Oregon State University - Cascades Campus' annual "It's in the Bag" lecture series showcases the range of research and scholarship underway by faculty at the branch campus.  Beginning Wednesday, October 7, the 2009-2010 series invites the public to bring a brown bag lunch each month and enjoy an in-depth look at faculty research projects, and understand how they relate to the everyday world.   Lectures are held the first Wednesday of each month, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Cascades Hall, Room 118.

Lectures are free and no reservation is needed. Complimentary beverages will be available. Audience members are asked to pick-up a free parking pass from the main office before parking. For more information contact 541-322-3100 or info@osucascades.edu.


October 7

Problematic Behavior Part II: A Strategy for Sustained Change

Daniel Stroud, Ph.D., Instructor, Community Counseling

Stroud continues his popular discussion about people with problematic behavior, and explains how behavioral roadblocks can arise in childhood and resurface throughout life, and how certain events can trigger unwanted behavior.  He’ll explore how insight and awareness can lead to sustainable behavioral change, and ultimately towards optimal health and well-being.

 

November 4

Green Homes and Green Consumerism: What Does Green Really Mean?

Matt Shinderman, Ph.D., Instructor, Natural Resources
David Knuff, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Business Administration

What motivates us to buy organic food versus invest in a green home? Is it financial, or are there other reasons? Learn the results of a survey of Bend’s recent home buyers, including green home buyers, what they said about buying green, and how that information is valuable.
 

December 2

Biking and Quilting for “Joe the Plumber”

Kreg Lindberg, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Tourism and Outdoor Leadership

The economic impact of Central Oregon’s special events reach far beyond the hospitality industry.  Using the Road Racing National Championships and the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show as examples, Lindberg will demonstrate how these events generate revenue that flows throughout the economy, and benefits hotels and restaurants, accountants and farmers, and even the proverbial “Joe the Plumber”.

 

January 6

Topic  and Speaker to Come

 

February 3

Six Qualities of Strong Families

Dennis Lynn, Ph.D., Instructor, Human Development and Family Sciences

The goal of a strong, healthy, vibrant family is a common pursuit.  The challenge is in the implementation.  In this presentation, Lynn will provide a toolobox: the six basic characteristics often identified with strong and resilient families.  Come learn how you can apply these qualities within your family in practical and meaningful ways.

 

March 3

Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead - Religion, Pragmatism, and the Ecology of Place

Neil Browne, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Liberal Studies

In this lecture, Browne uses Marilynne Robinson’s beautifully written and much acclaimed novel, Gilead, as a backdrop for a discussion that bring two ways of thinking—one religious and the other secular—into an ecological conversation with each other.  He will explore how Robinson has taken a tradition almost unanimously interpreted as rigid and unbending, and teased out its potential for a progressive, ecologically-oriented American future.

 

April 7

Canada: It’s NOT part of the US

Ron Reuter, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Natural Resources

What is the world’s second largest area based on land mass, but the thirty-sixth based on population?  The answer is Canada, our neighbor to the north.  Reuter recently explored the Province of Alberta as a fellow of the International Canadian Studies Institute and returned ready to share a deeper understanding of Canada and Canadians.  Come learn of his discoveries in the Great White North and why Canadians like to say “we’re just like the US, except we’re not”.

 

May 5

Bringing Civility Back

Natalie Dollar, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Liberal Studies

A speech communications specialist, Dollar will examine her perception of a gradual demise of civil conversation across the country, with the goal of promoting true dialogue, particularly in civic involvement.   She’ll discuss her and other scholars’ research across a range of academic disciplines that examine ways citizens can engage in inclusive and civil conversations with one another.

 

June 2

Why not Gross National Happiness?  Contemporary Obstacles to Psychological Well-Being

Christopher Wolsko, Ph.D., University of Oregon, Research Associate, Psychology

Our recent economic woes have likely made us all wonder what we truly need to be happy.  Psychologists have long questioned using financial indicators as measures of a successful existence. In this talk, Wolsko adds to the discussion and provides an overview of his and other research on the psychology of well-being.  Wolsko will focus on the problems of materialism, narcissism, and alienation from nature, and suggest constructive alternative ideals.

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About the OSU-Cascades Campus: Located in Bend, Ore., OSU-Cascades is the first branch campus in the Oregon University System. OSU-Cascades features small class sizes and one-on-one mentoring by outstanding faculty in such areas as Business Administration, Natural Resources and Tourism and Outdoor Leadership.