Consider This with Manu Meel
Join Oregon Humanities for a conversation about political differences, young people, and the long-term health of our democracy with Manu Meel, CEO of BridgeUSA, a multi-partisan student movement working to bridge our differences and change how we talk about politics. Manu Meel is passionate about empowering young people to bridge divides. He believes that the biggest threat to American democracy is polarization. He hosts The Hopeful Majority, a weekly podcast, and contributes to several news outlets. Manu works on pro-democracy efforts nationally and advises political leaders on reducing polarization. In 2022, Manu was recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree for leading BridgeUSA. This event is part of The People and the Public, Oregon Humanities’ 2024–25 Consider This series. 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 – The Story Collider: Stories About Science
From heart-breaking to hilarious, The Story Collider show is a live storytelling event featuring stories from people from all walks of life about how science has affected their lives. Whether you wear a lab coat or haven’t seen a test tube since grade school, science is shaping all our lives. Every year, The Story Collider hosts live shows – in person and online – around the world with all kinds of storytellers: researchers, doctors, and engineers, of course, but also patients, poets, comedians, and more. Our team’s favorite stories from those shows land on our weekly podcast. They’re all true and all very personal. Science on Tap OR WA is excited to be partnering with them for an evening of true, personal stories about science. 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 (front center rows)$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass (beer not included), and good feelings for supporting the program Science on Tap is an event series based in Portland, OR, 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! Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Review our venue FAQ here
Science On Tap – Summer of the Sharks: Studying Ocean Predators
The word “shark” has historically conjured images of a mindless, man-eating machine. Yet there are over 500 shark species of all shapes and sizes, consuming everything from seagrass to marine mammals. All are critical to our oceans, and their presence usually indicates that an ecosystem is healthy. However, in order to reverse their decline, we need to know more about them. How do sharks behave?What is their population size?How old do they get?How many young do they have? Getting answers is a huge challenge – how do you study something that is out of sight and sometimes larger than your own boats? Oregon’s waters are home to 15 shark species, but a dedicated research program was only recently established for these animals – the Big Fish Lab at Oregon State University. At this Science on Tap, learn about their innovative research methods, from animal-borne cameras and “FitBits” to satellite tracking to drone footage, as well as why this information is critical to conservation. Some of their scientists have been featured on Shark Week, BBC and National Geographic, so come prepared with all of your questions about sharks, shark science, and sharks in the public eye! Dr. Alexandra (Alex) McInturf (she/her) is a research associate in the Big Fish Lab (BFL) at Oregon State University. Her research focuses on the social lives of sharks and tracking the movements and assessing the diets of many species. She completed her PhD in Animal Behavior at the University of California, Davis in 2021. She has been with the Big Fish Lab since then, where she conducts her research, mentors the BFL’s many undergraduate and graduate students, and leads community engagement efforts. 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 (front center rows)$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass (beer not included), and good feelings for supporting the programMinors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian.Review our Health & Safety Policies HERE
Science On Tap: Evolution Under the Influence
Evolution Under the Influence: Alcohol and the Coevolution of Humans and YeastHave you ever sat down at a bar, ordered a beer, and thought to yourself, “Why do humans even have so many specific genes for breaking down alcohol?” This is what happens when a guy with a PhD in Molecular and Medical Genetics from OHSU starts making booze professionally. The answer, as it turns out, takes you a long way back in human history; our relationship with yeast (the organism that makes alcohol), predates human evolution. At this Science on Tap, Dr. Kevin McCabe, Winemaker, Enologist, and Beekeeper at Double Strand Wine, will take you through the history of primate alcohol consumption, the importance of yeast and alcoholic fermentation to human history, and how early microbiology turned the tables on yeast and gave humans control over our boozy destiny. 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 Health & Safety Policies HERE
WorldOregon’s International Speaker Series – Masih Alinejad: The Wind in My Hair – The Fight for Women, Life, Freedom in Iran
With this event, WorldOregon’s 2023 International Speaker Series concludes it spotlight on bold voices addressing human rights, political and cultural polarization, and movements toward a more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous future. Named one of Time Magazine’s 2023 Women of the Year, Masih Alinejad is an Iranian-American journalist and women’s rights activist in-exile who is one of the most prominent and vocal opposition figures challenging the Islamic Republic of Iran—and has been an inspirational global leader for the Women, Life, Freedom movement..ABOUT THE SPEAKERMasih Alinejad is an Iranian-American journalist and women’s rights activist who gained worldwide attention when she removed her veil, or hijab, and posted a photo on her Facebook page standing proudly with her hair blowing in the wind. From that, My Stealthy Freedom was born—her viral social media campaign against compulsory hijab that became the biggest civil disobedience movement