Lecture Series

Our FAB students’ safety is important to us; therefore, we are taking precautions to make the in-person classes a safe and welcoming environment. In this environment, students will be able to enjoy face-to-face interactions with their faculty and classmates and the option to grab a coffee or a bite to eat before or after class. For those not able to join us in person, we continue to be your virtual home for learning!

Note: Walk-ins are not permitted. You may register via phone by calling 805-493-3290 at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the lecture, space permitting. Persons will not be allowed into the learning space if they are not on the roster in advance.

Regarding in-person attendance:

• FREE, accessible parking at both campus locations (view location and parking details HERE)
• Large lecture room with ample space meeting Cal/OSHA guidelines
• Masks are recommended but are not required

Can’t get to campus for an in-person lecture? No problem! Attend the course virtually instead.

In-Person & Virtual Learning

Using a hybrid learning model, in-person and virtual students can attend the same class simultaneously. A special “360-camera” will follow the instructor in the classroom, and students attending virtually will be able to see and hear the instructor and view the PowerPoint over Zoom (similar to our traditional virtual courses).

Thursday, January 9, 1-3pm (Pacific)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Oxnard

Lecture Description:
The hotel industry in America began with rustic New England country inns and taverns, progressed to grand hotels with the growth of major American cities as spurred on by the railroads, and has culminated in the sophisticated boutique hotels of today. As America grew in population and prominence, the need for accommodations for travelers spurred the expansion of the hospitality industry while advancing the popular architectural styles of the time. This lecture will address the development of the industry, through discussion of architectural and interior styles and the unique regional and cultural influences from various regions throughout the United States.

Bio:
Eleanor Schrader is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author. She lectures worldwide on art and architectural history, and leads art and architecture tours throughout the world.  She has been named a Distinguished Instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. She is also Professor Emeritus of Art and Architectural History at Santa Monica College. She has done graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York.  She has served as a Design Review Commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the John Lautner Foundation.

Tuesday, January 14, 1-3pm (Pacific)
Online via Zoom

Lecture Description:
English, like all other languages, changes over time and varies according to place and social setting. The way a person sounds—such as with the “southern drawl” or dropping their “r”s—immediately conjures up a sense of the place where they come from. But the way we speak is influenced by many factors: not only our geographical roots, but our social and educational background, our working environment, our friends, our own sense of identity, and even our political views all affect how we sound.

In this lecture, we will examine English dialects and accents around the world, and how they changed over time. We will wonder what Shakespeare really sounded like, and how we can know that. We will observe how English speakers can manipulate the way they speak to emphasize their identity. We will contemplate how Bostonians and New Yorkers, posh and working-class Londoners, Scots and Irishmen, Canadians and Australians speak.

Led by an expert on linguistics and history this lecture will open your eyes - and your ears! - to the great diversity of around the world.

Bio:
Dr. Asya Pereltsvaig received a degree in English and History from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a PhD in Linguistics from McGill University. She taught at Yale, Cornell, and Stanford universities, and has been teaching in lifelong education programs since 2010. Her expertise is in language, culture, and history, and the relationship between them. Asya has published five scholarly books with Cambridge University Press. Asya is a popular instructor for several lifelong learning institutes around the country. 

Part 1: Wednesday, January 15, 1-3pm (Pacific)
Part 2: Wednesday, January 22, 1-3pm (Pacific)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Thousand Oaks

Lecture Description:
Christianity is a religion. Nevertheless, with the development of nationalism in the last few centuries, in some circles, Christianity has developed into both a religion and a political movement. This movement is known as Christian nationalism; it seeks to bring Christianity into government, and to lead nations using Christian principles, Christian ideas, and sometimes, is largely supported by a Christian imperialist way of thinking. This set of two lectures will dive deep into the origins of this Christian nationalism, and then also consider how Christian nationalism affects life in the United States today.

Bio:
Jason Hensley, PhD (Holocaust and Genocide Studies), Dmin (Biblical Studies), teaches religious studies at a private school in Los Angeles. He is a fellow of the Michael LaPrade Holocaust Education Institute of the Anti-Defamation League, a higher-education ambassador for the Council on Foreign Relations, and the award-winning author of 12 books. His work has been featured in The Huffington Post as well as the BBC, and he has served as the historical advisor for a Holocaust documentary. Connect with him at jasonhensley.net.

