Osher Online- Summer '26   

Coffee will provide a lively lens on major past and present issues, including climate change, social life, health, global North–South differences, social and economic justice, tourism, and slavery. We will begin “from the ground up,” tracing coffee from planting and processing through shipping and, ultimately, the beverage in our cups - part of nearly two billion cups consumed daily worldwide. We will explore coffee’s global history and its shift from an elite drink to an everyday staple. Drawing on current research, we will examine coffee and health, as well as practical questions such as how more income might reach farmers and how coffee production might adapt to a changing climate. The instructor will share firsthand experiences from coffee farms around the world, discuss a range of brewing methods, and demonstrate how coffee is brewed. Sessions will be interactive, with time for questions throughout.

Robert Thurston, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of History at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio). He earned a BA in History from Northwestern University and a PhD in modern Russian history from the University of Michigan. His writing spans twentieth-century Russian/Soviet history, witch hunts (Europe and Salem), the body in the  Anglosphere (1880–1920), and coffee as an economic and social force. A devoted coffee educator, he has opened a roastery and coffee shop and has visited coffee farms from Asia to South America.

In this course, we will gain a comprehensive introduction to Hindu traditions, emphasizing the importance of ritual, knowledge, and devotion across Hindu traditions from classical to contemporary times. We will introduce Hinduism’s South Asian roots, that can be traced to the Vedic tradition, which provides key conceptual and religious foundations. We will consider early and classical expressions of Hindu thought and religious life through the complex term dharma. Major Hindu deities are then introduced alongside associated narratives, practices, and iconography. We will examine the six major schools of Hindu philosophy using both secondary and primary sources. We will then consideration bhakti (devotion) that has characterized diverse Hindu traditions across centuries. Finally, we will consider sacred space and places including temples and tīrthas, as well as the interrelationship of the concept of divine presence and pilgramage practices the relate to these holy sites.

Eileen Goddard is a Religious Studies PhD candidate at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Goddard lectures on Indian and Asian religious traditions at both UCSB and the University of Houston. Her research centers on the interrelationship of soteriology and embodiment in the sixteenth-century Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Kṛṣṇa tradition. She is a comparative scholar whose research also includes the Pātañjala Yoga, Advaita Vedānta, Śrīvaiṣṇava, and Pāñcarātra traditions, analyzing how emotion,
desire, meditation, and ritual variously contribute towards ultimate realization of self and/or divine Other.

Explore 100 years of American history through objects often taken for granted in everyday life:  signs. Led by the American Sign Museum (ASM) staff, this course introduces the Museum’s origins and features a conversation with ASM’s founder about why signs matter. We will examine how signs have evolved due to trends in commerce and technology. We will also explore case studies of three major food companies who used signage to shape their brands. In the final session, we will take a virtual visit to ASM’s neon shop to see how a neon sign is made.

Erin Holland, The American Sign Museum (Cincinnati, Ohio) covers more than 100 years of American sign history and displays more than 800 signs and artifacts, making it the most comprehensive museum of its kind. With a mission to educate the community about the history of the sign industry and its significant contribution to commerce and the American landscape, the Museum is organized to preserve, archive and display a historical collection of signs in their many types and forms.

In this course, we will explore a wide range of horticultural practices with something to offer no matter our experience level or where we live. We will cover container gardening, aquatic gardens, ornamental and fruiting plants, bonsai, landscape design, and pest management. Each week, we will focus on a theme and examine design ideas, plant choices, and long-term care practices for success. Whether we garden on 10 acres or in an apartment, we will find plenty to learn and enjoy in horticulture.

Chris Baker has worked in horticulture for 15 years, including as a horticulturist at the National Aquarium in Baltimore and as Curator of Bonsai at the Chicago Botanic Garden. He focuses on the use and benefits of native plant species and sound, eco-friendly horticultural practices. Baker studied with bonsai master Torho Suzuki at the Daiju-en Nursery in Japan. He is President of the North American Bonsai Federation and a board member of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation.

The Declaration of Independence is a pivotal American document, not just for eighteenth-century revolutionaries, but for people throughout US history. This course will explore how individuals in Washington, D.C. used the Declaration and its ideas after independence was won. From the capital city’s planners to Union soldiers who defended Washington amid civil war, many evoked the Declaration to support their causes and shape a capital city. Spotlighting museum artifacts from the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection, this course will cover D.C.’s early history through 1876, the nation’s first centennial celebration.

Kasey Sease, PhD, is Curator of the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection at The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum in Washington, D.C. Beyond developing exhibitions and activating the collection, she programs the Albert H. Small Center for National Capital Area Studies. A former Managing Editor of Washington History, Kasey holds degrees from the College of William and Mary (PhD, MA, history) and the University of Virginia (BA, history and government).

