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Hybrid classes

course 1

North of 60: Mining Minerals or Fueling Fights?
Instructor: ​Ian MacVicar
Delivery: Hybrid
Dates: Thursdays, ​Oct 8 - Nov 12 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 - 12:00 pm
In-person: Hope United Church
Online: Zoom webinar
COurse Description
Instructor Biography
Lieutenant-Colonel (Retired) Dr. MacVicar served for 42 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, including numerous intelligence-related posts. He is now a defence and intelligence consultant. He is a graduate of the Canadian Armed Forces Joint Staff College and of the Canadian Army Staff Course. Dr. MacVicar has presented his research on cognitive traps (i.e. distortions in thinking) in security planning at conferences in the United Kingdom and Canada. His most recent article, “NATO Article 5 and Human Security Interventions” was published in the Spring 2025 edition of Canadian Military Journal/Revue militaire canadienne. Dr. MacVicar is a Director with numerous Boards, including the Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia, the Army Cadet League of Canada and the Canadian Intelligence Network-Réseau canadien de renseiegnement. Ian is also a Certified Yoga Teacher, specializing in Trauma Informed Yoga Therapy, and Trauma Informed Mindfulness teaching. He is also an aquafit teacher, weight trainer, and fitness fusion teacher. He is a Member of the Advisory Council of the Canadian Accessibility Network (CAN) where he advocates for people with “invisible disabilities.” His 17th SCANS teaching assignment in Spring 2026 addresses Arctic security issues.

course 2

Future Tense: US Midterm Elections 2026
Instructor: ​Michael MacMillan
Delivery: Hybrid
Dates: Thursdays, ​Oct 8 - Nov 12 (6 weeks)
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
In-person: Hope United Church
Online: Zoom webinar
COurse Description
The upcoming US midterm election poses a central question – will the Trump/Republican agenda rule the remaining years of Trump’s term and beyond, or will a renewal of Congressional checks constrain this monarchical Presidency? This question embraces both the policy direction toward a leaner, meaner American government and the hollowing out of American electoral democracy through the gutting of the Voting Rights Act, voter suppression and gerrymandering initiatives. It is no small irony that the 250th anniversary of American independence is fraught with multiple challenges to the health and future viability of American democracy. We will explore these and other related issues throughout this course.
Instructor Biography
Dr. Michael MacMillan is Professor Emeritus in Political Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU).  He received a PhD in Political Science from the University of Minnesota. He has taught courses at MSVU for four decades in democratic theory and practice, political behaviour, and Canadian politics. 

HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY

In-person classes

course 3

The Plot Thickens: A History of the Mystery Novel 
Instructor: ​Mark Alberstat
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Mondays, Oct 5 - Nov 9 (5 weeks), no class on Oct 12
Time: 1:30  - 3:30 pm
In-person: Woodlawn Public Library
COurse Description
In this course students will become familiar with the genre of detective fiction from its origins in the 19th century to the present day. We will discuss literary elements of detective fiction, examine the development of the detective as a literary figure and detective fiction as a genre and its ever-growing popularity. 

The course will examine British and American detective fiction by Poe, Collins, Conan Doyle, Chesterton, Sayers, Hammett, Christie, Chandler and others. 

We will look at various eras of the detective novel, such as the Victorian era, the Golden Age, the Hardboiled era, and the contemporary era. We will follow the clues to see what the mystery novel scene is around the world including the Scandinavian world of Nordic Noir.

We will also look at the novel on the screen and how this transition happened through radio and television.

This course will interest anyone who enjoys a good mystery novel and wants to learn more about where today’s writers such as Ian Rankin, Louise Penny, and Richard Osman have come from. I hope it will also spur some students into digging back into the history of mystery and enjoy novels from decades ago.
Instructor Biography
​Mark Alberstat worked as a webmaster for the provincial government until his retirement a few years ago. 