Tuesday, January 21, 10-11am (Pacific)
Online via Zoom

Lecture Description:
In 1989, historian Elizabeth White received a mysterious manuscript. It told how Jewish mathematician Janina Mehlberg survived the Holocaust in German-occupied Lublin Poland by posing as "the Countess Suchodolska," a Polish Christian relief worker. Through face-to-face negotiations with Nazi officials and clandestine work for the resistance, she provided life-saving aid to non-Jewish Polish victims of Nazi persecution in Lublin and to prisoners at Majdanek concentration camp, where 63,000 Jews were gassed or shot to death. To corroborate this astonishing story, White and fellow Holocaust historian Joanna Sliwa conducted research in nine countries. They discovered that Mehlberg accomplished far more than she claimed. This talk will highlight what we can learn from Mehlberg's story about Holocaust history, ethnic relations in extreme situations, and humanity in times of crisis.

Bios:
Dr. Elizabeth “Barry” White recently retired from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, where she served as historian and as Research Director for the USHMM’s Center for the Prevention of Genocide. Prior to working for the USHMM, Barry spent a career at the US Department of Justice working on investigations and prosecutions of Nazi criminals and other human rights violators. She served as deputy director and chief historian of the Office of Special Investigations and as deputy chief and chief historian of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.

https://www.elizabethbwhite.com/ 

Dr. Joanna Sliwa is a historian at the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) in New York, where she also administers academic programs. She previously worked at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and at the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. She has taught Holocaust and Jewish history at Kean University and at Rutgers University and has served as a historical consultant and researcher, including for the PBS film In the Name of Their Mothers: The Story of Irena Sendler. Her first book, Jewish Childhood in Kraków: A Microhistory of the Holocaust won the 2020 Ernst Fraenkel Prize awarded by the Wiener Holocaust Library.

https://www.joannasliwa.com/ 

Book website: www.counterfeitcountess.com

Simon and Schuster website about the book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Counterfeit-Countess/Elizabeth-B-White/9781982189129

Monday, January 27, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Thousand Oaks

Lecture Description:
This two-hour lecture is a follow-up to the fall lecture series, Pompeii: Life, Death, and the Legacy of an Ancient Roman City. We will examine several new finds in a previously unexplored area of ancient Pompeii. Key discoveries include the ‘Black Room’ with its stunning frescoes depicting Greek mythology, evidence of unfinished renovations, and the tragic stories of residents who perished under collapsing roofs. We will explore newly uncovered areas such as a bakery, a blue shrine, and children’s drawings, providing insights into the daily lives and social strata of Pompeii’s inhabitants. Whether or not you attended the fall class, in this lecture we will gain a deeper understanding of the archaeological methods and the significance of these new finds in reconstructing life in ancient Pompeii.

Bio:
Scott Jones is a retired naval officer and businessman with broad experience in national security, foreign relations, and politics. Scott is also a docent at the J. Paul Getty Museum (Getty Villa) where he leads tours in the Greek and Roman Galleries, special exhibitions, Roman architecture, and Roan gardens. He teaches for a few lifelong learning programs in the area.

Part 1: Tuesday, January 28, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Part 2: Tuesday, February 4, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Online via Zoom

Lecture Description:
Join us for a vibrant depiction of singer and dancer Josephine Baker and the African American musicians of interwar Paris. We’ll explore the enclave of gifted multiracial performers who altered the course of European music, art and style. After Germany invaded France, Baker valiantly spied on the Axis for the Allies, aided refugees and entertained the troops. Newly available videoclips, music and stories celebrate the innovative music, dance and cabarets of Paris, 1925-50.

Bio:
During the last four decades Dave Radlauer has been telling tales of early Jazz, Blues and Swing on the radio, garnering six broadcast awards and authoring 200 articles for online and print publications.  For Stanford Libraries, he’s written interpretive online text and donated a large collection of unique music and photos.  He teaches lifelong learning courses at UCLA, UC Berkeley, San Francisco State and Dominican University.

