Consider This: The Stories We Tell About Our Nations with Colum McCann
Join Oregon Humanities for a conversation with Colum McCann, the author of thirteen books and cofounder of Narrative 4. In conversation with Adam Davis and a Narrative 4 Fellow, McCann will explore the stories we tell about our nations. Colum McCann is the author of eight novels, three collections of stories, and two works of nonfiction. Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, he has received many international honors, including the U.S National Book Award, the International Dublin Literary Prize, a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the French government, election to the Irish arts academy, several European awards, the 2010 Best Foreign Novel Award in China, and an Oscar nomination. He is the president and cofounder of Narrative 4, a nonprofit organization that uses personal storytelling to build empathy between young people. He lives in New York with his wife, Allison, and their family. This event is part of Oregon Humanities’ 2025–26 Consider This series, Beyond 250. 2026 will be the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and we’re looking at what this milestone means: How do we think about and experience equality, freedom, independence, tyranny, justice, union, and other ideas central to the Declaration and to our nation’s understanding of itself? How has the Declaration shaped the country we live in today, and how might we shape its future? General Admission: Price: $15 plus fees Pay it Forward: Price: $30 plus fees (Get one general admission ticket and cover the cost of a free ticket for someone else) No CostTo make sure as many people as possible who want to attend are able to, we make a portion of tickets available at no cost. (More information below) If you’re able to pay for a ticket, we ask that you do so to help keep this program accessible to all. Please click the link below to register for no-cost tickets. Click here to register for no-cost tickets to Consider This. All Ages Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS
Consider This with Rukaiyah Adams
Join Oregon Humanities for an onstage conversation with Rukaiyah Adams, president and CEO of the 1803 Fund. As the leader of this ambitious new foundation, which seeks to rebuild Portland’s Albina neighborhood and advance the wealth and wellbeing of Black Portland, Adams requires a lot of trust: both trust from supporters that she will responsibly oversee a major investment in urban infrastructure, and trust from the community that her efforts to reshape a central part of the city will benefit the public. As former chief investment officer at Meyer Memorial trust, Adams also oversaw a different kind of trust, managing approximately $1 billion in assets for one of the state’s largest charitable foundations. Since January 2023, Rukaiyah Adams has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the 1803 Fund, an innovative organization dedicated to growing shared prosperity. She brings a powerful blend of experience to her leadership role: the lived perspective of growing up in subsidized housing, the legal clarity gained from immersing herself in housing and urban development, and the sharp acumen of an investor who understands the transformative power of real assets in building community prosperity. This event is part of Oregon Humanities’ 2025–26 Consider This series, What Do We Trust? General Admission: Price: $15 plus fees Pay it Forward: Price: $30 plus fees (Get one general admission ticket and cover the cost of a free ticket for someone else) No CostTo make sure as many people as possible who want to attend are able to, we make a portion of tickets available at no cost. (More information below) If you’re able to pay for a ticket, we ask that you do so to help keep this program accessible to all. Please click the link below to register for no-cost tickets. Click here to register for no-cost tickets to Consider This. Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS If your billing address is located outside a 250 mile radius of Portland, you will need to purchase tickets either in person or by phone by calling (503) 764-4131, or our office at (503) 719-6055. Thank You!
Science On Tap – Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy
Join us for an interview (now a full-on tradition) with the friend-of-Science-on-Tap Mary Roach about her latest book! The body is the most complex machine in the world, and the only one for which you cannot get a replacement part from the manufacturer. For centuries, medicine has reached for what’s available—sculpting noses from brass, borrowing skin from frogs and hearts from pigs, crafting eye parts from jet canopies, and breasts from petroleum by-products. In Replaceable You, Mary Roach sets sail on the uncharted waters of regenerative medicine, exploring the remarkable advances and difficult questions prompted by the human body’s failings. When and how does a person decide they’d be better off with a prosthetic than their existing limb? Is there a sensitive way to harvest tissue and bones from the deceased? Which animals might be the best organ donors? Through interviews with patients, physicians, pathologists, engineers, and scientists, Roach immerses readers in the wondrous, improbable, and surreal quest to build a new you. Mary Roach is the author of the New York Times bestsellers STIFF, SPOOK, BONK, GULP, GRUNT, and PACKING FOR MARS. Mary has written for National Geographic, Wired, and The New York Times Magazine, among others, and her TED talk made the TED 20 Most Watched list. She has been a guest editor for Best American Science and Nature Writing and a finalist for the Royal Society’s Winton Prize. Get 15% OFF both ticket and book by selecting the combo option at the ticket page. Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.