course 4

The Road to Rock and Roll, Part 1: Popular Music in the Long Nineteenth Century
Instructor: ​Steve Baur
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Tuesdays, Oct 6 - Nov 10 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
In-person: Hope United Church Hall
COurse Description
This course is a chronological survey of the diverse styles and genres of popular music prevalent in North America from roughly 1800 through World War I, including English ballads, Irish and Scottish folk tunes, blackface minstrelsy, spirituals, and ragtime. Students will become familiar with a variety of song traditions, their musical conventions, and the cultural contexts in which they were (and continue to be) meaningful.
Instructor Biography
Steven Baur is an Associate Professor of Music in the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has published widely on topics in nineteenth- and twentieth-century music from both “classical” and “popular” traditions, from Maurice Ravel to Ringo Starr and from Felix Mendelssohn to the mambo. His research appears in top musicological journals, and he has co-edited two books. His current research project is a book on drum kit performance practice since the dawn of recording, investigating the musical effects and social meanings created by drummers on record since the 1910s. Baur is also an accomplished drummer with dozens of recordings and hundreds of live performances to his credit.

course 5

The Three Titans of the Italian Renaissance
Instructor: ​Greg Galbraith
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Tuesdays​, Oct 6 - Nov 10 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
In-person: Parkland Clayton Park
COurse Description
This course explores the lives, rivalries and works of Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael - three geniuses who redefined human creativity. Leonardo was the inquisitive polymath whose vast scientific observation and mastery of how one sees revolutionized painting; Michelangelo the tempestuous sculptor and painter renowned for capturing the profound emotional intensity and anatomy of the human form; and Raphael the brilliant synthesizer whose harmonious compositions blended his predecessors' strengths into unmatched grace and balance. Together, their artistic philosophies defined a golden age of European art.
Instructor Biography
Greg Galbraith is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick who thoroughly enjoyed 34 years teaching secondary school English, history and physical education in Vancouver and Halifax. Early in his career he was asked to develop a new Western Civilization 12 course that radically changed his approach to learning and teaching. Being a visual learner who loves stories, he began taking art history courses and soon realized that images, particularly of art and architecture, greatly enhanced his students’ interest and ability to recall significant events/eras. Frequent trips to Italy, with and without students, fostered his passion for the Italian Renaissance, a topic he has lectured on frequently since retiring from teaching in 2014. 

course 6

Loverly:  The Musicals of Lerner and Loewe
Instructor: ​David Overton
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Tuesdays​, Oct 6 - Nov 10 (6 weeks)
Time: 1:30  - 3:30 pm
In-person: The Berkeley on Pepperell
COurse Description
Rodgers and Hammerstein dominated the postwar musical, but the "other team"--Lerner and Loewe--wrote shows every bit as popular and enduring.  We will examine the best known shows L&L created together--Brigadoon, Paint Your Wagon, My Fair Lady, Gigi, and Camelot--in both their stage and screen versions.  The shows will be discussed in terms of both their historical context and their lasting impact on the musical theatre.  Plenty of musical numbers will help illustrate what a "loverly" time these productions gave their audiences.
Instructor Biography
Before he retired in 2008, David Overton was a Professor in the Dalhousie Theatre Department for almost forty years. During that time he taught a wide range of classes, including classes in film and musical theatre history. Since retiring he has continued to be active as a freelance director and writer. His musical, The Passion of Adele Hugo, was produced by Eastern Front Theatre in 2012, and he recently staged the new opera Memories Beyond the Grave for UpStream Music Festival in 2023 and subsequently staged a touring version of it for presentation at the Open Ears Festival in Kitchener, Ontario in the spring of 2025.   

course 7

Emergency Management: Preparedness, Response and Recovery
Instructor: ​Erica Brook
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Wednesdays, Oct 7 - Nov 18 (no class Nov 11)
Time: 10:00 - 12:00 pm
In-person: Hope United Church Hall
COurse Description
This course introduces participants to the field of emergency management and explores how individuals, communities, and organizations in Nova Scotia prepare for, respond to, and recover from major incidents. Participants will learn the fundamentals of emergency management and explore strategies for personal and community preparedness. The course will examine hazards, risks, and vulnerabilities that influence disaster impacts, as well as equitable emergency management that considers all members of a community in planning, response, and recovery efforts. It will also recount real-world experiences from the 2025 wildfire response and recovery in West Dalhousie.
Instructor Biography
Erica Brook, Outreach Officer with the NS Department of Emergency Management, will facilitate a series of subject-matter-expert guest instructors. They will provide professional theory and practice, as well as their own perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences from the field.