Part 1: Monday, February 3, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Part 2: Monday, February 10, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Thousand Oaks

Lecture Description:
Julia Morgan, the first woman to earn an architect's license in California, was a prolific designer of hundreds of buildings. Among the more than 700 buildings in California that she designed, she is best known for her collaboration with publisher William Randolph Hearst and her work on Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. This two-part lecture will look at her life and career, beginning with Julia being the first woman admitted to the architecture program at l'École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. We will follow Julia back to California and examine some of her groundbreaking works, looking at buildings from San Pedro to San Francisco, including the Herald Examiner Building in Los Angeles, the Annenberg Community Beach House at Santa Monica State Beach, the Fairmont San Francisco, and, of course, a visit to Hearst Castle. Initiated by Hearst's instructions to Morgan that: "...we are tired of camping out in the ranch in San Simeon and I would like to build a little something," this two-part lecture will detail the conception and construction of this pioneering structure, while exploring the structures and the vast grounds. In addition to it being a renowned place for lively parties and social gatherings, Hearst Castle also came to boast one of the world's greatest collections of art, which we will also look at in depth.

Bio:
Katherine E. Zoraster is an Art Historian and a Professor of Art History at several local colleges specializing in Western art from the Renaissance to the 20th century. She graduated with a double major in English Literature and Art History from the University of California, Los Angeles. Following her undergraduate degree, she received a Master’s Degree with Distinction in Art History from the California State University at Northridge.

In addition to the courses Katherine teaches for other lifelong learning programs, she also works as an Art History Instructor for the full-time program at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Arts. Katherine also serves as a commissioner for the Burbank Cultural Arts Commission and volunteers at the Burbank Animal Shelter. In her free time, Katherine is an avid runner and travels extensively.

Friday, February 14, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Oxnard

Lecture Description:
In the early 1970s, a young Jewish summer camp and youth choir leader burst onto the scene of formal synagogue music and introduced a new way of singing Jewish songs that would eventually result in a revolution in Jewish music. Debbie Friedman (1951-2011), starting out first in St. Paul, Minnesota and then moving to Chicago, gained a foothold among synagogue audiences first as an arranger and composer of Jewish music for young people in which she took traditional songs, often using both Hebrew and English lyrics, and set them to original and very contemporary folk-rock compositions. Her students loved her, and she quickly developed a following audiences of all ages in introducing what was essentially a joyful “summer camp” approach to the staid and traditional world of synagogue music. In establishing her new approach to synagogue music, Friedman fought against both gender and musical stereotypes and ended up revolutionizing the way music is used in contemporary Jewish services. This lecture will provide a brief biographical sketch of Debbie Friedman and explore both her musical and social/gender contributions to Jewish practices in the late-20th and early 21st centuries.

Bio:
Clifford Wilcox, Ph.D., is a historian who focuses on American intellectual and cultural history and Jewish Studies. His courses concentrate on the intersection of culture, ideas, politics, and religion in American history. He is Director of Education and Operations at Temple Beth Torah in Ventura, CA and has taught in the CLU FAB program since 2021. He holds a Ph.D. in American intellectual history from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Tuesday, February 18, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Online via Zoom

Lecture Description:
My opinion: few have accomplished the amazing feats that Linda Ronstadt did as one of the most talented and dynamic singers in every genre of popular music! Beginning with the group “The Stone Poneys”, Linda set the stage for having more recorded hits from various genres of popular music than anyone else. Better singers? Perhaps, but no one compares to the way she “knocked it out of the park” producing her recordings. She was not a songwriter, but nonetheless she surrounded herself with exceptionally-talented songwriting friends who supplied her with songs she turned into hits. She also exceled with her own version of cover songs (e.g. “You’re No Good”). All this enveloped in a fascinating off-stage life in Los Angeles.

In this lecture, rediscover Linda Ronstadt’s interpretations of Rock, Pop, Soul, Country, Folk, and The Great American Songbook! We’ll cover it all! There’s no doubt – Linda rules!

Bio:
Tony Moon has spent 60 successful years in the music business. Beginning in 1960, he joined the L.A. group Dante and The Evergreens, which was managed and produced by Lou Adler and Herb Alpert. He later moved to Nashville, becoming the guitarist and conductor for Brenda Lee. Tony also began playing on recording sessions and was Nashville's first rock independent music producer, working with five major labels. He scored several big hits for The Vogues, including "5 O' Clock World." Tony has won several awards as a songwriter and music publisher. His songs have been released by artists as diverse as Porter Wagoner, Willie Nelson, Vickie Carr, Pearl Jam, and The Beatles.

He currently administers several Music Publishing Companies and a New York Entertainment Company.

Our FAB students’ safety is important to us; therefore, we are taking precautions to make the in-person classes a safe and welcoming environment. In this environment, students will be able to enjoy face-to-face interactions with their faculty and classmates and the option to grab a coffee or a bite to eat before or after class. For those not able to join us in person, we continue to be your virtual home for learning!

