About us
Welcome to Houston Science Enthusiasts! Founded in 2010 (under the original name Houston Super Secret Science Club), our goal is to provide a place for people interested in science to find and gather at the most interesting science-related activities in the Greater Houston region. These include gatherings at the many science-related lectures held at area universities and other educational institutions, visits to museums, outdoors field trips and social mixers at local pubs and restaurants. The idea to make these meet-ups entertaining and interesting to the lay community as well as those from the ranks of professional scientists. Anyone can join -- you don't need a Ph.D., just some curiosity.
You also are invited to join our Facebook group, where we continue the discussion online: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HoustonSuperSecretScienceClub/
Find our listing of Houston Science Resources here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/houston-science-enthusiasts/houston-science-resources/637381806593089/
Upcoming events
7
Why Governments Need Science Advice With Angela McLean
Rice University's Baker Institute, 6100 Main St, Houston, TX, USHYBRID: The James A. Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University presents a Civic Scientist Lecture featuring U.K. Government Chief Science Advisor Angela McLean.
DESCRIPTION: "As science and technology continue to evolve, global partnerships are necessary to address the most complex research challenges and drive economic growth, technological innovation, and societal advancement. The Baker Institute Science and Technology Policy Program is honored to host U.K. Government Chief Science Advisor, Angela McLean, for an armchair discussion exploring the need for continued U.S.-U.K. collaboration, especially in key areas including climate resilience, synthetic biology, critical minerals, and science diplomacy."
Event page and registration: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/event/civic-scientist-lecture-series-advancing-us-uk-scientific-collaboration-angela-mclean
NOTE: RSVP'ing on this Meetup page DOES NOT mean you are registered for the event itself.
Campus parking: https://parking.rice.edu/parking-facilities-and-rates
To sign up for the Baker Institute newsletter, including upcoming events, go here: https://bakerinstitute.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a8b4052d865ef65a2030dbb9d&id=130c6f9ea3
5 attendees
Expanding Our View: The Nancy Grace Roman Telescope
University of Houston-Clear Lake, 2700 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, TX, USHYBRID: The Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society will hold a meeting featuring a presentation by JSCAS member Leonard Ferguson on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a NASA observatory designed to settle essential questions in the areas of dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics, which is scheduled for launch on August 30.
NASA story on Nancy Grace Roman, the pioneer of modern space-based astronomy who is the telescope's namesake: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/who-is-nancy-grace-roman/
The meeting at will be held at the University of Houston-Clear Lake STEM Building, Room 1203 starting at 7:30 p.m.. People should arrive between 7 and 7:15 p.m. Attendees should park in Parking Lots D3 or D4 no earlier than 7 p.m.
Please see the UHCL Map here -- Please park in lots D3 and D4. The STEM building is building #5 on the map. Come in from the east side and go left. When you come to the end of hallway, you should find the auditorium where the meeting will be.
The meeting can be accessed by going to the JSCAS YouTube Channel at the link: https://www.youtube.com/c/JSCAstronomicalSociety
Also, the JSCAS YouTube Channel link will be posted on the JSCAS web page: http://www.jscas.net
To submit questions for our presenters during the meeting, please either enter your questions as a YouTube comment (if you have an account that will allow doing so) or send your questions to: jscaslive@gmail.com
JSCAS is open to anyone who wants to learn about astronomy and membership is free. After joining, you’ll have access to our amazing Astronomy DVD Library with 100’s of choices to learn from (from Astronomy Magazine, NASA, The Great Courses, Discovery Channel, etc.).
Top image: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
6 attendees
A City on Mars
Cafe Express, 780 W Sam Houston Pkwy N Suite 100, Houston, TX, US"A city on Mars (amazon link) investigates whether the dream of new worlds won’t create nightmares, both for settlers and the people they leave behind. In the process, the authors answer every question about space you’ve ever wondered about, and many you’ve never considered:
"Can you make babies in space? Should corporations govern space settlements? What about space war? Are we headed for a housing crisis on the Moon’s Peaks of Eternal Light—and what happens if you’re left in the Craters of Eternal Darkness? Why do astronauts love taco sauce? Speaking of meals, what’s the legal status of space cannibalism?
With deep expertise and a winning sense of humor, the Weinersmiths investigate perhaps the biggest questions humanity will ever ask itself—whether and how to become multiplanetary.Get in, we’re going to Mars."
Everyone is welcome to participate in our IN PERSON conversation, whether you have explored the topic before or not.
You can:
- join the chat group on Signal
- read sample
- view past selections
- view pool of candidates
- add your ideas to the pool of candidates
At this meeting each person can nominate a publication to be voted on whether it is from the pool of candidates or not.
We'll be meeting at Cafe Express. There is ample parking in the nearby lot.
Come prepared to discuss and share ideas on the topic and have a good time.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
14 attendees
Synthetic Biology at the Intersection of Science, Ethics and Policy
Rice University's Baker Institute, 6100 Main St, Houston, TX, USIN-PERSON: "Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary field combining biological and engineering to designing and redesigning genes, biological pathways, or organisms to solve society's major problems and understand biological principles. Rapid advancements in synthetic biology are reshaping how we approach challenges in health, the environment, and beyond. However, these breakthroughs raise questions about what should be permitted and how new technologies should be regulated. To that end, the global conversation on biotechnology must account for responsible frameworks that guide future scientific innovation.
"The symposium convenes a diverse community of scholars and practitioners in academia, industry, nonprofits and government for a deep dive into the intersection of emerging biotechnologies, public policy, and ethical responsibility.
The program is organized around two themes based on synthetic biology products: environmental and therapeutic applications of synthetic biology. The event will feature internationally recognized leaders in synthetic biology research and development, health communication, and ethics and public policy. Through thoughtful dialogue, this symposium will address both the promise of scientific advancement and the challenges of misinformation, regulation, and public trust."More information and registration: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/event/synthetic-biology-intersection-science-ethics-and-policy
NOTE: RSVP'ing on this Meetup page DOES NOT mean you are registered for the event itself.
Campus parking: https://parking.rice.edu/parking-facilities-and-rates
To sign up for the Baker Institute newsletter, including upcoming events, go here: https://bakerinstitute.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a8b4052d865ef65a2030dbb9d&id=130c6f9ea3
3 attendees
Past events
1419
Group links
Members
2,385
