Welcome to OLLI atThe University of Michigan

Alfred Gourdji Distinguished Lectures Series

Winter/ Spring 2025
Programs will be available in person and live through Zoom

OLLI’s Distinguished Lecture Series has been renamed as the Alfred Gourdji Distinguished Lectures Series in memory of our friend and colleague who was the heart and soul of the series for many years. The Series features prominent, engaging speakers from “town and gown.” It consists of eight lectures, four in the fall session and four in the winter/ spring session. Learn from well-known experts about an array of fascinating topics. Each lecture is just the beginning; a stimulating question-and-answer period follows each session.

The Alfred Gourdji Distinguished Lecture Series was planned by Bernard Banet, Ron Bogdasarian, Ron Frisch, Beverley Geltner, John Kelly, Leo Shedden, Marie Vitale, and Katherine Woo, and co-chairs Gerald Gardner and Frances Schultz.

NON-MEMBER Alfred Gourdji Distinguished Lecture Series: (11/11) What Does Putin Want? - Schedule: 1 Session(s) | Tu | 11/11/2025-11/11/2025 | 10:00 AM-11:30 AM

Fee: $25.00
Sessions: 1 | Days: Tu
Dates: 11/11/2025 - 11/11/2025
Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Building: Morris Lawrence Building- Washtenaw Community Coll
Room: Towsley Auditorium
Instructor:

Everyone has ideas about who Vladimir Putin is and what he wants. As a long-time researcher, analyst, and teacher of Soviet and Russian history and politics, Prof. Suny will discuss the various ways Putin is imagined and provide his interpretation of the Russian president's views and policies, particularly as regards the war in Ukraine.

Ronald G. Suny, Ph.D. is the William Sewell Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of History and Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Michigan, and Emeritus Professor of Political Science and History at the University of Chicago. His research has centered on Russia and the former Soviet Union, including the non-Russian nationalities of the Russian Empire. He has authored numerous scholarly books and articles. Professor Suny has twice been a fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and has received both a National Endowment for the Humanities Grant and a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship.

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NON-MEMBER Alfred Gourdji Distinguished Lecture Series: (12/9) “Miles to Go Before We Sleep”: Cutting Edge Treatments and Technologies in Sleep Health - Schedule: 1 Session(s) | Tu | 12/9/2025-12/9/2025 | 10:00 AM-11:30 AM

Fee: $25.00
Sessions: 1 | Days: Tu
Dates: 12/9/2025 - 12/9/2025
Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Building: Morris Lawrence Building- Washtenaw Community Coll
Room: Towsley Auditorium
Instructor:

Prof. Goldstein will present the latest research findings on treating insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders.

Cathy Goldstein, M.D. is Professor of Neurology at the University of Michigan Sleep Disorders Center, and faculty lead at UM’s Eisenberg Depression Center Mobile Technologies Core and the UM Mobile Technology Research Innovation Collaborative (MeTRIC). Professor Goldstein's research uses sleep tracking devices and mathematical modeling to assess sleep patterns and circadian rhythms to determine their role in health and disease (including women’s reproductive health, multiple sclerosis, and gastrointestinal conditions). Her international expertise in sleep tracking technology is highlighted by her role as a lead author of the ‘State of the Science and Recommendations for Using Wearable Technology in Sleep and Circadian Research’ from the Sleep Research Society, and as a member of the task force on Consumer Sleep Tracker Guidelines of the World Sleep Society.

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