Evenings with OLLI   

5:30-6pm - Refreshments and Socializing

6-7pm - Program

7-7:30pm - Q&A

Chief Mike Kennedy will provide an overview of the AAFD’s operations, capabilities, and service model. With increased density and vertical growth in our community. As buildings grow taller and more complex, emergency response requires specialized training, equipment, and coordination. Chief Kennedy will discuss how these changes impact response times, access, fire suppression tactics, and life safety systems, as well as the importance of prevention, code compliance, and strategic planning to ensure we continue to deliver effective, reliable emergency services.

AAFD Chief Mike Kennedy has 32 years of experience in the fire service and has been with the City of Ann Arbor since December 2017. He is a Center for Public Safety Excellence Chief Officer and graduate of Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

5:30-6pm - Refreshments and Socializing

6-7pm - Program

7-7:30pm - Q&A

How does our driving change as we age and how can automation benefit us? This presentation examines how technology, particularly advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated functions, can serve as a tool to support safe mobility in later life. We critically look at technologies and assess how they benefit drivers. Results highlight high availability of ADAS among older drivers but also gaps in training and understanding that may limit safety benefits. 

Dr. Renée St. Louis is the Head of UMTRI’s Behavioral Sciences Group, studying social and behavioral factors shaping transportation safety and mobility across the lifespan. She leads research with diverse participants and has co-authored a book on older adult mobility. 

Dr. Arpan Kusari is an UMTRI research faculty focused on robust challenges in vehicle automation. He partners with federal agencies and industry to assess sensing and perception, earning AAAI-2026 Best Poster among other awards.

5:30-6pm - Refreshments and Socializing

6-7pm - Program

7-7:30pm - Q&A

Join acclaimed trombonist and educator Dennis Wilson of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and his students, for an engaging evening. Wilson will reflect on his remarkable career, including years performing with the Count Basie Orchestra, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, and other big bands. He will share stories and insights from a lifetime in jazz, highlighted by a live trombone performance from members of the U-M Jazz Trombone Ensemble.