An Ashland man who helped design and build the world’s largest laser at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will talk about how the simplest of nature’s offerings — a tree — changed his life.

Rick Sawicki’s free lecture, “How a Tree Changed Our Life: The Beauty and Elegance of Our Backyard Birds,” will be from 1 to 3 p.m. today at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Room A, Campbell Hall, 655 Francis Lane, Ashland.

Call 541-552-6048 or visit www.sou.ed/olli.