Free Public Lectures, 2024–2025

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All lectures are presented on a Saturday evening in Room 1A1, Ewart Angus Centre, McMaster University Medical Centre (MUMC), except where indicated.
No reserved seating. Pre-registration is not required, except where indicated.
McMaster University COVID-19 guidelines for classrooms apply. Masks and social distancing regarding seating are encouraged.

Upcoming

Please Note: There is no lecture in December.

Jan 11, Sat, 7:30 pm

The 24th Dr. John Rae Lecture | Visiting Qausuittuq National Park in the Canadian Arctic — By Marlis Butcher

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Marlis Butcher and her team were the first visitors to one of the most remote Canadian national parks—Qausuittuq—located on Bathurst Island in the high Arctic. In this presentation, Ms. Butcher takes her audience along with her, virtually, on the group’s expedition, experiencing what it’s like to travel in Nunavut, visit Inuit communities, and discover one of the major objectives of Qausuittuq National Park: preserving the habitat of the endangered Perry Caribou.

Marlis Butcher is an environmental conservationist, author, and photographer. She is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and of The Explorers Club, an international organization promoting field exploration.

Feb 15, Ddd, 7:30 pm

Overcoming Orthographic Oddities in English — By Anna Moro

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The mismatch between English spelling and pronunciation makes learning to read in English challenging for both those who grow up speaking English and those who learn English as an additional language. The first half of the talk reviews some of the numerous reasons that gave rise to the complex orthography (spelling) of modern English. After a brief journey through the linguistic history of English, the talk will present lessons learned over the past decade with regard to teaching reading and writing from an innovative university bridging program for English-language learners at McMaster.

Dr. Moro is Associate Professor of Linguistics, Associate Director of the ARiEAL Research Centre, and founding Director of the English Language Development (MELD) program, all at McMaster University. She has led numerous initiatives for undergraduate students and has been recognized for her teaching and education mentorship.

Mar 1, Sat, 7:30 pm

The Picture of Aging in Canada: What Does the Evidence Show? — By Parminder Raina

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The age structure of Canada’s population is shifting higher, consistent with a global trend, as people live longer and birthrates decline. People over 100 years old are in fact the fastest growing age group in the country. Health researchers are interested in asking what can be done at individual and societal levels to add to the number of healthy years and improve the quality of living for older adults. The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) is a major national study that follows approximately 50,000 adult volunteers aged between 45 and 85 starting from 2010 over an approximately 20-year period.

Dr. Parminder Raina, a professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University, and lead principal investigator of the CLSA, will describe some of that studies' important findings.

Apr 5, Sat, 7:30 pm

Rebalancing the Story of Canadian Art — By Sarah Milroy

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Through her work at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Executive Director and Chief Curator Sarah Milroy has found new ways to think about the legendary icons of Canadian art and expanded the narrative of Canadian and Indigenous art today. Ms. Milroy will take us through those changes and invite us to think with her about what it means to be the "Home to the Art of Canada".

Before joining the McMichael, Sarah Milroy was editor and publisher of Canadian Art magazine, and from 2000 to 2011 chief art critic for the Globe and Mail newspaper. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2020.

Information about an HPO-HAALSA music talk in February or March will, when available, be emailed to everyone on our e-Contacts list and displayed on this page.

Past

Nov 30, Sat, 7:30 pm

Supercrawl and the Creative Industry in Hamilton: The Evolution — By Tim Potocic | R | Watch the Video

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The creative industry in Hamilton has evolved as the city has cycled through awareness of the importance of culture on the economy and on the well-being of its citizens. This talk takes an inside look at changes in the arts in Hamilton over the last two decades in relation to music. A prime example is Hamilton’s free music and arts festival, Supercrawl; plus music-based event spaces and other festivals and opportunities for emerging talent.

Tim Potocic is owner and president of Hamilton’s Sonic Unyon Records, which was the organizing force behind Supercrawl. A longtime member and current chair of the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), he has received awards both as a Hamilton Citizen of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year.

Nov 2, Sat, 7:30 pm

Talking Trees: A Carpentry of Wood and Word — By John Terpstra | R | Watch the Video

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Most artists have to find the balance between their creative calling and putting food on the table. The painter whose work you admire on a gallery wall waits tables at a diner five mornings a week. For the lucky ones, vocation and job may become a kind of call and response, where one flows through and enriches the other in unexpected ways.

