BALL Lecture Series: Optimal Aging
2026-10-22 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Toronto) | Bayshore Community Centre
Mind Matters: Unlocking the Latest Secrets to a Healthy Brain
We all have the number one risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease: increasing age. Krista Lanctot, a leading Alzheimer’s researcher, will present groundbreaking insights into the underlying factors that drive the memory loss and cognitive decline that lead to Alzheimer’s disease. The presentation will highlight the latest evidence-based strategies for maintaining brain health, including lifestyle interventions and emerging preventive techniques. Attendees will also learn about current and future treatment options, offering hope and practical guidance for individuals and families affected by neurodegenerative disorders.
Lecturer – Krista Lanctôt
Dr. Krista L. Lanctôt has a PhD in Clinical Pharmacology from the University of Toronto, and holds the Bernick Chair in Geriatric Psychopharmacology. She is a Senior Scientist in Geriatric Psychiatry and in the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program at Sunnybrook Research Institute, Research Co-Director in the Department of Psychiatry at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Heads the Geriatric Psychopharmacology Research Group. At the University of Toronto, she is a Professor of Psychiatry and of Pharmacology/Toxicology, and the Vice Chair of Basic and Clinical Sciences in the Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Lanctôt is an active researcher with 400+ published papers. Her group’s research has improved the treatment of cognition and associated mood symptoms in persons with dementia and in those at risk.
research.sunnybrook.ca/researchers/krista-l-lanctot/

Nordic Nations: From Vikings to Global Middle Powers
2026-10-29 10:00 - 12:00
The Viking Age
The Viking Age lasted from the attack on Lindisfarne Monastery in 793 until the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The Vikings had a profound influence on Scandinavia and the wider world, travelling as far west as Newfoundland, as far east as Russia and as far south as Constantinople and Baghdad. In the north, they were raiders, in the south, they were traders and they shaped the course of history everywhere they travelled. We will discuss Viking culture in Scandinavia and the wider world including shipbuilding, weaponry, religious ritual, and women’s roles in society.

Nordic Nations: From Vikings to Global Middle Powers
2026-11-05 10:00 - 12:00
The Golden Age of Sweden
During the 17th century, Sweden emerged as a major European power, controlling much of the Baltic Sea region. King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden introduced key military innovations and his daughter Queen Christina became a cultural patron. The Golden Age of Sweden ended with the Great Northern War and the rise of Russia as a major European power during the reign of Peter the Great.

Nordic Nations: From Vikings to Global Middle Powers
2026-11-12 10:00 - 12:00
The Grand Duchy of Finland and Royal Denmark
In the 19th century, the borders shifted in the Nordic Nations. Finland became part of the Russian Empire, Sweden and Norway were ruled by the same monarch and Denmark lost territory to Germany. The Danish royal family were closely connected to other European royal houses and exerted diplomatic influence through their connections with other reigning houses.

Nordic Nations: From Vikings to Global Middle Powers
2026-11-19 10:00 - 12:00
Emigration to North America
The upheaval of the 19th century resulted in waves of emigration to North America and the wider world. Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic and Finnish emigrants remained interested and engaged in European events shaping the Nordic Nations including the Norwegian independence movement in the early 20th century.

Nordic Nations: From Vikings to Global Middle Power
2026-11-26 08:00 - 17:00
Art and Literature, Science and Exploration
From Viking sagas and jewellery making to the plays of Henrik Ibsen and the paintings of Edvard Munch to modern Nordic architecture and design, Nordic art and literature continues to engage the wider world. For centuries, the Nordic Nations have produced influential mariners, explorers and scientists. The Nobel Prizes have been presented in Sweden and Norway for more than 100 years.

2026-12-03 10:00 - 12:00
The Second World War and the Nordic Nations in the Modern World
A look at the modern history of the Nordic Nations from the Second World War to the strengths and challenges of the present day.
