What we’re about
Science on Tap is a science lecture series where you can sit back, enjoy a pint, and laugh while you learn. Listen to experts talk about the science in your neighborhood and around the world. You don’t have to be a science geek to have fun—all you need is a thirst for knowledge!
Upcoming events
4
- $25.00
AI in Education (and Beyond)
Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main Street, Vancouver, WA, USEVENT DESCRIPTION:
How is artificial intelligence reshaping education – and our lives?
From a quick tour of where the technology came from, to what it actually takes to make AI useful (and accessible) in real classrooms, we’ll explore both the promise and the pitfalls. Expect a balanced, engaging look at practical opportunities, real concerns, and the ethical questions that will define the future of learning in an AI-infused world.
Join Steven Bedrick (nerd and badass researcher) and Jackie Wirz (nerd and tech ED) for a lively, approachable Science on Tap conversation.
Jackie Wirz, PhD, (WIS Advisory Board Member!) is a biochemist by training, a nonprofit executive by profession, and a teller of stories. She is a data management specialist, academic administrator, and as a nonprofit executive. In her spare time she is the MC (mistress of ceremonies) for a variety of events including Science on Tap!
Dr. Steven Bedrick is an Associate Professor at OHSU where his research focuses on the intersection of natural language processing and healthcare. He is also interested in the societal and ethical implications that arise from speech and language technology
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COST:
$15.00 DISCOUNT (senior, student, it's your birthday, just can't afford the GA price right now)
$25.00 GENERAL ADMISSION
$35.00 VIP Premium seating (front center rows)
$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass (beer not included), and good feelings for supporting the program
TICKETS: Get tickets!
WHERE ARE MY PEEPS?
This is an unhosted meetup event, but we have a Meetup sign if anyone wants to volunteer to mark a row or two!
IN-PERSON ONLY
We are no longer able to offer a live stream option for our live events. A recording may be available after the event on our Patreon (or sometimes also our YouTube channel) at the speaker's discretion.
Visit the Science On Tap website
***************************************************4 attendees - $25.00
Exploring Earth Songs with The Volcano Listening Project
Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR, USEVENT DESCRIPTION:
Volcanic eruptions can perturb global climate, build mountains, and reshape human civilizations. They can be deadly, but the deep roots of volcanoes also provide a foundry for critical minerals that enable modern society. In these ways and others, volcanoes have inspired scientists and artists alike for thousands of years.
The Volcano Listening Project explores connections between scientific research and artistic perspectives of volcanoes, developing tools to represent data through sound that draw equally from data science, volcanology, and new music.
Data ‘sonification’, the display of data using sound, is a powerful way to interact with and understand the complex signals recorded at volcanoes. By leveraging our ears as scientific sensors, it is possible to detect patterns and subtle signatures of deep, poorly understood, volcanic processes. In equal part, sonification of data can trigger an emotional response, and thus lead to compelling music.
This program will showcase the Earth songs of volcano music and explain the science behind it, led by volcanologist and violinist Leif Karlstrom. Joining Leif is an ensemble of internationally recognized musicians:
- Todd Sickafoose (Grammy award-winning composer and bass player for Ani DiFranco),
- Idit Shner (University of Oregon saxophone professor),
- Adam Roskiewicz (Grammy nominated with The Modern Mandolin Quartet, as well as work with the Ger Mandolin Orchestra and bluegrass band Front Country), and
- Johnny Rodgers (tuned glass virtuoso).
Leif Karlstrom is an associate professor of Earth Sciences at U of O. He currently co-leads the Federal Advisory Committee to the U.S. Geological Survey National Volcano Early Warning System, and is also a violinist and composer, with recent national touring and recording credits including folk/bluegrass ensembles Front Country, The Lowest Pair, and Hot Buttered Rum.
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COST:
$15.00 DISCOUNT (senior, student, it's your birthday, just can't afford the GA price right now)
$25.00 GENERAL ADMISSION
$35.00 VIP Premium seating (front center rows)
$45.00 SUPPORTER (Premium seating, pint glass (beer not included), and good feelings for supporting the program)
TICKETS: Get tickets!