Note: Walk-ins are not permitted. You may register via phone by calling 805-493-3290 at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the lecture. Persons will not be allowed into the learning space if they are not on the roster in advance.

Regarding in-person attendance:

• FREE, accessible parking at both campus locations (view location and parking details HERE)
• Large lecture room with ample space meeting Cal/OSHA guidelines
• Masks are recommended but are not required

Can’t get to campus for an in-person lecture? No problem! Attend the course virtually instead.

In-Person & Virtual Learning

Using a hybrid learning model, in-person and virtual students can attend the same class simultaneously. A special “360-camera” will follow the instructor in the classroom, and students attending virtually will be able to see and hear the instructor and view the PowerPoint over Zoom (similar to our traditional virtual courses).

Monday, November 11, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Oxnard

Lecture Description:
While Hanukkah is a minor holiday in the Jewish Calendar, it has come to hold deep significance for Jews, particularly in the United States. The story of Hanukkah is typically summed up in a description of the surprise military victory in 165 BCE – a small army of Jews led by the Maccabees defeated the powerful Greek-Syrians – and the religious miracle of the oil used for rededication of the temple, which lasted for eight days despite being sufficient for only a single day of burning. Hanukkah has developed as a warm family-centric holiday focused on celebration of the miracle of the oil and Jewish self-preservation in face of powerful odds. Yet Hanukkah holds layers of meaning that go far beyond the traditional story. Examination of the holiday of Hanukkah from its ancient beginnings to the present offers a powerful view into the challenges Jews have faced over the centuries in remaining Jewish, especially in light of a perpetual status as a minority culture. This lecture will explore the historical origins, development, and contemporary impact of the Hanukkah holiday, particularly for American Jews.

Click the following link to listen to a preview of this lecture on our YouTube page: https://youtu.be/rqGM7PlpY20

Bio:
Clifford Wilcox, Ph.D., is a historian who focuses on American intellectual and cultural history and Jewish Studies. His courses concentrate on the intersection of culture, ideas, politics, and religion in American history. He is Director of Education and Operations at Temple Beth Torah in Ventura, CA and has taught in the CLU FAB program since 2021. He holds a Ph.D. in American intellectual history from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Wednesday, November 13, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Online via Zoom

Lecture Description:
What are the holidays without music. Let’s get into the Holiday Spirit with songs and dances from Broadway and Movie musicals.  From “White Christmas” to “The Grinch” and “The Hanukkah Song”, we’ll show and discuss scenes from some beloved and some obscure Christmas movies and holiday television specials. Bring out the “Frosty-the- Snowman” cookies and hot chocolate and let’s get ready for the, “Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

Click the following link to listen to a preview of this lecture on our YouTube page: https://youtu.be/D_J4KCcG06o

Bio:
Film historians Sam and Candy Caponegro are passionate about movie musicals. For over thirty years, they have acted, directed, and produced professional, community, and school theater. Candy’s most notable professional acting roles are Adelaine opposite Nathan Lane in Guys and Dolls and Cheri opposite Divine in the New York production of Women Behind Bars. Sam and Candy have taught numerous courses and lecture on cruise lines, at libraries, and for many 50+ audiences. They hope to keep the classic movie musical and the golden age of Broadway alive through their lectures.

Monday, November 18, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Thousand Oaks

Lecture Description:
Originally from Philadelphia, Mary Cassatt is not just one of only three women to exhibit with the Impressionists, but she is the only American. Her work is perceptive, unique and reflective of her time and place and was considered revolutionary for its time. Ostensibly largely featuring women and children, through that lens, she also depicts aspects of societal norms of her day. This lecture will not only look at her work, but also will mention her role in the spread of the appreciation of the Impressionists.

Click the following link to listen to a preview of this lecture on our YouTube page: https://youtu.be/_XPBroMjXiI 

Bio:
Katherine E. Zoraster is an Art Historian and a Professor of Art History at several local colleges specializing in Western art from the Renaissance to the 20th century. She graduated with a double major in English Literature and Art History from the University of California, Los Angeles. Following her undergraduate degree, she received a Master’s Degree with Distinction in Art History from the California State University at Northridge.

In addition to the courses Katherine teaches for other lifelong learning programs, she also works as an Art History Instructor for the full-time program at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Arts. Katherine also serves as a commissioner for the Burbank Cultural Arts Commission and volunteers at the Burbank Animal Shelter. In her free time, Katherine is an avid runner and travels extensively.

