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
7
- $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
***************************************************2 attendees - $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
Your AI Lover: Reaching for Romance Across the Net
Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR, USEVENT DESCRIPTION:
Humans are inherently social, and for many, romantic love represents the pinnacle of emotional connection. Yet, not everyone finds a romantic partner or experiences the kind of connection they seek. Some may turn to AI for solutions.
From virtual companions to AI-driven therapists, artificial intelligence is already reshaping how we communicate, alleviate loneliness, and express desire. And as AI continues to evolve, it could become more than just a tool in our lives: it could become a romantic partner.
Dr. L. Kris Gowen will delve into the science of love, belonging, and happiness to explore whether AI mitigates loneliness or exacerbates it. Using what we already know about the intersections of emotional connection and technology, she will reflect on whether humans can truly fall in love with an AI, and can an AI reciprocate? What might a human-AI romance look like, and what could it mean for the future of intimate relationships?
L. Kris Gowen is a queer sexuality educator who has spoken nationally and internationally on the intersections of sex and technology. She has authored textbooks, teacher guides, and lesson plans to support inclusive school-based sexuality education, based in science and curiosity. When not thinking about sex and relationships, she lives and breathes all things karaoke.
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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
326