WHERE ARE MY PEEPS?
This is an unhosted meetup event, but we have a Meetup sign if anyone wants to volunteer to mark a row or two!
IN-PERSON ONLY
We are no longer able to offer a live stream option for our live events. A recording may be available after the event on our Patreon (or sometimes also our YouTube channel) at the speaker's discretion.
Visit the Science On Tap website
***************************************************1 attendee - $25.00
Seeing the Big Picture: How the Brain Manipulates our Visual World
Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main Street, Vancouver, WA, USEVENT DESCRIPTION:
When we open our eyes, are we perceiving reality? Why do we fail to agree on the color of “The Dress” (that went viral in 2015)? Have you ever glanced at ticking clock and noticed the second-hand suddenly freeze for a split second?
Neuroscience research suggests that the brain evolved to make rapid, best-guesses about the objects in our environment, rather than create a one-to-one representation of the world. Through stories and demonstrations, Dr. Mark Pitzer will discuss some of the effects of this strategy and how our visual system can highlight some objects, delete others, and alter our conscious awareness in an attempt to help us navigate our visual world.
Mark Pitzer, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist at the University of Portland. For the last 25 years he has worked to better understand and treat diseases of the brain, including Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. Currently, his lab studies how developmental influences in the womb can alter the number of dopaminergic neurons involved in movement and reward. Mark is also an award-winning teacher that uses the findings from the fields of learning and neuroscience to invoke enduring enthusiasm, curiosity and deep learning in his college students.
(This is a repeat of a popular 2023 show, with some updates.)
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COST:
$15.00 DISCOUNT (senior, student, it's your birthday, just can't afford the GA price right now)
$25.00 GENERAL ADMISSION
$35.00 VIP Premium seating (front center rows)
$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass (beer not included), and good feelings for supporting the program
TICKETS: Get tickets!
WHERE ARE MY PEEPS?
This is an unhosted meetup event, but we have a Meetup sign if anyone wants to volunteer to mark a row or two!
IN-PERSON ONLY
We are no longer able to offer a live stream option for our live events. A recording may be available after the event on our Patreon (or sometimes also our YouTube channel) at the speaker's discretion.
Visit the Science On Tap website
***************************************************1 attendee - $25.00
Garden to Gut: The Original Farm-to-Table
Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main Street, Vancouver, WA, USEVENT DESCRIPTION:
If the farm-to-table movement has taught us anything, it is that knowing where your food comes from can make a difference in the local community (and comes with delicious flavor!). Your microbiome–as local a community as you can get!–would also benefit from such care and attention.
How do your immune cells get their intel?
Who digests your food?
Who gave your food nutrients in the first place?
Food crops not only make their own phytochemical menu that add flavor to our lives, ward off caterpillars, etc, but plants, themselves, have their very own microbiome! From mycorrhizal connections, endophytic fungi, and nodule-forming nitrogen-fixing rhizobia, the interdependent nature of nature is an inspiration.
Come for a good “gut feeling” about your microbiome, stay to hear what soil and planetary health can offer. From microorganisms to macro-nutrients, from the garden to our guts, from the latest scientific discoveries to our beliefs, we will ask the question: what is possible by cultivating diverse communities?
Dr. Adrienne Godschalx teaches Microbiology at Lower Columbia College to aspiring nurses.
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COST:
$15.00 DISCOUNT (senior, student, it's your birthday, just can't afford the GA price right now)
$25.00 GENERAL ADMISSION
$35.00 VIP Premium seating (front center rows)
$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass (beer not included), and good feelings for supporting the program
TICKETS: Get tickets!
WHERE ARE MY PEEPS?
This is an unhosted meetup event, but we have a Meetup sign if anyone wants to volunteer to mark a row or two!
IN-PERSON ONLY
We are no longer able to offer a live stream option for our live events. A recording may be available after the event on our Patreon (or sometimes also our YouTube channel) at the speaker's discretion.
Visit the Science On Tap website
***************************************************1 attendee
Past events
325