As America celebrates 250 years of independence, this course will examine the indispensable founder, George Washington. We will explore Washington's life and political leadership as well as his work as a farmer, entrepreneur, and architect. We will also review the groundbreaking work of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association (MVLA) which has owned and managed George Washington's Mount Vernon since 1858. In that year, an intrepid group of women (who had no right to vote or own property) came together to save George Washington's home, after both the Federal Government and Commonwealth of Virginia had refused to help. MVLA formation marked the birth of the historic preservation movement.

Anne “Dede” Neal Petri was elected the 24th Regent of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA) in 2024. The MVLA, founded in 1858, is responsible for the management and preservation of George Washington's Mount Vernon. The MVLA mission is to educate the world about the leadership and character of George Washington in order to inspire future generations. Petri received her undergraduate degree in American history and literature from Harvard College and her law degree from Harvard Law School.

What makes an Oriental rug so captivating—its elegant design, intricate patterns, or the mystery of its origins? In this richly illustrated course, we will discover the stories woven into these remarkable textiles. We will travel through the history and artistry of rug and carpet weaving, a tradition rooted in Asia and North Africa, with examples dating back to the 4th century BCE. Using stunning visuals and expert insights, we will explore major carpet-making cultures and regions including Anatolia, Iran, Transcaucasia, North Africa, and Central Asia.  We will learn to recognize defining features of Oriental rugs: weaving traditions (nomadic and settled), key historical periods (from the Early Modern era through the nineteenthcentury), purposes (from prayer to decoration), and production contexts (from royal courts to bustling markets). We will also be introduced to basic methods for identifying weave structures and deepen our appreciation of these remarkable works of art.

Sumru Belger Krody is Chief Curator and Avenir Foundation Curator of The Textile Museum Collection at The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum. A specialist in late antique and  Islamic textiles, she leads the museum’s curatorial department and serves as Editor-in-Chief of The Textile Museum Journal. Krody guest lectures at George Washington University and curated numerous exhibitions, including Enduring Traditions and the upcoming Adorning the Horse. She has written widely and coauthored nine publications, including Textile Treasures (2025).

Often overlooked in traditional design and architecture courses, twentieth century women designers profoundly shaped the way we perceive, experience, and enjoy our built environments, interiors, and decorative objects. In this course, we will explore thework and influence of such designers and architects as Elsie de Wolfe, Eileen Gray, Lilly Reich, Charlotte Perriand, Dorothy Draper, Ray Eames, Zaha Hadid, and others. Their lives and the beauty of their enduring designs are documented within the context of the social and political issues they faced, as they left their unmistakable imprints upon twentieth century design.

Eleanor Schrader is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author.  She lectures and leads tours worldwide on art and architectural history. She was named a distinguished instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. She completed graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby’s Institute in London and New York. She served as a design review commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and serves on the John Lautner Foundation board of directors.

In this course, we will explore how a tiny nation – Portugal –played an outsized role in world history. We will examine Portugal’s fifteenth and sixteenth century maritime expansion (once called the “Discoveries”), as well as its central role in the transatlantic trade in enslaved people. We will trace how Portugal, once a fringe region of the Roman Empire, emerged as the only independent kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula as Castile grew into Spain. We will follow Portugal’s rise as a global power, with outposts stretching from Brazil to Japan, and then its decline as rival empires overtook it – culminating in twentieth century poverty under Europe’s longest dictatorship. Finally, we will consider how this past continues to shape Portuguese identity and culture in the decades since a revolution ushered in democracy. As we survey Portugal’s landscapes, art and architecture, and food, we will see why record numbers of Americans are now visiting the country.

Alison Roberts, is a journalist with nearly four decades of experience, reporting in her native UK and later internationally for Englishlanguage outlets including the BBC, NPR, and Bloomberg News. Her work has covered politics, finance, sports, and the arts. She has edited or contributed to a dozen guidebooks and provided online updates for Fodor’s, Time Out, and other publishers. Now based in Portugal, she is writing a history of the country and has explored it extensively from north to south.

This course will arm us with the knowledge we need to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe when engaging with the healthcare system. Health care today is more complex, technical, and volatile than ever. Medical harm (unintentional but often preventable) injures and kills hundreds of thousands of patients each year. In this course, we will learn how to prevent the most common types of medical harm including medication errors, patient care accidents, procedural and surgical complications, infections, and diagnostic mistakes. Patient safety experts and advocates will provide us with practical tips and insights to navigate the healthcare system confidently and safely.  Through presentations, videos, and group discussions, we will come to understand the common sources of error and discover tactics, resources, and cautions to help protect ourselves and our loved ones.

Hardeep Singh, MD, is a Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and a leader in quality and safety research focused on reducing diagnostic errors, improving health information technology, and transforming health care systems. His work has informed major patientsafety initiatives and policy reports from organizations including the National Academy of Medicine, CDC, OECD, and WHO. He has received prestigious awards for his pioneering work, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award for Individual Lifetime Achievement.