LifeLong Learning, SMPL present community lecture series

LifeLong Learning-San Marcos partners with the San Marcos Public Library to offer a community lecture series featuring six unique topics on six consecutive Fridays through Feb. 9. Each lecture is free and open to the public from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

The first installment of the series will be offered Jan. 5.

• Jan. 5—The Creation and Early History of the U.S. Supreme Court with Joleene Snider, Retired History Instructor, Texas State University The Supreme Court has a significant impact on our lives, yet it was created as an afterthought.

Jo will lead a sometimes funny, other times irreverent romp through early American court history, explaining how the modern court came into being.

• Jan. 12 — Studying the Formation of Terrestrial Planets with the NASA James Webb Space Telescope with Dr. Andrea Banzatti, Assistant Professor of Physics, Texas State University Dr. Banzatti is the principal investigator of a research team using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to study how rocky planets like Earth are formed. Andrea will provide information on how JWST observes regions where planets are forming, how spectroscopy is used to study water and other molecules in space, and new advancements in understanding how solids and water are delivered to rocky planets. NASA featured recent findings by Andrea’s team in a November press release.

• Jan. 19 — How to Communicate Like C.S. Lewis, Dr. Steven Beebe, Retired Regents’ & University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Communication, Texas State University

A noted C.S. Lewis scholar and author of C. S. Lewis and the Craft of Communication, Steve will share practical tips identified from Lewis' voluminous lectures and writings... tips that can improve your communication with everyone, even children and grandchildren!

• Jan. 26 — Mark of the Hand: Sculptural Explorations, Sarah Hirneisen, Visual Artist and Lecturer, School of Art & Design, Texas State University Sarah works with three-dimensional materials and processes. She currently teaches sculpture at Texas State and has exhibited her work extensively throughout the US as well as Hungary, Korea, and England. Sarah will discuss her work exploring identity, gender, and the environment.

• Feb. 2 — What Lies Beneath: Macroinvertebrates in the San Marcos River, Kellie Donajkowski, Education Program Manager, Edwards Aquifer Research and Data Center, Texas State University Having spent a decade teaching outdoor education and informal science, Kellie will discuss the small critters that play a critical role in the San Marcos River’s ecosystem and how to identify them. Kellie will also provide information about water quality.

• Feb 9 — Celebrating Black History Month: Britt Johnson, the Man and the Myth Joleene Snider, Retired History Instructor, Texas State University Explore the life of Texas Frontier hero, Britt Johnson, whose story has been used no less than eight times for several movies, one TV movie series, and three books. Jo will explore the myth and the reality of the man as well as her personal relationship to his story.

February marks Black History Month, a tradition that got its start in the Jim Crow era and was officially recognized in 1976 as part of the nation's bicentennial celebrations. It aims to honor the contributions that African Americans have made and recognize their sacrifices.

To register, visit the San Marcos Public Library, call 512-393-8200 or consult the website for course listings at LLLsanmarcos.org/