Science and Suds August 11

Welcome to Science & Suds, Week 3! On August 11th at 7:00PM, LA Ale Works, in partnership with CDLS Fellows from UCLA, is again transforming the Ivy Station taproom into a space for curiosity, conversation, and community science. Join us for good beer, great conversation, and to support an amazing cause!

Note: Space is LIMITED, so we encourage you to RSVP to this event. Your $5 RSVP will be matched by LA Ale Works, and these dollars will be directly donated to help fund student fellowships at CDLS at UCLA. While RSVPs are not REQUIRED to attend, we kindly ask that if you are planning to attend, you submit an RSVP so that we can increase our donation to this group, while also preparing accommodations for those in attendance and giving accurate head count to our staff. Thank you so much for your assistance with this in advance.

Schedule: Week 3 – August 11th, 2025

7:00PM – 8:00PM: Speakers (15-20 mins talk; 5-10 mins questions)
8:00PM – 8:30PM: Mingle, Chat, Network!

Speaker 1: Randy Flores
TOPIC: Teeth Tell Tales: The Physiology of Giant Sharks and Dinosaurs
DETAILS: Could T. Rex have stayed warm in freezing climates? Did Megalodon have an appetite so big that it contributed to its extinction? In this talk, we’ll discuss how studying the chemistry of fossilized teeth can help us answer questions like these and more. Through unraveling mysteries surrounding some of the most iconic creatures in Earth’s history, we will explore how investigating the physiology of long extinct animals can help us better understand the impact of environmental change on animals alive today.
RESEARCHER BIO: Randy Flores is a PhD student at UCLA who uses geochemical proxies to study the physiology of extinct animals.

Speaker 2: Danielle Hoague
TOPIC: Lead contamination in Watts and what’s being done about it
DETAILS: Lead contamination in Watts and what is being done about it? Well, it’s a complicated story! Watts has the largest concentration of public housing west of the Mississippi, and all four developments were built in the 1940s– before lead pipes were banned in the State of CA in 1985. Lead is a dangerous heavy metal and neurotoxin that causes severe damage to the central nervous system. Lead is especially dangerous for kids because they are more affected by small amounts of lead exposure that can build up their blood and skeletal systems.
RESEARCHER BIO: Dani Hoague is a sixth-year graduate student at UCLA, specializing in Environmental Justice. Her research and activism focus on reducing toxic lead exposure in drinking water in Watts, Los Angeles. Growing up in Altadena, CA, Dani experienced firsthand the impacts of environmental injustice due to toxic water contamination, fueling her commitment to addressing systemic inequities in underserved communities.
For Dani, the most crucial aspect of community-driven environmental justice is collective organizing and action. She believes diversity in STEM is essential for building trust and fostering meaningful relationships in minority communities, ensuring that people see advocates who reflect their lived experiences.
Beyond her academic and advocacy work, Dani finds healing and connection through crochet. She hosts “Crochet Corners” in Watts and Altadena, creating meditative spaces that honor ancestral healing practices for communities of color. As a third-generation Altadena/Pasadena “Dena” resident, she is deeply committed to the empowerment of her Black community. Dani aspires to continue her work in reducing toxic exposure in Watts and advocating for environmental justice in Los Angeles.

RSVP Link: https://www.laaleworks.com/shop/science-suds-week-3-august-11th-2025/