLL Summer Lecture Program
We offer a program of lectures both online and on campus, presented by MCLL members, other lifelong learning centers and faculty members who share their research on a variety of topics.听The fee is $10 per lecture, and does not include MCLL membership benefits.听
Summer Term Duration: July 8 - August 26, 2026
Summer Registration听will open on Monday, June 22, 2026, one minute after midnight (at 12:01 a.m., Tuesday, June 23)
馃挕听New!
MCLL On the Road brings signature lectures to Montreal's seniors鈥� residences, retirement clubs, and independent-living apartment buildings.
鈿狅笍听Important
To register for a lecture you'll need your 91黑料网 Athena login name and password, so keep them handy. If you forget or don't yet have them, get them now at the .
Useful Links
Useful Notes
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Maximum in-person attendance is 17听unless otherwise specified.
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Registration closes at midnight two days before the lecture date.听The Zoom link for online lectures will be sent to attendees the previous day.
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In case of technical problems, an emergency, or an illness, a听refund is available听through your Athena account until one day after the lecture.
馃搷Location听
All on-campus lectures take place on the second floor of
.
MCLL SUMMER听2026 Workshops & Outings |
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YCLML 1019 Time to Journal (in person)
Time: Wednesday, July 8, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Manon Wascher
Attendance: In person
In this workshop we will take time to journal together. Whether this is your first time or you are a seasoned鈥� journaler, this workshop will stimulate your senses. Journaling is private writing about鈥痮urselves, our lives and our world. This age-old tool, recommended by professionals from various fields, serves to understand, question, celebrate,鈥痩ament鈥痑nd鈥痮bserve鈥�� the mundane to the miraculous of our day-to-day existence. A workbook is provided; simply bring a pen and get ready to write.鈥�
YCLML 1021 Introduction to the art of drawing (in person)
Time: Wednesday, July 8, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Afef Salem
Attendance: In person
Let鈥檚 explore art and the artistry that may be within us all. Undiscovered perhaps, or undeveloped, this lecture will both introduce you to your own artistic abilities and show you the powerful synergy that exists between art and music. Inspired by the works of Paul Klee, we will come to see that connection. You will create your very own work of art in our 鈥榟ands on鈥� exercise and awaken, perhaps, the artist within you.
YCLML 1023 The human side of project management (online)
Time: Wednesday, July 15, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Abdul Majeed
Attendance: Online
Most people think projects succeed because of planning, timelines, and technical tools. In reality, the human element is often the deciding factor. This interactive session explores how communication, leadership, trust, adaptability, and emotional intelligence influence the success or failure of projects in professional, community, and everyday life settings. Aided by real-life examples, participants will discuss and reflect on the people dynamics behind successful collaboration and meaningful outcomes.
YCLML 1030 Color Hunt - Parc Angrignon (in person)
Time: Wednesday, August 5, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Afef Salem
Attendance: In person
We will explore hue, tint, tone and shade 鈥� and look for their manifestations in nature on a slow, mindful walk through Parc Angrignon. Bring your camera or smartphone if you would like to keep a record of your hunt!
MCLL SUMMER 2026 LECTURES听 |
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YCLML 1020 Women in the RCMP (online)
Time: Wednesday, July 8, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Paulette Breau
Attendance: Online
This presentation explores the history and impact of women in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It begins with matrons and jailers in the Klondike era, moves through pioneers such as forensic pathologist Dr. Frances 91黑料网 and the groundbreaking female troop of 1974, and covers milestones including the appointment of women commissioners, service with the United Nations and the changes brought about by the Merlo-Davidson lawsuit on gender-based discrimination.鈥�
YCLML 1022 The Bayeux Tapestry Returns (online)
Time: Wednesday, July 8, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Alana Gowdy
Attendance: Online
Shortly after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, a 220-foot-long embroidery was made to commemorate the successful invasion by William the Conqueror. Although made in England, the Tapestry was soon taken to Bayeux in Normandy, where it survived centuries of threats. Finally, in September 2026, the Bayeux Tapestry was loaned to the British Museum, returning to England for the first time. A world treasure is on the move!
YCLML 1024 Lise Meitner: A Physicist (in person)
Time: Wednesday, July 15, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Marna Murray
Attendance: In person
Lise Meitner (1878鈥�1968), an Austrian-born nuclear physicist who later worked in Sweden, played an essential role in the discovery of nuclear fission. Her long partnership with Otto Hahn and collaboration with her nephew Otto Robert Frisch helped her understand the splitting of the atom. Nuclear fission led to nuclear power and the atomic bomb. Meitner was invited to鈥痯articipate鈥痠n the Manhattan Project; however, she declined, saying, 鈥淚 will have nothing to do with a bomb.鈥� Related video:
YCLML 1025 Unlock Your Family History (in person)
Time: Wednesday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Dottie Daly
Attendance: In person
Bring your family history to life in this dynamic genealogy lecture. Define clear goals, take confident first鈥痵teps鈥痑nd choose the platform that fits your needs. Discover how DNA testing can advance your research, navigate privacy considerations, explore family tree鈥痵oftware鈥痑nd apply smart strategies to make your journey more effective and rewarding.鈥�
YCLML 1026 My Journey in Writing Sonnets (online)
Time: Wednesday, July 22, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Romano De Santis & Giovanna De Santis
Attendance: Online
This lecture reflects on a personal creative journey that began about eighteen months ago, when one of the presenters, having never imagined writing poetry, started composing English sonnets. Through selected examples, the talk explores what these sonnets are about, why they came into being and why writing them has become a source of joy and positive addiction. It also highlights the cognitive, emotional and social benefits of this creative practice, including the constructive use of modern tools.