John Terpstra maintains the difficult balance as a (mostly retired) cabinetmaker and carpenter. He is the author of many books of poetry and creative non-fiction, in which trees make a regular appearance. His work has won or been nominated for numerous local and national awards.

Oct 5, Sat, 7:30 pm

Climate Change in Literature, Science and Art: A Story of Hamilton Harbour and Other Shared Waters — By Chris McLaughlin | R | Watch the Video

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Climate change is an existential threat that demands the most complex collective action ever required of humanity. Mobilizing social change is a greater challenge than the technological change many suggest is necessary to course correct. This talk sketches the science of climate change and how literature and the arts will help shape the ideas and narratives critical to social change, with special reference to Hamilton Harbour and its evolving relation-ship with the community that surrounds it.

Dr. Chris McLaughlin has been executive director of the Bay Area Restoration Council in Hamilton since 2011, is an adjunct professor in McMaster’s School of Earth, Environment & Society and teaches environmental policy in the Arts & Science program. He is the Canadian Co-Chair of both the International Joint Commission`s Great Lakes Water Quality Board and the Advisory Board of the Global Center for Climate Change and Transboundary Waters.

Sep 7, Sat, 7:30 pm

From Bench to Bedside: Translating Basic Science Discoveries to Patients with Brain Cancer (Part 2) — By Sheila Singh | R | Watch the Video

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Continuing research in the Sheila Singh Lab at McMaster has made strides to explain what drives the growth of tumours and, through that understanding, to propose more effective individualized treatments for resistant forms of cancer. In a sequel to her talk in March 2023 about childhood brain cancers, Dr. Singh explains changes to traditional understanding of adult brain tumours and the ramifications of recent research.

Dr. Sheila Singh is a professor of surgery and biochemistry and Director of the Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research (CDCR) at McMaster University, pediatric neurosurgeon at McMaster Children’s Hospital, and Division Head of Neurosurgery at Hamilton Health Sciences.

R Recorded. The lecture was recorded but requires editing. This will take some time. When a suitable file becomes available a "Watch the Video" link will be provided on this page and members and friends will be notified via email.

NA Not Available. The lecture was not recorded due to technical difficulties; or our Speaker did not consent to being recorded; or our Speaker did not consent to public access to the recording.

Our Annual Brochure

Our annual brochure provides information about our current season's lectures and our awards program for aspiring teen-age prose writers, poets, scientists and musicians. It also lists the officers and other members of our Executive Council, and briefly summarizes the Association's long history. The brochure also provides essential contact information.

We have mailed a printed copy of the current season's brochure to our life members, our current annual members, our recent former annual members (those whose membership expired within the past 7 years), and those among the Association's "friends" (persons who have never been a member) who have communicated with our Corresponding Secretary or Treasurer during the past seven years and for whom we have a presumably valid postal address.

A downloadable, printer-friendly pdf version of this season's brochure is available here.

The brochure is always available for pickup at our public lectures. You may also contact our Corresponding Secretary to request a copy of the printed brochure.

When and Where

WHEN

Except where noted above, each lecture will be presented on a Saturday evening, starting at 7:30 pm.

Each lecture will begin with the President's welcome and the introduction of the evening's presenter. The latter will speak for about 50 to 60 minutes. A question and answer (Q&A) period will follow. The duration of the Q&A period depends on the number of questions but seldom exceeds 10 minutes.

Each evening will end by about 8:50 pm. Presenters often stay for a few minutes after the Q&A in order to answer additional questions from audience members one-on-one.

WHERE

Each lecture will be presented in Room 1A1 of the Ewart Angus Centre (EAC).

The Ewart Angus Centre is an area in the north-west (left-rear, relative to the Main Street entrance) corner of the McMaster Children's Hospital on Main Street West. See our Campus Map.)

The EAC is wheel-chair accessible. Enter either via the Centre's front (west ) or rear (east) ground-floor doors or via the corridor that runs to the rear of the hospital building, through the Red and the Purple areas. If entering the hospital via its front (Main Street) doors, turn left, go down the corridor, and take a Red elevator down one level to Floor 1. On exiting the elevator turn left, go past the Media Centre (book store) and carry on to the Purple elevators and into the open space just beyond that. That's the Ewart Angus Centre's lobby.

