Masterminds Lectures

Since 2006, UVic retirees have presented free public lectures in the month of April. Topics range across the whole spectrum of university research and performance. The series is sponsored by UVRA and the Institute on Aging and lifelong Health, with support from the University of Victoria. Judging by the high attendance, these lectures continue to engage and enlighten our audience.

The pandemic made it necessary to cancel Masterminds 2020, but the four presenters scheduled to present agreed to present in April 2021 on Zoom, as it is not yet time for larger groups to meet in person.

If you want to know more about the presenters and their presentations, please go to: https://www.uvic.ca/masterminds/ and please click on https://www.uvic.ca/research/centres/aging/events/videos/index.php for exploring events recording. 

 

MASTERMINDS LECTURE SERIES 2025

WHEN: Wednesdays, May 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2025 (7:00 - 8:15 PM, PT)
WHERE: Room 133, Snge-qu House, University of Victoria

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Should We Have Cancer Warnings on Alcoholic Drinks?

Speaker: Tim Stockwell, former Director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research

In this presentation, Dr. Stockwell will discuss recent warnings from Canadian and US health authorities about whether any alcohol consumption is safe, provide a guide to the underlying research and help place alcohol’s health risk in a wider perspective. 

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Tooning Tragedy: Reimagining Death Among the Dunsmuirs

Speaker: Don Lovell, Architect with UVic Campus Planning and cartooning fan

Don Lovell’s interest in Victoria’s Dunsmuir family began while studying history as an Officer Cadet at Royal Roads Military College. He combined his interests in research and drawing in his graphic historical novel The Dunsmuir Ring, which evokes First World War era Victoria and the doomed journey of James Dunsmuir’s son to England aboard the Lusitania.

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Grandparents Can Help: Everyday Ways to Promote Children’s Emotional Learning

Speaker: Bonnie Leadbeater, Professor Emerita of the Department of Psychology

This presentation will define social emotional learning, explain why it is so important that children acquire it in this time of bombardment by social media, and how and why schools are promoting it. Dr. Leadbeater developed the anti-bullying program WITS.

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

The Importance of Thriving Indigenous Languages

Speaker: Lorna Wanosts’a 7 Williams, Professor Emerita of Indigenous Education, Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Williams has assisted in the revitalization of Indigenous languages both in BC and around the world. She’ll explain how communities thrive when their languages are spoken and she’ll share the global influence of UVic’s Indigenous language revitalization programs.

 

REGISTRATION: To register for one or more of these presentations, please visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/masterminds-2025-tickets-1321653785049

Past presenters


2023

  • Ed Ishiguro (You are What You and Your Gut Bacteria Eat)
  • Kathy Gaul (Exercise is Medicine: A Broad-Spectrum Prescription for All)
  • PJ Naylor (Physical Literacy Powered by Environment)

2022

  • Philip Dearden (Challenges and opportunities in community conservation: reflections from the topics)
  • Leslie Saxon (Grammar and Placenames: A Settler Linguist in Indigenous Language Revitalization)
  • David Docherty (Boosting and maintaining brain power as we age may be as easy as a walk in the park or riding a bike!)
  • Hugh Cartwright (The unstoppable rise of Artificial Intelligence: Should we be worried?)

2021

  • Nancy Turner (Plants, people and places: lessons in stewardship and reciprocity)
  • Cecilia Benoit (Commercial Sex: a problem of gender or social inequality?)
  • Richard Keeler (Elementary particles: the fundamental building blocks of nature)
  • Mary Ellen Purkis (Thinking about aging in place)

2019

  • Claire Carlin (Humanities in the digital age: A quiet revolution)
  • Alexandra Pohran-Dawkins (Music from the inside: The 'flow' of live performance)
  • Hamar Foster (Arthur O'Meara and land claims in British Columbia, 1900-1928)
  • Trevor Hancock (Creating a one planet region: Healthy cities in the 21st century)

2018

  • Dean Goard (Diaries of a missionary doctor: a family history. Discover letters and journals revealing the fascinating life of the Colwell family in BC and India)
  • Geraldine Van Gyn (Watching learning happen: from neural networks to social networks. Explore the complexities and challenges of how we learn.)
  • Mary Sanseverino (Let the images speak: historic re-photography in Canada's mountain west.  Hike Canada's ranges to see how scientists with cameras are revealing climate change)
  • Bob Crosby (On land and seafloor: earthquake early-warning systems.  How Ocean Networks Canada's network of sensors is detecting subduction earthquakes.)

