In This Issue: 2023 Faculty Grant Award Recipients | Osher Spring Picnic on May 19 | Thank You, Volunteers! | Last Call for France Trip | Upcoming Community Events | Summer Social SIG Resumes | Thanks to Our Community Sponsors | Campus Food Pantry Donations | Memorial Day and Summer Hours

Established in 2011 by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Advisory Board and funded

entirely by Osher members, the Osher Faculty Grant has awarded over $195,500 to fund

Boise State faculty research projects. The grant supports Boise State faculty research and raises awareness of the Institute within the university. Annual member contributions to the Osher Excellence Fund make these grants possible.

Dr. Peter Müllner, Distinguished Professor, Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering; Dr. John Bieter, Professor, Department of History; and

Dr. Sydney Boutros, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences

This project will investigate the integration of virtual reality with scent delivery in the VARScent Reverse Alzheimer's system to provide a tool for the diagnosis and therapy of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). VARScent Reverse Alzheimer's aims to promote happier and healthier living for those suffering from ADRD through diagnosing and monitoring cognitive decline.

Dr. Byung Kim, Professor and Affiliate Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Program

This project will explore the role of water in biomolecular functions through the use of a technique called cantilever-based optical interfacial force microscope (COIFM) that makes it possible to grab and manipulate delicate water molecules. This will help researchers understand the molecules' mechanical behaviors at the nanoscale level.

Dr. Shelton Woods, Associate Dean, Honors College, and Professor of East/Southeast Asian Studies

This project will present the story of John C. Early, an American living in Idaho in the early 20th century who signed a contract with the U.S. government to extend his homesteading deadline by moving to the Philippines for a two-year teaching stint and ended up becoming the governor of the entire Mountain Province. The podcast will be a companion to Dr. Woods' forthcoming book, Governor of the Cordillera: John C. Early Among the Philippine Highlanders (Cornell University Press).

Don't miss an opportunity to enjoy Dr. Woods' upcoming course, America's Hidden History in Asia, in Fall 2023. Registration begins on July 6.

Congratulations to these Boise State University faculty members! Our thanks go to the Faculty Grant Committee for reviewing the 2023 grant applications, and to the many Osher Institute members for their generous contributions to the Osher Excellence Fund.

To celebrate the end of another successful Osher Institute semester, we invite you to join us at our Osher Spring Picnic on Friday, May 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Idaho Botanical Garden! Lunch will be served, and members may stroll the grounds of the Garden after the festivities. Look for the balloons and the Osher banner, and bring a lawn chair.

It was great to see all the Osher volunteers who attended our Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon on Friday, April 7! Participants enjoyed refreshments and the opportunity to visit with each other, and they even scored some goodies to take home! We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts; we couldn't do the good work we do without all of you.

A big thank you also goes to Zero Six Coffee Fix for supplying gift cards, and to Carole and Rick Skinner at The Flicks for their ongoing support of our Osher events over the years.

There's still time to register for the Gastronomy Tour of Provence, France, with Travel Fever Tours on October 12-20, 2023! The trip features visits to markets at Vaison-la-Romaine and Nyons, as well as picturesque French villages, cooking classes, visits to local wineries, cheese makers, and fine food dining.

See more information and sign up for the trip here.

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

Friday, May 5, noon MT

Boise Public Library*

For more information, email Ann Campbell at anncampbell@boisestate.edu.

*Starting in the Fall 2023 semester, The Martin-Hindrichs Lit for Lunch will be sponsored by the Osher Institute and will be moving to the Yanke building.

Dr. Catherine Niesh, Washington State University

Friday, May 5, 7:30 p.m. MT

Boise State Education Building, Room 112 and via Zoom

To view the livestream, visit the Astronomy at Boise State Physics YouTube channel.

Senator Melissa Wintrow, McKay Cunningham, College of Idaho, and student representatives from the Redline Research Team, College of Idaho

Idaho State Museum, 610 Julia Davis Dr.

To register, visit City Club of Boise.

The Osher Institute is proud to be a community sponsor of City Club of Boise.

Dr. David Adler, President and CEO, Alturas Institute

Thursday, May 11, 4:00 p.m. MT

Yanke Family Research Park, Room 207 (In Person Only)

Free and open to the public

PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT an Osher Institute program; registration is NOT required.

For more information, visit the Alturas Institute.

The Osher Summer Social SIG is back! Join SIG facilitator Mark Eubank at the Green Acres Food Truck Park for social time with other Osher members. Beginning Thursday, June 1, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and continuing through the end of July, participants will have time to visit, take a stroll on the Greenbelt, or simply enjoy the food trucks. Osher staff will join this group occasionally and will provide beverages and treats to attendees on June 1. The SIG is included with membership, but registration is required to receive email reminders.

To register for this SIG by Friday, June 23, visit the Log In/Register Online page, or call Customer Services at (208) 426-1709.

Thanks to our Community Sponsors for their ongoing support of the Osher Institute's mission of lifelong learning.

Junior Achievement of Idaho, in conjunction with CapEd Credit Union, is holding its Annual High-Profile JA in a Day on Monday, May 8, from 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Morley Nelson Elementary School, 7701 W. Northview St., Boise. Spend the morning in a classroom leading bright students who need positive role models, like you, to provide an exciting vision of opportunity for their future.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Ashley Jackson, Senior Program Manager, at ashley@jaidaho.org.

Thank you for donating nonperishable items to the Boise State Campus Food Pantry throughout the Spring semester. You may bring an item to donate when attending a class, or you can drop by anytime during business hours to contribute.

The theme for May is: Brain Food.

Energy bars | Dried fruit | Popcorn | String cheese | Instant coffee

Beef or turkey jerky | Trail mix | Blue corn chips | Granola bars | Bottled water

The Food Pantry is in need of volunteers on Tuesday through Friday to assist them with smaller deliveries, restocking, and completing routine tasks. Volunteers can fill out the Campus Food Pantry Volunteer Form.

The Osher office will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 29. The Osher Institute remembers and honors those service members who died in military service to the nation.

Starting Tuesday, May 30, the Osher staff may be working remotely periodically through June and July. You may contact the office at osher@boisestate.edu or (208) 426-6554.

Support the Osher Institute here.

Chair: Cindy Anson | Past Chair: Merilee Marsh | Ralph Bild | Michael Bixby

Director: Dana Thorp Patterson | Senior Program Coordinator: Laura Mehlhaff

Communications Specialist: Jill Chmelko | Administrative Assistant: Cherie Ellingson

Office Assistant: Faith Spaulding