course 8

Conflicting Meanings? A Study of 12 Well-known and loved poems
Instructor: ​Victoria Rosenberg
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Wednesdays​, Oct 7 - Nov 18 (no class Nov 11)
Time: 1:30  - 3:30 pm
In-person: Hope United Church Hoyt Room
COurse Description
As we read and discuss the poems, we will become detectives of words, looking for what is hidden: we will uncover the difference between the meaning the poet offers the reader and that often contradictory one that the poem hides within itself. Our magnifying glass will be the close reading of, at times, each word of the poem and our conclusion may be startling as we expose the point of view hiding behind what has been commonly assumed to be the intent and theme of the poem. Every word and sound in a poem counts, as does every gap and silence. Therefore even the shortest of poems requires careful deduction.
Poems in order of exploration:
Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”; Elizabeth Browning, “How Do I Love Thee”; Shakespeare, “Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds”; Shelley, “To
a Skylark”; Wordsworth, “It Is a Beauteous Evening”; Tennyson, “Crossing the Bar”; Robert Browning, “Memorabilia”; Hopkins, “Spring and Fall”; Wordsworth, “We Are Seven”; Wordsworth, “The Thorn”; Eliot, “Ash Wednesday”; Auden,  “Oh What Is the Sound”. 
We will read two poems each class and, if you kept your school poetry anthologies, you will likely find in them each of these poems. If not, all are available online.
Instructor Biography
Dr Rosenberg’s studies have concentrated on the novels of Henry James. Having taught at Dal and at Mt St Vincent, she has, for the past several years, led various and varied courses at SCANS. Her approach is close reading which she considers to be the interpreter and decipher of the written word always.

course 9

Only the Dead Can Dance: Choreographies of Mortality
Instructor: ​Steven Bruhm
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Wednesdays​, Oct 7 - Nov 18 (no class Nov 11)
Time: 1:30  - 3:30 pm
In-person: Hope United Church Hall
COurse Description
Dance is arguably the most embodied and physical of the arts, signifying health, strength, and agility. Yet there is a huge tradition going back at least as far as the European Middle Ages that makes of the dancer a figure of death: skeletons of the danse macabre; deadly wilis and female vampires of the 19th century; long-dead ancestors and cultural ghosts; pop-culture stars and their “created” selves. This class surveys the broad range – both historical and cultural – of the figure of dancing death. Along the way it visits representations of women’s sexuality, gay men in the AIDS epidemic, beleaguered celebrities, and the great revolution in dance made possible by the invention of the toe shoe. At the heart of the exploration is the startling notion that one must “become dead” in order truly to dance.

This class will proceed by lecture and discussion, most often in relation to a film or video clip shown in the class. We will also consider the impossible task of writing dancing: how did choreographers “save” their work before the advent of video, and how does written text holds up against or interact with embodied movement? While participants will not be expected to dance, they will always be more than welcome to bust a move should the appropriate time arise!
Instructor Biography
Steven Bruhm is the Emeritus version of the Robert and Ruth Lumsden Professor of English at Western University, London, Ontario. He earned his PhD from McGill in 1992 with a dissertation on the body in pain in British Gothic Fiction. That dissertation went on to be his first book, Gothic Bodies: The Politics of Pain in Romantic Fiction (1994), which was followed in 2000 by Reflecting Narcissus: A Queer Aesthetic. He is the past president of the International Gothic Association and the Association of Canadian College and University Teachers of English, as well as former editor of the journal, Horror Studies. He has published widely on the Gothic (including Dances of Death), children and horror, sexuality, and queer studies. He has taught at Mount St Vincent University, Dalhousie, McGill, Bishop’s, and Western, with forays (long ago) into aerobics and aquafit as well as many forms of dance. 

