Association of Lifelong Learners Calendar

John Vann, a retired Ball State professor and sustainability promoter, will discuss the electrification initiative accelerated by the Inflation Reduction Act. Electrification involves the replacement of fossil fuel applications (such as cars and natural gas ranges), with those powered by electrical technologies. Electrification reduces global-heating CO2 emissions and, in the home, eliminates indoor pollutants that threaten residents’ health. Most electrification replacements qualify for Federal Tax Credits, and some qualify for rebates. Electrification replacements also save homeowners money as they’re more efficient that fossil fuel applications.

Karen Adkins, Director of Dining, University Catering, and Conference Services, will speak about the management of this very large operation. Thousands of meals are served every day and hundreds of other events are coordinated each year. Keeping up with food trends as well as food safety is paramount. How does this huge operation run? Karen will also talk about robots that assist in delivering food on campus.

Meeting the ongoing challenges of food security and hunger in Indiana - Second Harvest will present The Working Hungry a 30-minute film built around the stories of three families and through them the stories of more than 7,000 people across the state of Indiana. Most of these are working families, and their hunger is hidden from those around them. The compelling documentary asks why in a time of low unemployment and food abundance is food security and hunger so prevalent and what can be done. The Working Hungry will dive deep into the reality of food insecurity in Indiana, and what could be done to destigmatize the conversation more clearly understand underlying causes, and truly end hunger. After the film presentation, Second Harvest will discuss what is being done in our community to address food insecurity and self-sufficiency through programs like Forward STEP, Big Idea, Operation Full Pack, and Senior Safety Net.

The Human Performance Laboratory is part of a nationwide exercise study involving 32 institutions-Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC)-to examine the health benefits of exercise at the whole body and molecular level. MoTrPAC is a 350 million-dollar project funded by the National Institute of Health.

Money, sex, and religion: several legal battles that transfixed the public. Richard Harris will talk about 6 trials that, in their time, captivated the American public. Folks throughout the country hung on every scandalous development of these historic court cases. Harris will mention other trials as well.

Morgan Roddy (she/her) founded Queer Chocolatier in August of 2017 in Muncie, IN. Her background includes a BA in Fine Arts and Sociology from Marian College and a MA in Sociology from Ball State University. She combined her educational experiences with her passion for food and chocolate to launch her business. Specializing in chocolate truffles, Queer Chocolatier is unique in combining the chocolate-making process and chocolatier work, where normally, those two distinct processes are performed by different companies. The combination allows for the tailoring of single-origin cocoa beans to truffle flavors. Morgan is eager to share the learning journey she’s been on for making chocolate as a way to enhance the joy of tasting and eating chocolate