Public Is Invited to Free Adult Community Exploration Classes Taught by Grinnell College Faculty This Summer

Grinnell, Iowa -- Grinnell College will offer the Adult Community Exploration Series (ACES) throughout the summer, with courses taught by faculty in anthropology, chemistry, computer science and political science.

The free courses, co-sponsored by the Community Education Council and Grinnell College, will be held on Wednesday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Caulkins Room of the Drake Community Library, 930 Park St. in Grinnell.

Registration is requested, so that instructors can prepare for class needs. To register, send an e-mail to calendar@grinnell.edu or call 641-269-3178.

Courses for summer 2013 include:

June 12, 19 "Will the Lights Go Out Forever? Is There a Solution to Our Energy Need?" Taught by Lee Sharpe, associate professor of chemistry This course will cover our national energy use and present methods of production, followed by a discussion of sustainable technologies and their ability to meet future energy demand, especially in Iowa. Wind, solar, geothermal and biofuels will be discussed. The course will conclude with an overview of "bleeding edge" renewable technologies and a glimpse of life in 2100.

Lee Sharpe teaches courses in analytical and inorganic chemistry, energy sustainability and scientific glassblowing. His research involves the growth and testing of a variety of thin film semiconductor materials for the development of catalysts that can convert sunlight into solar fuels and the development of fluorescent semiconductor materials that can function as chemical sensors.

June 26, July 3 "The Mobile Phone and Human Values" Taught by Janet Davis, professor of computer science Just 20 years ago, less than 1 percent of the worldʼs population owned a mobile phone. Today, in the United States and many other nations, there are more mobile phones than there are people. Why? Mobile phones are increasingly powerful, relatively cheap and, above all, convenient. For some of us, the mobile phone is an intimate device: it is with us all the time; it keeps us safe and connected; we are both figuratively and literally lost without it. But at what costs? In our first session, we will consider why and how individuals adopt mobile phones, focusing on values such as security, prestige and connectedness. We'll also consider why some people choose not to use a mobile phone. In our second session, we will look at how society is adapting to the state of continual availability enabled by mobile phones, considering values such as courtesy, attention and social capital.

Janet Davis has taught courses on problem solving, software design, human-computer interaction and technology studies computer architecture, operating systems and networks. Her chief scholarly interests lie in the area of human-computer interaction. She sees this area as broadly addressing a scientific question and a design question: How do people interact with computers? And how can we design computer systems to enhance rather than detract from the human experience? Although this ACES course emphasizes the former, her work as a computer scientist emphasizes the latter. She is currently working with students at Grinnell College to develop persuasive technology for wellness.

July 10, 17 "Renewing Engagement with Climate Change" Taught by H. Wayne Moyer, Rosenfield Professor and Professor of Political Science This course will discuss the science and politics of climate change. We will first consider what we know from science and what is uncertain about the changing global climate, the causes of this change, the role of humans and the prospects for the future. We will examine how international, national and local political processes are dealing with climate change and how these processes are influenced by scientific evidence, ethical considerations, national interests, requisites for a healthy economy, energy needs, business and consumer interests. Finally, we will discuss policy options for mitigating climate change in the future, focusing on the special responsibilities of the U.S. and China.

Wayne Moyer graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. degree in foreign affairs, then served for six years as a U.S. Navy submarine officer. He then returned to the academic world, where he earned an M.A. in international relations and M.Phil and Ph.D. degrees in political science from Yale University. He joined the Grinnell faculty in August 1972, and from 1985 to 2008 served as director of the college's Rosenfield Program in Public Affairs, International Relations and Human Rights. He has taught several first-year tutorials on the s