course 10

Shakespeare and the Language of Love
Instructor: ​John Baxter
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Thursdays, Oct 8 - Nov 12 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am  - 12:00 pm
In-person: Parkland Clayton Park
COurse Description
“If it be love indeed, tell me how much,” says Cleopatra, challenging her lover to a very public declaration. Antony wisely skirts the question: “There’s beggary in the love that can be reckoned.” But within seconds he attempts an answer, which she immediately declares is an “excellent falsehood.” Why does he cave in? Why doesn’t she believe him? What sort of reckoning does Shakespeare give to those who would speak the language of love? We will explore these and a series of related questions in Shakespeare’s drama of old lovers in Antony and Cleopatra, in his archetypal exploration of young love in Romeo and Juliet, and in his personal meditation on the art of love in a sampling of his sonnets. Is Shakespeare’s view of love idealistic, as in “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” Or cynical, as in “When my love says that she is made of truth, / I do believe her, though I know she lies”? Or something in between, or altogether different? Is his language of love modern—or outmoded?
Instructor Biography
John Baxter is Professor Emeritus of English at Dalhousie University. He is the author of Shakespeare’s Poetic Styles (1980; rpr. Routledge, 2005) and co-editor of Aristotle’s Poetics by George Whalley (McGill-Queen’s, 1997) Selected recent articles include: “George Herbert’s ’The Church-porch’ and the Native Plain Style,” George Herbert Journal, Volume. 46 (2025): 55-76; “Learning to Spell: George Herbert and the Art of Reading,” George Herbert Journal, Vol. 44 (2023): 63-83; and “The Grammar of Faith in Twelfth Night: Richard Hooker’s Gift to Shakespeare,” in Faith and Reason in the Reformations, ed. Terence J. Kleven (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2022), 57-74.

course 11

Behind the Curtain: How Volunteer “Community” Theatre Works
Instructor: ​Bill VanGorder
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Fridays, Oct 9 - Nov 13​ (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00  - 11:00 am
In-person: Hope United Church Hall
COurse Description
A six-part presentation series (6 × 1 hour)
An informative introduction to how volunteer "community" theatre operates, from play selection to the final curtain.

-Choosing the Play & Building a Team
-The Director & the Audition Process
-The Stage Manager and Rehearsal Process
-Set, Sound, Lighting, and Costume Design
-Publicity, Front of House, Tickets, and Opening Night
-Backstage Life, and Strike
-Show operation: timing, cues, and backstage coordination during live performances.
-Maintaining focus, morale, and teamwork under pressure.
-Post-show etiquette: curtain calls and audience interaction.
-Strike (dismantling the set), returning costumes and props, and cleaning up.
-Post-production review and recognizing all participants and volunteers.
Instructor Biography
Bill VanGorder
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Principal, MRC Engagement Group 
30 Year volunteer with Theatre Arts Guild (TAG)
________________________________________
Profile
Experienced and respected leader with more than 30 years of senior management, public policy, and advocacy experience across the charitable, not-for-profit, and small business sectors. Known for strategic insight, organizational development expertise, and leadership in seniors’ policy and advocacy. Demonstrated success in executive leadership, governance, fund raising, and stakeholder engagement at provincial and national levels.
________________________________________
Professional Experience

Principal, MRC Engagement Group (a division of MRC Associates Inc.)
Halifax, Nova Scotia | 1991 – Present
Founder and principal consultant providing strategic advisory services to charities, not-for-profits, and small businesses. Specializes in leadership consulting, strategic planning, organizational development, and advocacy training.

Chief Operating Officer & Chief Policy Officer, Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP)
Toronto, Ontario | 2020 – 2025
Led national operations and public policy initiatives for Canada’s largest seniors’ advocacy organization. Represented CARP in government relations, stakeholder partnerships, and national media engagement. Oversaw communications, membership, and policy teams to advance seniors’ priorities nationwide.

President, True North Nordic Walking / Nordic Walking Nova Scotia
Halifax, Nova Scotia | 2012 – Present
President of Nordic Walking Nova Scotia, a division of MRC Associates Inc. Serves as Atlantic Canada’s distributor for Nordixx Nordic Walking Poles. Along with his wife Esther, serves as Master Trainer for Nordic Walking Instructor Certification in the region.

