WHAT ARE INTERSESSIONS?
Intersessions at Explorers LLI are guest speaker presentations that happen in both
summer and winter in between our regular spring and fall course sessions. We invite
speakers on select Wednesday mornings to enlighten us on a wide range of topics,
experiences, and knowledge in their field or avocation.
Each speaking event is usually presented in-person at our downtown Salem
headquarters and over Zoom. Each talk begins at 10AM and usually runs for about an
hour. The talks generally draw an audience of from 20 to 60 people. We also invite the
general public to these free events. Most of the talks have been recorded and the
videos from past events are available through links on this page.
ZOOM INFORMATION
Zoom is an online program which allows Explorers and others to participate in the
Intersession meetings virtually from their homes.
You can access Zoom through any of these devices: a laptop, or a desktop computer
with a WI-FI (Internet) connection, a smartphone, (iPhone or Android,)or an iPad or
tablet, It will simplify the connection process if you download the free Zoom app
beforehand.
Listed here as well as on the Intersession flyer you will find a link printed in blue that
begins with “https:// bit.ly” , and is followed by number and letters. If, prior to the starting
time of the Intersession talk, you double click on that link, it will transport you to your
meeting.
Here is the Zoom link for the 2026 Winter semester. It is the same for all sessions.
Alternatively, To access the Zoom meetings you can also use your camera to scan the following QR code :
Winter 2026 Recordings
Date February 25, 2026
Date February 18, 2026
State of the Coast – a Report on the Restoration of the North Shore Coastal Zone
Date February 11, 2026
The Food Project – a Community Gardens Movement
Date February 4, 2026
A Comparison of Reconstruction-Era Civil Rights with the Current Administration’s Practices
Date January 28, 2026
The Coming Impact of Artificial Intelligence
Date January 21, 2026
How did Common Idiomatic Expressions Originate?
Date January 14, 2026
Hate Football? Fun Facts to Help you be Part of the Crowd!
Date January 7, 2026
Just Back from Ukraine… What’s Happening on the Ground?
Please note that there is about a two minute blank portion in the video after about 3 minutes and 20 seconds running time. However, the video resumes normally after 5 minutes.
Summer 2025 Recordings
Date August 27,2025
9 Pathways for Enriching Aging Successfully
Date August 20, 2025
A Different War: the History of Nurses in World War II
August 13, 2025
Little Known Stories about Salem & Surrounding Towns
Date August 6, 2025
Essex Heritage/Trails & Sails – Planning the Annual Trails and Sails Event
Date July 30, 2025
Who are the Insects? Insights into their Success and Diversity on our Planet
Date July 23, 2025
The Impact of Today’s Administration on Constitutional Law
Date July 16, 2025
The Economic Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
Date July 9, 2025
The Current State of Higher Education
Winter 2025 Recordings
Date February 26, 2025
Interesting Places to Visit, Less than an Hour’s Drive of Salem
Date February 19, 2025
Date February 12, 2025
A History of the Architectural Styles in Salem
Date February 5, 2025
Reviewing the Assassination of RFK Jr.
Date January 29, 2025
A History of the Yiddish Language
Date January 22, 2025
Date January 15, 2025
The Lioness of Boston – Isabella Stewart Gardner
Date January 8, 2025
A Driver Safety Plan for Older Drivers
You can view the session slides as a pdf here: Shifting Gears
Summer 2024 Recordings
Date August 28, 2024
Beyond Walls – The Large Mural Art in Downtown Lynn
Date August 21, 2024
Date August 14, 2024
100 Jewish Brides: Stories From around the World
Date August 7, 2024
State Representative Jenny Armini
Date July 31, 2024
The Concept of Concierge Medicine
Date July 24, 2024
Date July 10, 2024
Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker
Winter 2024 Recordings
Date February 28, 2024
Date February 14, 2024
The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York
Date February 7, 2024
Sea Turtles in Winter – How they Survive
Date January 31, 2024
Why we Forget and How We Remember Better
Date January 24, 2024
The State of the City of Salem
Date January 17, 2024
My 30 Years Visiting the Navajo
Please note that the recording began about 4 minutes into the session.
Summer 2023 Recordings
Date August 30, 1923
The first Iron Mill in the Americas – Right in Our Backyard!
Date August 23, 2023
The Hidden Workings of the Massachusetts Legislature
Please note that this recording started late. About 3 minutes into the session.
Date August 16, 2023
Mindful Movement in Stretching for Older Adults
Date August 9, 2023
What’s Lurking in your Electronics? – Online Safety
Date August 2, 2023
Seal Shoebert’s Shenanigans and other Stories
Date July 19, 2023
Date July 12, 2023
Renewable Thermal Energy and Preventing Gas Leaks
Unfortunately this recording is incomplete. You can view the session slides as a pdf here: Renewal Energy session slides
Winter 2023 Recordings
Date Feb 22, 2023
Wellboring: Bringing Clean, Safe Water to Africa
Date Feb 15,2023
Early Drinking in the History of America and the American Revolution Experience in Salem
Date Feb 8, 2023
Date Feb 1, 2023
Secrets of Merchandising at a Local Food Store
Date Jan 25, 2023
Traveling the World and the Mind in Poetry
Date Jan 18, 2023
Salem’s Eccentric Poet: Malcolm Miller
Date Jan 11, 2023
A Cultural-Historical View of China
Date Jan 4, 2023
Beginnings of the East India Marine Society
Summer 2022 Recordings
Date Aug 24, 2022
The Wind Turbine Staging Area at the Salem Power Plant
Date Aug 17, 2022
The Real Story of King Phillip’s War with the Native Americans
Date Aug 10, 2022
Date: Aug 3, 2022
Ranked Choice Voting: What is it and How Can it Apply to Local Elections?
Date: Jul 6, 2022
How to Rid Ourselves of Plastic Pollution
Date: Jul 27, 2022
The Recent Trend of Blocking Discussion Topics in Public Schools