Tuesday, November 19, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Online via Zoom

Lecture Description:
Each day there are many news stories revolving around the world of art. A theft, a rediscovery, forgeries, acts of terrorism, a restoration, lawsuits or restitutions…the list goes on and on.

In our media packed world, it is difficult to keep up on current happenings and even more challenging to see the implications to those people involved; collectors, museums, auction houses, the world of art and to our society and cultural heritage.

Tracking the typical art crime news of a day, we will then examine the stories and capers of today as well as the recent year. These cases have or will affect the future of the art world legally and most certainly morally and ethically.

Once again, grab your legal pad and sharpen your pencil. Come catch up on the latest Art Crimes!

Bio:
Christine Maasdam holds a Master in Humanities and a B.A. in Cultural Geography. Her art studies include The Courtauld Institute of Art in London, The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center in D.C. and Post Graduate studies in Antiquities Trafficking and Art Crime at the University of Glasgow. She is a graduate of the Art Crime Investigation Seminar led by Robert Wittman, founder of the FBI's National Art Crime Team. Christine is a member of the International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection and holds a certificate from Trident Manor on Protection of Cultural Venues. Christine received Sotheby’s certification on Determining Value: An Appraiser’s Perspective. She has spent over a decade as a LACMA docent and is an active volunteer at the City of David archaeological dig in Israel.

Wednesday, November 20, 1-3pm (Pacific)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Thousand Oaks

Lecture Description:
From sleek new industrial materials to innovations in housing the baby boom generation, the pioneers of design in the middle of the 20th century faced new challenges in shaping a design aesthetic that would embrace the ideals of post-WWII America and Europe. Through lecture and slide illustration, this talk explores a new optimism in the relationship between design and lifestyle in the mid-20th century as manifested in open living spaces in architecture and curvaceous, biomorphic forms in furniture, lighting, and other decorative arts. The influence of the Case Study Program and the works of such design luminaries as Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Joseph Eichler, Isamu Noguchi, Arne Jacobsen, and the furniture of Knoll and Herman Miller will be discussed against the backdrop of the rapid social changes of the times.

Click the following link to listen to a preview of this lecture on our YouTube page: https://youtu.be/jBgDqDq5d0A

Bio:
Eleanor Schrader is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author. She lectures worldwide on art and architectural history, and leads art and architecture tours throughout the world.  She has been named a Distinguished Instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. She is also Professor Emeritus of Art and Architectural History at Santa Monica College. She has done graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York.  She has served as a Design Review Commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the John Lautner Foundation.

Part 1: Monday, December 2, 1-3pm (Pacific)
Part 2: Monday, Decemer 9, 1-3pm (Pacific)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Thousand Oaks

Lecture Description:
Many of the founders of the United States believed in a God. But, their beliefs were unconventional––they didn't necessarily belong to a religious community or follow the ideas of traditional theology. Why? What did these people think about God and religion? Why did their beliefs go against the grain? And, do these ideas even matter today? Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Paine are some of the most well-known American founders. Each of these individuals also held very strong religious views––views which intimately impacted their understanding of politics and American independence. This set of lectures will examine each of these individuals in order to unearth their religious views and thus grow closer to an understanding of the founders of this country.

Click the following link to listen to a preview of these lectures on our YouTube page: https://youtu.be/job8Vwbz1Sw

Bio:
Jason Hensley, PhD (Holocaust and Genocide Studies), Dmin (Biblical Studies), teaches religious studies at a private school in Los Angeles. He is a fellow of the Michael LaPrade Holocaust Education Institute of the Anti-Defamation League, a higher-education ambassador for the Council on Foreign Relations, and the award-winning author of 12 books. His work has been featured in The Huffington Post as well as the BBC, and he has served as the historical advisor for a Holocaust documentary. Connect with him at jasonhensley.net. 

Tuesday, December 3, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Choose to Attend Online via Zoom or In-Person in Oxnard

Lecture Description:
Medicine and race have been linked since time immemorial. Over the past 100-150 years, records have been maintained recording health disparities between white and non-white individuals, and the impact of race on access to medical care. Most recently, the CoVID-19 pandemic highlighted disparities in access to health care, treatment, and outcomes. In this lecture, we will review examples of the impact of race on medical treatment and discuss well known cases that have impacted medicine and the medical field in the United States and abroad. 