Business Development Officer, Hiring Smart (FitFirst Technologies)
Halifax, Nova Scotia | 2007 – 2012
Recruited and managed new business clients using innovative hiring technologies. Delivered professional development presentations nationwide to enhance supervisory and management practices.

President & CEO, The Lung Association of Nova Scotia
Halifax, Nova Scotia | 1991 – 2007
Directed all aspects of provincial operations including fund raising, health promotion, public education, and advocacy. Revitalized the organization’s profile and programs, becoming a recognized voice for respiratory and seniors’ health across Nova Scotia.
Atlantic Area Director, YMCA Canada
Atlantic Canada | 1978 – 1991
Oversaw regional programs, staff development, and community engagement initiatives across Atlantic Canada. A staff member of the YMCAs in Kitchener (Executive Director), Edmonton (Director of Development), and Halifax (Executive Director) beginning in 1963.
________________________________________
Education & Credentials
• B.A., Politics & Public Administration – Sir Wilfrid Laurier University
• Certified Association Executive (CAE)
• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE)
(One of only three Canadians to hold both CAE and CFRE designations.)
________________________________________
Theatre
• Past Chair, Theatre Arts Guild (Current: Actor, Director & Fund Raising Chair)
• Theatre Lighting Designer
• Director of 15 productions including Anne Frank, Bell Book and Candle, I Hate Hamlet, Office Hours, Sherlock by Wireless and Summerland.
• 30 years on the TAG Board as Executive Producer, Publicity Director, Newsletter Editor, Secretary, Building Manager, Fund Raiser, Set Builder and President.
• Producer of over 20 productions. 
• Vice Chair, Theatre Nova Scotia
• Theatre Nova Scotia Merritt Award – Volunteer of the Year (2004)

Other Community Involvement & Leadership
• Member and Past Chair, Nova Scotia Advisory Committee on Seniors’ Issues (Group of Nine) – 16 years of service
• Board Member and Past Chair, Serving Seniors Alliance Cooperative
• Founding Chair (2007), CARP Nova Scotia Chapter
• Past Chair and Senior Spokesperson, CARP Nova Scotia
• Acting Chair, CARP Prince Edward Island and CARP New Brunswick
• Treasurer, National CARP Board of Directors
• Co-founder, Rotary/CARP ABCs of Fraud Prevention Program
• Past Chair, Nova Scotia Special Olympics
• Past President, Rotary Club of Halifax (Paul Harris Fellow)
• Past President, Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra Foundation
• Co-founder, 100 Men Who Give a Damn! Halifax — raising over $500,000 for local charities.
________________________________________
Awards & Recognition
• Gerontology Association of Nova Scotia - Award of Recognition (2017)
• Northwood LiveMore Advocacy Award (2018)
• National 50 Over 50 Wise Award recipient (2019)
• National YMCA Service Award (1991)
• Nova Scotia Volunteer Award – Community Groups over $50,000 (2015), 100 Men Who Give a Damn!
________________________________________
Personal
Resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with wife Esther. Proud parent of two daughters and grandparent of two. Active in theatre and community service. Enjoys life alongside two cats, Jester and Merlin, who manage the household with undeniable catitude.

course 12

Introduction to Birding
Instructor: ​Sheila Brown
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Fridays, Oct 9 - Nov 13 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am  - 12:00 pm
In-person: Northwood Bedford
COurse Description
This course offers an introduction for those interested in learning more about birds and how to enjoy watching and studying them. Topics covered will be the different species of birds, the tools and equipment you can use to get the most out of your birding experience, basic bird identification, bird migration, birding ethics, conservation, the birds we typically see in Nova Scotia, and places to go birding. There will be opportunities in class to view photographs of birds in their natural habitats and practice your bird identification skills. All classes will be enhanced by drawing on a large data base of bird photographs.
Instructor Biography
Dr Sheila Brown is a retired university teacher and administrator (President Emerita, Mount Saint Vincent) with a life-long interest in birds and has birded in many different locales including Atlantic Canada, other parts of Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and Bermuda. She has been involved for a number of years in the Nova Scotia Christmas Bird Count, in Bedford, and is a member of the Nova Scotia Bird Society and frequently participates in field trips in various areas of the province.

course 13

Science and its Friend Science Fiction
Instructor: ​John Badowski
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Fridays​, Oct 9 - Nov 13 (6 weeks)
Time: 1:30  - 3:30 pm
In-person: Hope United Church Hall
COurse Description
This six-week course will study  the end of the era of Gothic Horror novels and first-person narratives which dominated the late 1800's, due to the rise of what is now referred to as Science Fiction.   What event, or person, caused this sea change?

