Center for Inquiry Western New York

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About us

The Center for Inquiry Western New York (CFI WNY) strives to foster a secular society based on reason, science, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values. We envision a world where people value evidence and critical thinking, where superstition and prejudice subside, and where science and compassion guide public policy.

A branch of the international Center for Inquiry, CFI WNY works to progress the above values in our local area through community building, educational efforts, and activism.

Our members are typically atheists, secular humanists, skeptics, agnostics, and other freethinkers. We host community lectures, coffee shop and bar discussion groups, potlucks, book club meetings, secular family events, social gatherings, and more—and we're always open to new ideas to grow our community!

You can learn more about CFI WNY, see a calendar of events, and sign up for our email list at https://cfiwny.org/sign-up/

Join the CFI WNY Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/cfiwny
Email: wny@centerforinquiry.org
Phone: (716) 636-4869 ext. 402
Address: 1310 Sweet Home Road, Amherst, NY 14228

Featured event

A Skeptical Guide to Drinking Water with Ally Berry of Aqua Diary

Fri, Sep 4 · 6:30 PM EDT

Center for Inquiry, 1310 Sweet Home Road, Amherst, NY, US

Is your tap water safe? Should you trust bottled water? And why do so many communities struggle to get clear answers?

Join us for a thought-provoking presentation by Ally Berry, environmental scientist and host and producer of the AquaDiary Podcast, as she explores the surprising forces shaping what we believe about the water we drink.

Drawing from firsthand investigations into Hoosick Falls’ PFOA contamination, Love Canal’s toxic legacy, and years of experience in watershed management, Berry reveals how misinformation, corporate incentives, institutional failures, and competing interests can all distort our understanding of water quality. Whether the message is designed to scare us or reassure us, the result is often the same: public confusion and delayed action.

Rather than encouraging cynicism, Berry argues for something more powerful—careful, evidence-based skepticism. Learn how asking better questions can help cut through fear, challenge complacency, and build a healthier relationship with one of our most essential resources.

About the Speaker:
Ally Berry is a lake and watershed management specialist with nearly a decade of experience in water quality and watershed protection. She currently manages more than 40 lake and reservoir projects across the United States and hosts AquaDiary, a weekly podcast that makes the science of drinking water accessible to everyone. Since launching in 2026, the podcast has reached Apple’s Top 200 Science Podcasts and grown to more than 10,000 YouTube subscribers.

Free and open to the public. Questions and discussion will follow the presentation.