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This program delves into the origin of coffee and the specific varietals used, providing a transparent look at the distribution channels from farm to cup and the pricing that supports ethical sourcing. It also addresses challenges at coffee farms, including labor shortages and the impact of climate change along with Alejandra’s mission to foster community and cultural exchange.

Registration required.

Born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Alejandra Flores is the founder of Unataza Coffee in Dayton, Kentucky, where she shares the flavors and culture of her homeland. Inspired by her family’s coffee-farming roots, she opened Unataza in 2019 to promote ethical sourcing, community connection, and cultural exchange—fulfilling her mission to “connect two homes, one cup at a time.”

Celebrate the opening of The Botany of Beverages with us!
Guests are invited to enjoy light refreshments and be
among the first to experience this engaging exhibition that
toasts the plants behind our favorite drinks. Raise a glass
with fellow visitors and examine how we have cultivated
and ritualized these palatable plants across centuries and
continents.

Free and open to the public. Light refreshments.

Stop by to see The Botany of Beverages and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies!

Plants have been used to treat medical conditions in humans for thousands of years. Drugs used to treat malaria, HIV/AIDS, and even cancer have been derived from plants found growing in many different parts of the world. Today there is a resurgence of pharmaceutical interest in plants and the chemical compounds they produce. In this presentation, we will learn about the history of medical botany, why plants produce these chemicals, the traditional use of plants in cultures around the world, and how plants continue to have the power to heal us today.

Theresa Culley is a professor of plant biology at the University of Cincinnati, where she has taught a course in Medical Botany for over 20 years. Now team-taught with Dr. Eric Tepe, this undergraduate course has become one of the most popular upper-level elective classes for students within the biology department. In this course, Theresa indulges her interest in medicine, intertwined with her fascination for botany and history. Theresa’s botanical research at UC focuses on the conservation biology of endangered plant species (mainly in the Hawaiian Islands) as well as the genetic identity and reproductive biology of invasive ornamental plant species. 

Registration required.Sold out, join the waitlist.

The alternative system of medicine known as homeopathy, was founded by Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) more than 200 years ago and was based on several theories, two of which include: “like cures like,” (the notion that disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy persons); and the “law of minimum dose” (the notion that the lower the dose, the greater its effectiveness). Although critics argue its effects are largely due to placebo, therapeutic context, or natural healing, not the remedies themselves, an estimated 200 million people practice homeopathy worldwide, including 5 million adults and 1 million children in the United States. In the history of homeopathy, the American form of homeopathy is unique.

Registration required.

Dr. John Haller, emeritus professor of medical humanities and the history of ideas, has authored more than thirty books on subjects ranging from race and sexuality, to medicine, pharmacy, biography, religion, spirituality, war, and philosophy. He is a former editor of Caduceus and served as vice president for academic affairs for twenty years at Southern Illinois University. His most recent books include Fictions of Certitude: Science Faith, and the Search for Meaning, 1840-1920; Swedenborgs’Principles of Usefulness: Social Reform Thought from the Enlightenment to American Pragmatism; Michael A. Musmanno: Lawyer, Legislator, Judge, and Showman; and Religion after the Gods: Edwin H. Wilson and the American Humanist Association (forthcoming).

 

Founded by Samuel Thomson (1769-1843), this 19th-century system of alternative medicine was based on herbal treatments designed to regulate the body’s heat through a six-step process of healing. Thomson began his practice as an itinerant healer in 1805, and with the help of hundreds of agents and Friendly Botanic Societies, he sold “rights” to his patented medical system that, by 1830, claimed an estimated 2 million American users. Thomson’s significance lies less with his theory of healing than with his innovative business techniques which presaged several 20th-century practices.

Watch the recording.

Dr. John Haller, emeritus professor of medical humanities and the history of ideas, has authored more than thirty books on subjects ranging from race and sexuality, to medicine, pharmacy, biography, religion, spirituality, war, and philosophy. He is a former editor of Caduceus and served as vice president for academic affairs for twenty years at Southern Illinois University. His most recent books include Fictions of Certitude: Science Faith, and the Search for Meaning, 1840-1920; Swedenborgs’Principles of Usefulness: Social Reform Thought from the Enlightenment to American Pragmatism; Michael A. Musmanno: Lawyer, Legislator, Judge, and Showman; and Religion after the Gods: Edwin H. Wilson and the American Humanist Association (forthcoming).

Eclectic medicine represents an alternative branch of an American healing system that had its beginnings with the opening of the U.S. Infirmary in 1827 in New York City. Decrying the excessive use of bleeding and heroic drugs, its founder, Wooster Beach (1794-1868), prescribed botanical medicines based on the principle that physicians should employ whatever was found to be beneficial to their patients. This practice went against the prevailing medical systems of both orthodox and unorthodox medicine, which depended almost entirely on humoral pathology, or the theory of temperaments. Eclecticism’s intellectual center was the Eclectic Medical Institute in Cincinnati, whose 97-year history offers a unique insight into this interesting healing system.

Registration required.

Dr. John Haller, emeritus professor of medical humanities and the history of ideas, has authored more than thirty books on subjects ranging from race and sexuality, to medicine, pharmacy, biography, religion, spirituality, war, and philosophy. He is a former editor of Caduceus and served as vice president for academic affairs for twenty years at Southern Illinois University. His most recent books include Fictions of Certitude: Science Faith, and the Search for Meaning, 1840-1920; Swedenborgs’Principles of Usefulness: Social Reform Thought from the Enlightenment to American Pragmatism; Michael A. Musmanno: Lawyer, Legislator, Judge, and Showman; and Religion after the Gods: Edwin H. Wilson and the American Humanist Association (forthcoming).

Step into the calm and quiet of Mt. Airy Forest for a transformative Forest Immersion experience, guided by experts from the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Cincinnati. Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku (“forest bathing”), this gentle, sensory-based walk invites participants to slow down, reconnect with nature, and experience its profound benefits for mind and body. Barbara Walker, PhD, Director of the Osher Center’s Nature as Medicine Program, and Kelly Lyle, MHA, MS—both certified Forest Therapy Guides—will introduce simple yet powerful techniques to deepen your connection with the natural world. Evidence shows that time in nature can help strengthen the immune system, reduce blood pressure and stress hormones, improve sleep and mood, and boost focus, energy, and vitality. No special equipment or experience is needed—just an open mind, comfortable shoes, and a willingness to be present.

Sold out.

Discover how centuries-old herbal wisdom is shaping the future of medicine. In this engaging presentation, Mladen Golubić, MD, PhD, FACLM, Medical Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UC, will explore the powerful intersection between traditional herbal practices and modern scientific research.

From plant-based compounds that inspire today’s anti-cancer drugs to groundbreaking studies on frankincense and anti-inflammatory herbs, Dr. Golubić will reveal how natural remedies are being validated—and sometimes transformed—by rigorous laboratory and clinical investigation. He’ll also shed light on the challenges facing the field, including the need for quality control, standardization, and the preservation of traditional knowledge. Whether you’re a health professional, herbal enthusiast, or simply curious about the healing power of nature, this presentation offers a fascinating look at the science behind herbal medicine and why it matters more than ever.

See Dr. Golubić’s slides.