From free yoga, to an long list of thought-provoking lectures, uOttawa Alumni Week 2018 has a little something for everyone. There are dozens of events planned between April 28 and May 5.
In addition to Bernard Kouchner’s lecture on May 4, this year’s Alumni Week features a number of medicine-inspired events open to faculty members, staff and learners. If any of the following strike your fancy, be sure to register early and save your spot.
Episodes in Medical History: Astonishing, Appalling or Amazing?
Tuesday, May 1
Alex Trebek Alumni Hall
Johnson Room, 157 Séraphin Marion
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Join Professor Susan Lamb, resident historian at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine, to explore episodes in the history of medicine reflecting complex contemporary themes such as transgender identity, the “Black Lives Matter” movement and residential schools. After the lecture, the floor will be open for discussion, so you can say which episodes astonished, appalled or amazed. Register now!
Advances in Brain Research: Neuroplasticity
Wednesday, May 2
Roger Guindon Hall (RGN)
Room 2005, 451 Smyth Rd
6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
How do we learn? Recall past events? Recognize familiar faces? Acquire new skills? Make everyday decisions based on past experiences? These are some of the deepest and most complex questions addressed by neuroscience. Part of the answers to these questions lies in the cells and circuits of the brain and its stunning ability to constantly adapt and change, known as neuroplasticity.
Dr. Jean-Claude Béïque will present some of the current theories and discoveries shaping our still-rudimentary understanding of the brain and how its plasticity mechanisms contribute to our amazing ability to learn and remember. Register now!
Alex Trebek Distinguished Lecture Series with Bernard Kouchner
Friday, May 4, 2018
Shaw Centre, Canada Hall 2
55 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa
7 - 9 p.m.
Cost:
$10 - Students
$15 - Alumni
$15 - uOttawa employees
$20 - Others
Space is limited. Please register in advance.
When large-scale massacres occur, should we let the victims die? Hear what Bernard Kouchner, former French foreign and European affairs minister, cofounder of Doctors Without Borders and advocate for the “responsibility to protect,” has to say.
The “responsibility to protect” is a principle adopted unanimously by the UN in 2005 to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Some believe that it represents the greatest shift in our understanding of state sovereignty since the Treaty of Westphalia.
Nevertheless, we have many examples — such as Myanmar and Libya — where the principle of state sovereignty has been invoked or where, when faced with a massacre, the international community has favoured the status quo or taken a long time to intervene.
Bernard Kouchner has never been silent when it comes to mass killings. Don’t miss this opportunity for discussion with one of the greatest human rights defenders of our time. One thing’s certain: this talk will not leave you indifferent!
This French-only lecture will be moderated by Sophie Langlois, a Radio-Canada foreign correspondent for Africa.
Don’t speak French? No problem! Simultaneous interpretation headphones will be available for participants.