It is my intention to follow the evolution of science fiction from the late 1800's through to modern times and try to answer the question - does science feed science fiction or is it the other way around?   And what about the super-popular science fiction that has dominated our world for decades - Star Trek (and others).   Can any of that Sci Fi actually work?   When will we be able to travel faster than light?  When are transporters going to become commercially available, and when can we expect to join The Federation?
Instructor Biography
At a very early age I became interested in all things "science".  Although astronomy led the pack I also loved chemistry and physics.  This led to an undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto in Chemistry, followed later by a Masters degree in astrophysics.  Throughout my life I have also been a crazy "hobbyist" building a mass spectrometer in high school, and numerous telescopes of all shapes and sizes over the years.
     The interest in science was quickly followed by an interest in all things science fiction, particularly really "bad" science fiction.  In the 1960s there was no shortage of bad science fiction movies left over from the 1950s.  This has led to a life-long interest in the relationship between science and science fiction.   Which element drives the other?

mahone bay

In-person classes

course 14

If the Universe is Full of Life - Where is Everyone?
Instructor: ​John Badowski
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Tuesdays, Oct 6 - Nov 10 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am  - 12:00 pm
In-person: Mahone Bay Centre
COurse Description
This question was asked in 1950 by renowned physicist Enrico Fermi.  If there are trillions of galaxies and billions of stars in each one, where are all the other intelligent beings?  Why haven’t they called?  A numerical approach to answer this question was undertaken in 1962 by radio astronomer Frank Drake.  I plan to walk the class through the “Drake Equation” so that everyone can develop their own answer to the question.  No math skills are required. 

 We will look at what life is, its chemical basis, and where it exists on Earth.  Next we will examine where life could be hiding in our Solar System.  Then we will look at the other stars in our galaxy and try to determine where life could exist.  Finally we will tackle the Drake Equation, and everyone will come up with a unique answer. No previous knowledge of chemistry or mathematics is required, and I will break everything down as we go so that everyone can enjoy the analysis.  

The course is about science and the scientific approach - I will be avoiding any discussion of UFOs
Instructor Biography
This year marks my 60th year as an amateur astronomer.  I have built, owned and used every type of telescope in my life and have always held a deep interest in “exobiology” – the study of life on other planets.  Even before any exoplanets had been discovered!

As an undergraduate at the University of Toronto I studied Chemistry.  I remained associated with the University for the next three decades holding positions on various Boards and governing bodies.  I became a mentor for fourth-year forensic science students in that specialist program and also taught Forensic Science in the adult-education program of a community college.  Late in my professional life I returned to school and completed my Master of Science in astrophysics just to complete my lifelong interest in the subject. 

I enjoy sharing my love of astronomy with others and look forward to discussing the mathematical possibility of communicating with other intelligent civilizations (or not…)