From the EAC Lobby to Room 1A1:

If you enter the hospital building via the rear (north-end) doors facing University Crescent, you are already in the Ewart Angus Centre. Carry on into the lobby itself and go down the short corridor that begins on your left, opposite the William's Cafe outlet.
If you enter the hospital building via the rear (north-end) doors facing the building's inner courtyard, you are already in the EAC lobby. Go past (not up) the staircase and enter the short corridor on your right, opposite the William's Cafe outlet.
If you enter the EAC lobby via the corridor that ends at the Purple elevators, turn left on entering the lobby, walk to the end of the William's Cafe outlet, turn right, and go down the short corridor you see before you.
Room 1A1 is on your right at the end of that short corridor. There'll be signs to assist you.

Parking On and Off the McMaster Campus

CONCERNING THE McMASTER CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL (MCH) PARKING LOTS

We suggest that you not park in the Hospital's underground or surface lots. When we last checked, on 7 August 2024, the Monday to Sunday rates were $4.00 and $4.50 per half hour or less to a daily maximum of $23 and $28 for the underground and surface (emergency/short term) lots respectively (MCH's rates).

OFF-CAMPUS PARKING ON NEARBY RESIDENTIAL STREETS

There are many off-campus parking spots on Stirling and some of the adjacent streets, including streets south of Stirling down to but excluding Main Street West.

Spots are usually unrestricted on Saturday evenings along most streets in the area near McMaster campus. Nonetheless, before leaving your vehicle, read carefully the city's signs regarding on-street parking. And of course, before leaving your vehicle, ensure that any valuable objects are locked in your trunk or otherwise not visible to prying eyes.

ON-CAMPUS PARKING

For lot locations near the hospital building and vehicle access details see our Campus Parking Details page.

McMaster University provides no free on-campus parking at any time. The charge for any gated lot and metered parking spot entered on a Saturday is a one-time payment which is valid until at least midnight. You pay when leaving a gated lot or when obtaining your ticket from an on-street meter. Payment is by credit card only. (See, generally, the information for Visitors on the McMaster website, at https://parking.mcmaster.ca/visitor/.)

When we last checked, on 7 August 2024, visitors without a transponder or seasonal parking permit could park for a flat rate of $8.00 (Mon-Fri, 4 pm to 6:30 am, and any time Sat, Sun, and holidays) in gated lots A (Divinity College), B, C, D, I G, H, Underground Wilson, Underground Stadium, or in a metered on-street parking spot. All gated parking lots are located farther from the Ewart Angus Centre than the two on-campus bus stops nearest the EAC.

Metered on-street parking spots are available on the east side of College Crescent, next to the Bourns Science Building and the John Hodgins Engineering Annex. Note the permit dispensers at regular intervals along the sidewalk.

Our understanding is that Parking Services' enforcement of the metered on-street parking rules is lax or non-existent on Saturday evenings after 7:00 pm. In the past some members have parked in one of the on-street spots on College Crescent, not purchased a permit from the nearest meter, and not been ticketed.

One final caution: Do not park in a designated fire route, such as behind or beside the Ewart Angus Centre, or a spot reserved for disabled persons and those with accessibility issues, unless of course you have an up-to-date Ministry of Transportation Accessibility Permit for such spots. You risk being ticketed and towed for either offense.

The Association is not and will not be held responsible for any parking ticket you might receive.

If Coming By Bus

BUSES TO THE MAIN McMASTER CAMPUS

There are on-campus HSR bus stops on University Avenue near the Ewart Angus Centre and off-campus stops on Main Street near and opposite the Medical Centre. The on-campus stops nearest the EAC are within comfortable walking distance of the Centre's main entrance. As noted above, the EAC is in the purple area (left-rear) of the Medical Centre.

For up-to-date HSR route information telephone the HSR at 905-527-4441 or follow the links on the HSR website at "https://www.hamilton.ca/home-neighbourhood/hsr/schedule-route-tools". For bus stop details see our Campus Map.