2017

  • Lynne Van Luven (A mixed blessing: Life after retirement. Retirement poses new challenges, what are the facts?)
  • Barbara Whittington (Preventing harassment: Victim, bystander and activist. Human rights violations happen. How do we understand and respond?)
  • Terry Pearson (Your world in a drop of blood: Personal health monitoring. How will new technology help us harness our individuality in diagnostic medicine?)
  • Michael Best (There's magic in the web of it: Putting Shakespeare online.  How is digital technology bringing Shakespeare to new audiences?)

2013

  • Ed Ishiguro (Uses of probiotics)
  • Howie Wenger (Achievement of high performance by athletes)
  • Reg Mitchell (Using chemistry to enhance our bodies)
  • Juliana Saxton (Role of the University Orator)

2012

  • Stanton Tuller (Climate of Victoria)
  • Martin Segger (Architectural modernism in Victoria)
  • Elaine Gallagher (How age-friendly is Victoria)
  • Larry Yore (Success in challenging science illiteracy)

2011

  • Dave Docherty (Mental and physical fitness)
  • Christopher Barnes (Recent results from NEPTUNE)
  • Bill Zuk (Arctic art and culture)
  • Janet Storch (Health cutbacks, ethics and safety in hospital and home care)

2010

  • Bruce Howe (Elite athletes)
  • John McLaren (Colonial judges)
  • Margie Mayfield (Kindergartens for 3 to 5 year olds)
  • Reg Mitchell (“Snake-oils”)

2009

  • Erica Dodd (Muslim art and architecture)
  • Ralph Huenemann (Economics of China)
  • Michael Hadley (Restorative justice)
  • Ed Ishiguro (Food-borne pathogens)

2008

  • Nick Russell (Heritage buildings)
  • Pat Roy (History of Asian people in Canada)
  • Juliana Saxton (Reminiscence theatre)
  • Paul West (Gardening without pesticides)
  • David Sanborne Scott (Hydrogen fuel)

2007

  • Martin Hocking (Aircraft ventilation)
  • Mary Wynne Ashford (Doctors for peace)
  • Elizabeth Tumasonis (Famous artists at age 65+)
  • Bill Valgardson (Creative writing)

2006

  • Brian Wharf and Marilyn Callahan (Grandmothers as caretakers)
  • Harold Coward (World religions)
  • Christopher Barnes (Plans for NEPTUNE)
  • Pat Martin-Bates (Printmaking)
  • Donald Lobb (Digital photography)

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Digging for Data: Researching the Digital Humanities in the 21st Century

Speaker: Stewart Arneil

This talk will focus on implications on Humanities research and publishing arising from changes over the last 20 years. Starting with the Internet, but also looking at the changes due to social media, wireless devices (especially smartphones), increased network capacity, and machine learning and artificial intelligence. How have those changes affected the kinds of research and publications created, and the roles of professors, students, and technical experts?

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Developing Development: How UVic Fundraising has Evolved

Speakers: Deborah Walker & Barb Roberts

Deborah Walker and Barb Roberts retired from the Development department at UVic five years ago. In this presentation, they define Development and explain how its unique approach became necessary in the face of government cutbacks and rising costs. They’ll also explore interesting trends that emerged in the field during their careers. 

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Finding a Road to ReconciliACTION

Speaker: Bruce Kilpatrick

Though not a Reconciliation expert, Bruce Kilpatrick helped create a settler organization, ReconciliACTION Oak Bay, that seeks to advance Truth and Reconciliation in Oak Bay. Established in 2021 and currently made up of 12 local organizations, the ReconciliACTION Oak Bay network is deeply committed to building community-to-community relationships with the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. This talk will focus on advancing the process of Reconciliation in order to build a just future together, how the network supports public engagement and action around Truth-telling and Reconciliation, and building awareness of the importance and potential elements of Reconciliation. 

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Journey to a Meaningful Second Act

Speaker: Stephen Tax, PhD

A discussion on retirement both as a personal journey and as a changing concept in this new century.