course 15

From Big Data to Artificial Intelligence: How Analytics has Changed Your World
Instructors: ​Tony Schellinck, Jen Schellinck
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Thursdays, Oct 8 - Nov 12 (6 weeks)
Time: 1:30  - 3:30 pm
In-person: Mahone Bay Centre
COurse Description
In the early seventies large corporations began to discover the potential value in the “legacy” data that they had always collected about their customers for the purpose of running their businesses. Retailers, utilities, government agencies, and health related organizations could also make use of these large data sets to improve their offerings and services to consumers. Simultaneously, analysts were developing new techniques to process this “big data” to achieve organization goals. These advances allowed the organizations to custom fit their offerings to the needs and preferences of individual consumers. As the capacity to collect, store and analyze consumer data advanced, so did the ability to interact with consumers in real time. Four weeks of the course will expose the students to the changes that organizations went through in their marketing and how they use machine learning today. 
In two sessions of this course Jen Schellinck will talk about how these algorithms led to the “Age of AI.” She will talk about what AI is currently good for and which aspects of the technology are still a work in progress. She and the class will discuss how current AI technologies can be used in practical, everyday situations and what to watch out for when using AI. She will also provide some hands-on demos of popular and available AI services like ChatGPT.
Instructor Biography
Dr. Tony Schellinck was the F.C. Manning Chair in Economics and Business for eighteen years at Dalhousie University. During that time, he also was Management Informatics Chair Associate and ran the Marketing Informatics Program at the undergraduate, master’s and PhD levels. During those years he and his students worked with large and small organizations to explore the potential for big data analysis in their operations and marketing. Corporations and organizations they worked with include large grocery retailers, financial institutions, life and auto insurance, telephone companies, pharmacies, and non-profits. As a consultant Tony worked with several large organizations designing machine learning algorithms for their use, and in responsible gambling (RG) for which his firm, Focal Research Consultants Limited won the best RG technology Provider Worldwide in 2024. Tony enjoys making the complex easy to understand and anyone who takes his class should learn something they can use for the rest of their lives.

Dr. Jen Schellinck has a PhD in Cognitive Science, is an adjunct professor in the Cognitive Science Department at Carleton University and is the CEO of Sysabee, an Ottawa-based data science consulting company. Jen has been active in the data science and artificial intelligence fields since 2009.  She helps organizations understand the value that data technologies bring to their work, and uses her knowledge of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science to help people and organizations achieve their greater potential. She regularly holds workshops for people who want to learn about AI and has worked with government, not-for-profits and industry. Currently she is holding workshops for the Federal and Nova Scotia governments on how they can adopt AI to be more effective.

LIVERPOOL

In-person classes

course 16

TBA
Instructor: ​TBA
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Tuesdays, Oct XX - Nov  XX (6 weeks)
Time: 
In-person: Trinity Anglican Church
COurse Description
Instructor Biography

course 17

TBA
Instructor: ​TBA
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Tuesdays, Oct XX - Nov  XX (6 weeks)
Time: 
In-person: Trinity Anglican Church
COurse Description
Instructor Biography

Truro

In-person classes

course 18

Genetics: The Study of Heredity and the Fascinating Molecules that Influence the Traits of Every Living Thing
Instructor: ​Gerry Johnston
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Thursdays, Oct 8 - Nov  19 (6 weeks) ; no class on Nov 5
Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm
In-person: Douglas Street Recreation Centre
COurse Description
​The area of genetics is much more than a description of pedigrees and how traits are passed down through generations. The field of genetics has seen unprecedented and spectacular advances over the past few decades. We now understand in detail the nature of the genetic material (termed DNA) that controls every aspect of biology, including humans. Amazing new technologies have revealed the universality of life. Only two decades ago, a major international research effort (termed the Human Genome Project) was able to catalog every gene (or ‘unit of information’ within DNA) involved in human development, function, and health. Although we still do not know the actual role of every gene (a bit like having a dictionary of all the words in a foreign language but with only some of the meanings), we are rapidly learning about gene function and what can go wrong to cause disease or abnormal development. Amazing new technologies allow the design of medical treatments, development of vaccines to prevent disease and most recently the ability to edit a person’s genetic material to correct potentially lethal defects.
 
Those participating in the course will learn how DNA works, the impact of changes to DNA, and implications for prevention, detection, and treatment of diseases (such as cancer). Throughout the course, you will hear the stories of individuals involved in advancing our understanding of genetics, the technical advances yielding new insights, and how seemingly unrelated discoveries (often studying non-human organisms) have created these new insights. I hope that this course will allow a more general understanding of how science works, the world of biology, and the amazing revelations and applications of modern genetics.
Instructor Biography
​Dr. Gerry Johnston is a Professor in the Dalhousie Medical School. Gerry’s research program has spanned 40 years using genetics to explore regulation of cell division. After receiving his PhD in 1973 at York University (Toronto), Gerry obtained his early training in genetics with Dr. Leland H. Hartwell in the Department of Genetics at the University of Washington (Seattle) before taking up his position at Dalhousie University. Gerry has played roles within several cancer-related organizations, notably the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), The National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) in which he served as National President, and the Terry Fox Research Institute. In 1992, Gerry was appointed as a Terry Fox Cancer Research Scientist of the NCIC. He was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and has been inducted as a Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. Over his years with Dalhousie University, he has served as the Head of Microbiology & Immunology, Associate Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Medicine and most recently he has completed a term as Scientific Director of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute.