Science On Tap – The Relationship Anarchist: Deepening Connections with Friends, Lovers, and Others
Many people’s life choices are shaped by high-stakes societal pressures to find “the one” and make them an emotional and financial partner, our lifeboat, our everything. Meanwhile, feelings of loneliness are at an all-time high and increases in cost of living and political divisions threaten too many of our safety and survival. What if we built a resilient constellation of loving relationships—which may or may not include a monogamous romantic partnership? Sexuality and relationship educators Drs. L. Kris Gowen and Lauren Lichty challenge cultural norms around how we “do relationships”—platonic, sexual, romantic, and others—by bringing together the principles of relationship anarchy, trauma-informed approaches, mutual aid, and healthy relationship practices. Beyond the binary of monogamy and polyamory, they invite you to take a queer, feminist approach to all the close relationships and friendships in your life and build true communities of care. Get 15% off BOTH the book and ticket by selecting the Combo at checkout! Dr. 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. Dr. Lauren F. Lichty (they/them) is a queer activist-educator who supports college students at the U of Washington learning about gender, sexuality, healthy relationships, and building strong, just communities. She writes and speaks nationally and internationally about social justice teaching, participatory action research, cis heteronormativity, and ending gender-based violence. Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS. If your billing address is located outside a 250 mile radius of Portland, you will need to purchase tickets either in person or by phone by calling (503) 764-4131, or our office at (503) 719-6055. Thank You!
Science On Tap: Doctors By Nature: How Ants, Apes, & Other Animals Heal Themselves
The astonishing story of how animals use medicine and what it can teach us about healing ourselves. Ages before the dawn of modern medicine, wild animals were harnessing the power of nature’s pharmacy to heal themselves. Animals of all kinds—from ants to apes, from bees to bears, and from cats to caterpillars—use various forms of medicine to treat their own ailments and those of their relatives. Meet apes that swallow leaves to dislodge worms, sparrows that use cigarette butts to repel parasites, and bees that incorporate sticky resin into their hives to combat pathogens. De Roode asks whether these astonishing behaviors are learned or innate and explains why, now more than ever, we need to apply the lessons from medicating animals—it can pave the way for healthier livestock, more sustainable habitats for wild pollinators, and a host of other benefits. Doctors by Nature explores how scientists are turning to the medical knowledge of the animal kingdom to improve agriculture, create better lives for our pets, and develop new pharmaceutical drugs. Jaap de Roode received his MSc in Population Biology from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and his PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He is interested in the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases, and currently studies infectious diseases of monarch butterflies, honey bees and humans. Get 15% OFF the ticket AND book by selecting the Book/Ticket Combo option at checkout. Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian Review our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS
Science On Tap: The Undammed Klamath – Tribal Knowledge of Water Resources
The summer of 2024 marked the largest dam removal in world history. Four dams were removed from the Klamath River, which runs through Oregon and California. Dam removal was caused in large part by the push from tribes local to the area. Come have a discussion with Civil Water Resource/ Restoration Engineer Brook M Thompson from the Yurok and Karuk Tribes, who has been involved in dam removal advocacy since she was seven years old. She’ll cover: How does one remove a dam? And what was so bad about the dam anyway? How traditional ecological knowledge can benefit successful restoration efforts? What can we expect now the dams are removed? What is next for bringing back the salmon population? Why are interdisciplinary fields required for successful restoration projects? What research is currently being conducted on the Klamath River post-dam removal? How you can build a connection with the local native community and support local restoration efforts. Brook M Thompson is from the Yurok & Karuk tribes of California and grew up on her ancestral river, the Klamath. The deaths there of tens of thousands of salmon encouraged her to become a water rights activist and a water resource/restoration engineer. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies at UC Santa Cruz, researching Klamath salmon, restoration cooperation with tribes, and water policy. She has an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Stanford and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from PSU. $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 in the front several rows of the center section$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass (beer not included), and good feelings for supporting the programMinors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardianReview our venue FAQ here
Consider This with Ben Rhodes
