Community Calendar

UCSB Library is pleased to present Heejung Kim (Psychological and Brain Sciences) in the Pacific Views: Library Speaker Series for Winter 2026. In her talk, “Culture and Social Support: Implications for Health and Well-Being,” she explores how relationships lie at the heart of human life, strongly influencing our health and well-being. Yet what counts as a “good relationship” can vary widely across cultures. Different cultural values—such as prioritizing personal independence or emphasizing group harmony—shape how people set social expectations, regulate emotions, and interact with those closest to them. In this talk, Kim will present her research on how these cultural differences influence the way people use and benefit from social support when dealing with stress.

Heejung Kim is a Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at UCSB. Her research interests are in cultural psychology, looking at how culture influences psychological processes to understand why and how people engage in a range of everyday behaviors, such as acting pro-environmentally, giving and seeking social support, making product choices, and interacting with others from different cultures. Her research has been funded by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation.

Kim’s approximately 45-minute presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

This event may be photographed or recorded.

Advance registration is recommended as space is limited.

This mini-lecture series provides an overview of some of the great ancient civilizations of Central Mexico from the earliest cities in the 2nd millennium BCE through first contact with the Spanish invaders (ca. 1502 CE).

The Olmecs, Teotihuacan, and the Aztecs have fascinated public and scholarly audiences the world over. In this two-part lecture, we will explore the rise of these civilizations and address several false claims attributed to the beliefs of the peoples of Ancient Mexico that are entrenched in the popular perception of these civilizations.

The Ancient Mesoamericans developed intricate calendrical, architectural, and ideological systems. This two-part lecture seeks to present the true nature of these ancient civilizations as they are understood from the archaeological record, ancient texts, and Colonial-era documents.

This lecture takes place virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

On September 3, 2025, in a show of unity against the West, China hosted a celebration commemorating the 80th anniversary of World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un joined Chinese President Xi Jinping for this solemn and symbolic occasion. Two days earlier, the leaders of China, Russia, and India met in Tianjin China as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The changing global order reflected by these meetings sent an unequivocal message to Western leaders and America in particular: China is a global superpower and, along with its allies North Korea and India, is in lock-step with Russia against the Western effort to isolate Putin over his invasion of Ukraine. How did the United States and more broadly, its Western allies arrive at what by all accounts is a decisive and, as some would argue, dangerous moment in foreign affairs? Do these developments reflect what some scholars and public policy specialists are calling “a new Cold War?” This course will take a closer look at these recent events and what they might signify for the future of American foreign relations. It will offer suggestions about how to make sense of a new and rapidly evolving world order.

This course can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Were Homer’s epic poems myth, or did they describe real historical events? This two-part lecture series dives into the question of Homer's authenticity, comparing key passages from the Iliad and the Odyssey with the latest archaeological evidence from Greece. We'll analyze Homer’s vivid descriptions of palaces, armor, and burial rites against the backdrop of the Mycenaean Bronze Age (c. 1600-1100 BCE). Emphasis will be placed on recent, groundbreaking discoveries that bring Homer’s passages to light. By linking the epic poems' memory of a heroic age with the material reality unearthed by modern excavations, this course explores how a seemingly mythical tradition may preserve the "kernel of truth" from a magnificent, lost civilization.

This lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

On September 3, 2025, in a show of unity against the West, China hosted a celebration commemorating the 80th anniversary of World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un joined Chinese President Xi Jinping for this solemn and symbolic occasion. Two days earlier, the leaders of China, Russia, and India met in Tianjin China as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The changing global order reflected by these meetings sent an unequivocal message to Western leaders and America in particular: China is a global superpower and, along with its allies North Korea and India, is in lock-step with Russia against the Western effort to isolate Putin over his invasion of Ukraine. How did the United States and more broadly, its Western allies arrive at what by all accounts is a decisive and, as some would argue, dangerous moment in foreign affairs? Do these developments reflect what some scholars and public policy specialists are calling “a new Cold War?” This course will take a closer look at these recent events and what they might signify for the future of American foreign relations. It will offer suggestions about how to make sense of a new and rapidly evolving world order.

This course can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Were Homer’s epic poems myth, or did they describe real historical events? This two-part lecture series dives into the question of Homer's authenticity, comparing key passages from the Iliad and the Odyssey with the latest archaeological evidence from Greece. We'll analyze Homer’s vivid descriptions of palaces, armor, and burial rites against the backdrop of the Mycenaean Bronze Age (c. 1600-1100 BCE). Emphasis will be placed on recent, groundbreaking discoveries that bring Homer’s passages to light. By linking the epic poems' memory of a heroic age with the material reality unearthed by modern excavations, this course explores how a seemingly mythical tradition may preserve the "kernel of truth" from a magnificent, lost civilization.

This lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

As the leading figure of an entire movement, Andy Warhol is synonymous with the development of Pop Art in America. Beginning his career as a commercial artist, Warhol rose to fame in multiple media. His vast works are an homage to the everyday world, but also comment seriously on the transience of celebrity and the power of mass media. This lecture will be an overview of the career of Andy Warhol.

This lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

The Greenhouse Effect and its impact on Earth's surface temperature have been understood for over a century. Long before satellites, computer models or even computers existed, scientists recognized that the massive increase in fossil fuel combustion beginning with the Industrial Revolution would lead to a warming planet and a changing climate. This lecture reviews the evolution of climate change science from the early 1800s to the present, profiling 12 scientists—from Joseph Fourier to Klaus Hasselmann. Key scientific issues will be discussed in the context of these historical figures and their contributions to our understanding of climate change. In addition, the impacts of climate change on humankind and the measures that need to be taken to mitigate it will be discussed.

This lecture takes place virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.