YCLML 1027 Marriage Culture in Imperial China (in person)
Time: Wednesday, July 22, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Lingheng (Jessica) He
Attendance: In person
This lecture aims to introduce the gender and marriage culture of historical China to a Western audience and to address some stereotypes arising from the cultural gap. Though constructed on a so-called 鈥減atriarchal鈥� framework, traditional Chinese marriage institutions鈥痮perated鈥痠n a resilient way, leaving space for individuals to exert agency, and continued to shape marital life and relationships in modern China.鈥�
YCLML 1028 A return to Morocco (in person)
Time: Wednesday, July 29, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Tony Frayne & H茅l猫ne Robillard-Frayne
Attendance: In person
Although we have visited Morocco three times before, my wife and I still love to return, often seeing it from a different angle. It makes an ideal destination: exotic, spectacular scenery, great food, an excellent climate and welcoming people. Please come and discover this wonderful country with us.
YCLML 1029 The Klondike Gold Rush (online)
Time: Wednesday, July 29, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Paulette Breau
Attendance: Online
The Klondike Gold Rush of 1896鈥�1899 was one of the most dramatic episodes in North American history. Beginning with the discovery of gold on Bonanza Creek, it drew an estimated 100,000 prospectors northward, braving treacherous trails, brutal winters and staggering hardships. While only a fraction struck it rich, the event transformed the Yukon, turning Dawson City into a bustling frontier town and bringing in violent conflict, RCMP law enforcement and commercial development.
YCLML 1031 Travel Photography & Africa鈥檚 Image (online)
Time: Wednesday, August 12, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Tim Ewbank
Attendance: Online
Until the advent of portable cameras in the 1850s, Africa was known only through explorers鈥� travelogues, engravings of paintings, fanciful fiction鈥� and legend. Photography offered a way to dramatically change that. The talk will examine who the early photographers were, what they did and did not photograph, how they publicized their work and what impact it had on the Victorian image of Africa. The backdrop is the expansion of the British Empire, with examples drawn鈥痬ainly from southern Africa.鈥�
YCLML 1032 Understanding Hearing Loss (in person)
Time: Wednesday, August 12, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Dale Bonnycastle & Debra Fisher
Attendance: In person
Hearing loss affects at least one in three adults over 60, yet it remains widely misunderstood and frequently unaddressed. This presentation explores the nature of hearing loss, its impact on daily communication and social engagement, and why early recognition matters. Attendees will also learn about available support services, current hearing technology and practical strategies to improve communication 鈥� for themselves and those around them.
YCLML 1033 Archaeological Frauds and Fakes (online)
Time: Wednesday, August 19, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Mitch Allen
Attendance: Online
Many ancient fakes have been uncovered over the years, from the Shroud of Turin, Jesus鈥檚 alleged burial cloth, to the Piltdown Man, the 鈥渕issing link鈥� between apes and humans. Dr. Allen, a retired archaeologist, will answer such questions as: Is鈥痑cquiring鈥痬oney the only motive for faking? How long has the practice been going on? Can鈥痜aking鈥痜ool the experts? How are fakes spotted? What happens if a museum discovers one in its collection? A series of cases 鈥� some not widely known 鈥� will be covered.鈥�
YCLML 1034 Fiction vs. Disinformation: Cervantes (in person)
Time: Wednesday, August 19, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Alison Burch
Attendance: In person
In our world of inflationary media, we face insidious threats of disinformation and 鈥渁lternative facts.鈥� Cervantes was there 400 years ahead. When the printing press led to media saturation 鈥� propaganda as well as mass-produced fiction 鈥� in Spain鈥檚 Golden Age, he exposed techniques for manipulating a narrative and the risks of acting on unverified information. If you thought Don Quixote mainly tackled windmills, come explore passages in which the humour, foresight and psychological reach of this first modern novel shine!
YCLML 1035 How Color Influences Our Perception (online)
Time: Wednesday, August 26, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Nancy Boudreau
Attendance: Online
Color influences our perception because the brain uses colors to interpret space, mood, temperature, depth, and meaning. Different colors can change how we emotionally and physically experience an environment. Our reactions to color are shaped by both biology and culture. For example, blue is often associated with trust and stability in many western cultures, which is why many companies use it in logos and user interface. So, color does more than decorate our surroundings 鈥� it actively shapes emotion, behavior, focus, and spatial awareness. Come and discover how colors can change the perception of your surroundings.
YCLML 1036 America鈥檚 Jim Crow Era (online)
Time: Wednesday, August 26, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Frank Nicholson
Attendance: Online
This talk explores the discrimination, disenfranchisement, segregation and violent repression of African Americans in the U.S. South from the end of Reconstruction in 1877 until the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. Frank describes how state laws and social customs enforced strict separation of Whites and Blacks in transportation, schools, housing, libraries, theatres and washrooms. He explores the thinking behind the system, the impact on African Americans and the struggle that finally brought the era to an end.
