Shared Interest Groups   

This SIG is currently accepting new members.

Reach out to the OLLI office for more information 734-998-9351 or email olli.info@umich.edu 

Have you ever thought about writing a novel or short story? Perhaps you’ve even jotted down notes for one. If so, this group may be for you. We are a small group focused on writing novels. We are different from memoir-writing groups; also, from creative writing groups. Most writers working on novels will benefit from being part of a small writing community, regardless of where they are in the writing process or what genre of fiction they prefer. We critique each other’s work in a supportive and constructive manner. The group is kept small, with a limit of eight members.

Chris Siehl cmsiehl@gmail.com

This SIG is currently accepting new members.

Reach out to the OLLI office for more information 734-998-9351 or email olli.info@umich.edu 

The Ethics SIG has been meeting monthly since 2020. Our discussions, facilitated by SIG members, focus on contemporary issues that pose ethical questions. Research for our topics is drawn primarily from internet-based resources. The SIG members choose future topics by vote. All new members are provided with background material on major ethical theories, as well as guidelines for facilitating discussions.

Stu Simon: stuart341@gmail.com

This SIG is currently accepting new members.

Reach out to the OLLI office for more information 734-998-9351 or email olli.info@umich.edu 

Health care and health policy are changing rapidly. This SIG has considered advances in medicine such as robotic surgery, bio-prosthetics and immunotherapy for cancer. Other recent discussions include controversies regarding Medicare Advantage plans, direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, vaccine hesitancy, using AI in clinical medicine and bariatric surgery vs GLP-1 drugs for obesity. Members in this SIG will consider one issue each month with a lecture/discussion led by an outside expert or a SIG member. Health practitioners and others are encouraged to join this SIG in order to enrich the discussion with their personal expertise and knowledge.

Steve Geiringer sgrehabdoc@gmail.com

Jeffrey Barnett jlbarn@comcast.net

This SIG is currently accepting new members.

Reach out to the OLLI office for more information 734-998-9351 or email olli.info@umich.edu 

On a weekly basis, this group will discuss all contemporary events that are of interest, including but not limited to domestic, international, political and academic developments that are of current and historical significance. What is discussed depends on the group's members. Our conversations are civil and no topic or perspective is off limits.

Thomas Longworth tenniscarol@comcast.net

*Currently Full*

"The Syd Kaufman Mystery Authors Special Interest Group offers those who share an interest in mystery novels an opportunity to explore the work of mystery writers who may be new to them. We select a different mystery author to read and to discuss each month. While we often disagree in our assessments of authors, our discussions are informative, lively, friendly and often accompanied by laughter."

Wendy Mead wendymead@mac.com

Tim Richards tfrichards@gmail.com

This SIG is currently accepting new members.

Reach out to the OLLI office for more information 734-998-9351 or email olli.info@umich.edu 

A free-flowing discussion that develops organically. There are no set topics, but we often schmooze about family, work memories, friendship and other key relationships, core hobbies and current commitments, legacy, faith traditions, optimism and pessimism regarding the future, etc. We avoid cliches and, as comfortable, candidly share our thinking, questions, curiosities. Regular members include many who are or have been teachers, healthcare providers, or both and more. The Schmoozery began early in the pandemic and has kept going.

Hank Greenspan hgreensp@umich.edu