Join Oregon Humanities for a conversation about geopolitics, American power, and public service with Ben Rhodes, a former advisor to President Barack Obama on national security and diplomacy and host of the Pod Save the World podcast. How much should the general public know or understand about global affairs and foreign policy? How do the US government’s actions on the world stage respond to public interest? How do people who work on those policies respond when their understanding of the public interest differs from the majority of public opinion? Ben Rhodes is a writer, political commentator, and national security analyst. He is the author of After the Fall: The Rise of Authoritarianism in the World We’ve Made and The World As It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House. From 2009–17, he served as a speechwriter and Deputy National Security Advisor to President Obama. Rhodes is currently cohost of the podcast Pod Save the World; a contributor for MSNBC; and chair of National Security Action. General AdmissionPrice: $15 Conversation StarterPrice: $30 Ticket sales do not cover the full cost of presenting Consider This events. When you buy a Conversation Starter ticket, you help us keep ticket prices low for everyone. Oregon Humanities uses income from Consider This ticket sales to pay for venue rental and honoraria for our guests. Conversation Starter tickets convey no special benefits beyond good feelings and our gratitude. No Cost To make sure as many people as possible who want to attend are able to, we make a portion of tickets available at no cost. (More information below) If you’re able to pay for a ticket, we ask that you do so to help keep this program accessible to all. Please click the link below to register for no-cost tickets. Click here to register for no-cost tickets to Consider This. Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian Review our venue FAQ here
Science On Tap – Storm Chasing in the PNW: Wet Cameras & Mist Opportunities
Extreme conditions are rare in the Pacific Northwest, but when the forecast hints at chaos, a small but dedicated group of storm chasers and weather geeks across the northwest spring into action, ready to capture the extraordinary. Join us as we explore the most extreme weather that the Pacific Northwest has to offer through the lens of meteorologist and storm chaser Garret Hartung, including strong southerly windstorms, atmospheric rivers, cold core tornadoes, thunderstorms, floods, heavy snow, freezing rain, and extreme east wind events. What makes these events unique to the PNW? Why do we often miss out on some of the more extreme weather events seen elsewhere in the US? What makes storm chasing here so particularly difficult? Garret Hartung is a Senior Meteorologist at Portland General Electric with more than five years of experience forecasting weather in the PNW. An avid storm chaser since 2016, he has pursued and documented extreme weather and other natural phenomena across much of the Central and Western US. He is also a proud graduate of OSU where he earned a B.S. in Earth Sciences with a focus on climate science and meteorology. Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardianReview our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.
Science On Tap: Confirmation Bias in Science: Disastrous Yet Essential
Humans unconsciously filter experience based on what they already believe (called confirmation bias). Seeing is not believing – rather, believing is seeing. Despite specific scientific methods to address this bias, it continues to confuse and confound science, leading to errors, mistakes, and failures – many on a monumental scale. Confirmation bias begins the moment a person has a belief, regardless of its origin or truth, even if the belief is harmful to the person who has it. (Remember Prosper-René Blondlot and the great fiasco of N-Rays?) Why would we evolve such a seemingly maladaptive trait? Surprisingly, despite the damage, without confirmation bias, forward progress in science would stop. It’s even essential to human thinking. In this Science on Tap, Dr. James C. Zimring will explore how and why confirmation bias both drives science forward and can also drive it off a cliff. He’ll explore the questions: How do we harness the remarkable advantages of confirmation bias? How does promoting diversity maximize those advantages? James C. Zimring MD, PhD holds the Thomas W. Tillack chair in experimental pathology at the U of Virginia. For the last 20 years, Dr. Zimring has been highly involved in teaching the “science about science” at the graduate and undergraduate levels, as well as a course on scientific thinking for high school. Dr. Zimring has published two books on the topic: What Science is and How it Really Works (Cambridge University Press) and Partial Truths (Columbia University Press). Tickets:$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 in the front several rows of the center section$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass (beer not included), and good feelings for supporting the programMinors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardianReview our venue FAQ here
Science on Tap: Your AI Lover – Reaching for Romance Across the Net
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. Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardianReview our venue FAQ here ALL SALES ARE FINAL. PLEASE, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE PURCHASING. NO REFUNDS.