course 19

Health Smart Seniors
Instructor: ​Stewart Cameron
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Fridays, Oct 9 - Nov 13 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
In-person: Douglas Street Recreation Centre
COurse Description
This 6 week course will provide information to help seniors better navigate our health system. It will cover topics that a savvy consumer needs to know to make good choices about their care. It will encourage patient engagement and autonomy in your medical care. The class schedule (subject to change): 
1 Patient Empowerment and Consent
2 Diagnosis and Patient Centered Medicine
3 Tests and Medical Error 
4 Ethics and Professionalism
5 Screening and Prevention
6 Making Smart Choices: Health Literacy
Discussion and questions will be welcomed, but this series cannot provide medical advice.
Instructor Biography
Stewart Cameron was born in Sydney Cape Breton and received his MD from Dalhousie University in 1979. He has practiced family medicine in British Columbia, New Zealand and, from 1989-2017, at the Dalhousie Department of Family Medicine. He has served as Chief of Family Medicine for the Halifax Infirmary and the Camp Hill Medical Centre. Dr. Cameron earned a Masters Degree in Medical Education in 2008 and fulfilled the requirements of the International Medical Education Exchange and was given the designation of IMEX Scholar in 2015. He has published and presented on a variety of topics including Health Information Technology, Medical Cannabinoids and Faculty Development. He served as Director of Faculty Development for the Maritime Family Medicine Program up until his retirement in June 2017. He was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Family Medicine Research by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and a Faculty Development Leadership Award from Dalhousie Family Medicine. He currently acts as a consultant for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia.

PORT WILLIAMS

In-person classes

course 20

Martyrs, Renegades and Reformers: The Reformation in Six Acts
Instructor: ​​Scott N. Kindred-Barnes
Delivery: In-person
Dates: Fridays, Oct 9 - Nov  13 (6 weeks)
Time: 10:00 - 11:30 AM
In-person: Port Williams United Baptist Church
COurse Description
​Oxford historian, Diarmaid MacCulloch once wrote the following about the religious upheaval of the 16th century: “The Reformation was a crossroads in the history of Western Christianity, a moment when the unity of the Church shattered and new identities were created that still shape the modern world.” Far more than a theological dispute, the Reformation was a cultural and political revolution that redefined how Western people understood authority, community, along with both God and the self. In six acts, this course explores the forces that made reform possible, including printing, humanism, urban politics and the outstanding personalities who drove the Reformation forward. Along the way we will be introduced to some to the major thinkers and ideas of the Reformation through close engagement with their writings, contexts, and the controversies that shaped their work. Through close engagement with key texts, historical contexts, and episodes of conflict and compromise, we will encounter figures such as Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and their Catholic counterparts, while also attending to the experiences of ordinary believers caught in an age of religious uncertainty. Attention will be given to themes of authority, conscience, reform, and continuity, as well as the social and political costs of religious transformation.
Instructor Biography
​Dr. Scott Kindred-Barnes is a historian of the Reformation whose work focuses largely on the history of Persecution and Toleration in Western Christianity. He holds a BA and MDiv from Acadia University and completed a ThM and PhD at the University of Toronto, where his research focused on early modern theology, historical method, and the shaping of religious identities. His monograph, Richard Hooker’s Use of History in His “Defense” of Public Worship (Edwin Mellen Press, 2011), along with subsequent peer-reviewed articles and books, has renewed scholarly attention to Hooker’s place within Reformed orthodoxy. Scott has taught Reformation history and theology at Trinity College, University of Toronto and Toronto School of Theology from 2007-2011 and continues to write on Reformation thought. His courses are known for their narrative richness, clear explanation of complex ideas, and attention to how the Reformation continues to shape Western culture, public life and the modern church.