Click the following link to listen to a preview of this lecture on our YouTube page: https://youtu.be/r7jCW2ohExE 

Bio:
Dr. Paloma Vargas (she/they/ella) is the Dean of Mathematics, Science, Health Education, Kinesiology and Athletics at Oxnard College, a 2-year public Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). In her capacity as Dean, Dr. Vargas works with administration, faculty, and staff to determine best practices in serving diverse student populations. She often serves as a facilitator and trainer for faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions in centering equity with a particular focus on inclusivity in STEM.

Dr. Vargas previously served as a biology faculty member, researcher, HSI Director, Science Coordinator and STEM Advisor at private and public institutions. She earned her B.S. in Biology from the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College (HSIs), and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Medical and Molecular Parasitology from The Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at New York University. Her graduate and post-doctoral work focused on host-pathogen interactions of both parasitic amoeba (E. histolytica) and Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaire’s Disease.

Tuesday, December 10, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Online via Zoom

Lecture Description:
Sharon Boorstin traveled to California Gold Country to research an article for the Los Angeles Times. She discovered more fascinating stories than could fit into 1500 words. Join Sharon for a virtual tour of California Highway 49, in the rolling Sierra Nevada foothills east of Sacramento. Stops include Sutter’s Fort, where gold was first discovered in 1848; and a dozen historic Gold Rush towns including Columbia, Angel’s Camp, Grass Valley, and Nevada City. See where prospectors partied when they struck it rich, and drowned their sorrows when they didn’t — and what visitors can enjoy there today.

Click the following link to listen to a preview of this lecture on our YouTube page: https://youtu.be/RY4ndu6HZNI

Bio:
Sharon Boorstin is a contributing writer for the Los Angeles Times, specializing in lifestyle, food and travel. In 2019 she won Visit California’s Eureka Award for Best Newspaper Travel Article. In the 1970s and ‘80s Sharon was the Restaurant Critic of the (late) Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, and in the ‘90s she edited the annual Gayot Guidebooks for Los Angeles and other cities. She also wrote for magazines including Bon Appetit, Smithsonian and Town & Country Travel. With her husband Paul, she wrote dozens of screenplays for feature films and television including Angel of Death (ABC) starring Jane Seymour. Her memoir/cookbook, “Let Us Eat Cake: Adventures in Food and Friendship” (Harper-Collins 2002), was a selection of the Pulpwood Queens Book Club. Raised in Seattle, Washington, Sharon moved to Los Angeles in 1966 after earning a California Lifetime Teaching credential at U.C. Berkeley. She taught high-school History, English and Social Studies in L.A. for 11 years.

Wednesday, December 11, 10am-12pm (Pacific)
Online via Zoom

Lecture Description:
The Woolsey Fire in 2018 remains the largest wildfire in the history of the Santa Monica Mountains by acreage. The National Park Service, the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, partner agencies, and NPS volunteers have collaborated to study and investigate the fire's impacts and long-lasting effects on the ecosystem and its inhabitants. With the use of wildlife camera traps, biologists have gained a better sense of what lives, breathes, and zooms through the Santa Monica Mountains and nearby mountain ranges. The first part of the lecture will highlight the scope of this research, how researchers capture these wildlife images, and get insight on the massive collaborative effort driven by park staff, partner agencies, and volunteers to maintain this project. The second part of the lecture will highlight select images from the research data including images of wildlife behavior rarely seen in-person, photos of collared animals, and site comparisons over the years.

Click the following link to listen to hear more about this lecture: https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/video/how-researchers-are-tracking-wildlife-recovering-after-the-97000-acre-woolsey-fire/#:~:text=KCAL's%20Amanda%20Starrantino%20shows%20us%20how 

Bio:
Miroslava Munguia Ramos is the Woolsey Fire Recovery Project lead with the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, the official non-profit partner of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. She has worked under the Interpretation, Education, and Volunteer division of the National Park Service to provide public programming, school field trips, and engaging volunteer experiences for park visitors. She began her Santa Monica Mountains Fund career as a program supervisor for college-aged interns about exploring careers in public land management. Now collaborating with the Wildlife division, she works regularly with volunteers and citizen/community scientists to showcase some of the park's research and help make it more accessible to the public. 

Munguia Ramos received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis with a major in Environmental Science and Management and a minor in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology. She has recruited and led citizen/community scientists for years across California to study the state's biodiversity using molecular-based research including environmental DNA and crowd-sourced platforms like iNaturalist.