in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Today, it has almost 11 million followers.Described by The New York Times as “The woman whose hair frightens Iran,” Alinejad wrote the widely acclaimed, bestselling memoir, The Wind in My Hair, sharing her extraordinary story about living in exile, leaving her country, challenging tradition and sparking change. An inspiring account about political activism, family, heritage, overcoming adversity and more, Alinejad offers a compelling and shocking look at the realities of the world we live in.Her commitment to human rights has won her the UN Watch’s International Women’s Rights Award, the AIB Media Excellence Award, the Swiss Freethinker Association’s Freethinker Prize, and the American Jewish Committee’s Moral Courage Award among other honors. Alinejad currently lives in exile in New York City.For full biography click here. About the SeriesWorldOregon’s International Speaker Series is one of the nation’s premier platforms for international affairs. For more than two decades, the series has put you in the room with the global leaders, visionaries, and inspiring voices that are changing our world. Now in its 23rd year, the International Speaker Series continues its tradition of presenting a broad spectrum of the people, big ideas, and issues framing our role on the world stage. About WorldOregonWorldOregon was founded in 1950 with the mission to broaden and deepen public awareness and understanding of international affairs, engaging Oregonians with the world—and with each other. WorldOregon programs keep Oregonians connected to the people, places, and ideas that are shaping our shared global future. Tickets$45 General Admission$35 WorldOregon Members$20 Students/Veterans Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Review our Health & Safety Policies HERE
WorldOregon’s International Speaker Series presents Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch: Lessons from the Edge
Marie Yovanovitch, the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, became a household name in 2019 when she was abruptly ousted by then-President Trump and subsequently called to testify at the former president’s first impeachment trial. Having been born into a family that survived Soviet and Nazi terror, Yovanovitch was raised with a keen sense of just how precious and fragile democracy can be. Her bold decision to speak truth to power resulted in powerful testimony that elevated her as a courageous and dignified voice of truth and defender of democracy at home and abroad. Join WorldOregon for a rich, candid conversation on Ambassador Yovanovitch’s insights and reflections on democracy, a lifetime of public service, getting “our house in order” as a world leader, and —just recently back from Ukraine—why she remains optimistic about the Ukrainians’ continued fight for freedom from Russian aggression.Marie Yovanovitch served as U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan, in addition to other senior government positions during her 33-year diplomatic career. She retired from the State Department in 2020 and is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a non-resident fellow at Georgetown University. She has received multiple awards, including the Presidential Distinguished Service Award (twice), the Secretary’s Diplomacy for Freedom Award, the Trainor Award for Excellence in the Conduct of Diplomacy, and the PEN/Benenson Courage Award.About the SeriesWorldOregon’s International Speaker Series is one of the nation’s premier platforms for international affairs. For more than two decades, the series has put you in the room with the global leaders, visionaries, and inspiring voices that are changing our world. Now in its 23rd year, the International Speaker Series continues its tradition of presenting a broad spectrum of the people, big ideas, and issues framing our role on the world stage. About WorldOregonWorldOregon was founded in 1950 with the mission to broaden and deepen public awareness and understanding of international affairs, engaging Oregonians with the world—and with each other. WorldOregon programs keep Oregonians connected to the people, places, and ideas that are shaping our shared global future. Tickets$45 General Admission$35 WorldOregon Members$20 Students/Veterans Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Review our Health & Safety Policies HERE
Science On Tap – Seeing the Big Picture: How the Brain Manipulates our Visual World
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.We’re excited to welcome Mark Pitzer back to Science on Tap! (Remember that great Making Memories show??)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. Tickets:$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass, and good feelings for supporting the program$35.00 VIP: Premium seating in the front several rows of the center section$25.00 GENERAL ADMISSION$15.00 STUDENTReview our Health & Safety Policies HERE
Science On Tap – Kombucha SCOBY: A (mostly) Happily-Ever-After Story of Microbial Cooperation
Kombucha has gone from a weird home-brewed beverage only consumed by health-obsessed hippies (and everyone in Portland, of course) to a popular non-alcoholic alternative to soda. At the heart of this story is the perception of kombucha as healthy, and the relative simplicity of carrying out a kombucha fermentation – make some sweet tea, throw in the “SCOBY” and when it starts to smell vinegary, taste it to see if it’s done. What can go wrong? As it turns out, the simplicity of the fermentation system relies upon a complex mixture of microbes each needing to do their part. That slimy chunk of cellulose that floats on top of an active kombucha ferment, known as “the SCOBY”, contains bacteria and yeast working together, hence the acronym (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). The yeast in the SCOBY turns sugar in the sweet tea into alcohol, and the bacteria turn that alcohol into the acid that gives the vinegary flavor. Sometimes these processes are not fully synced-up and kombucha may end up tasting a bit too funky, or may not meet the requirements of a non-alcoholic beverage. At this Science on Tap, Dr. Chris Curtin will describe his laboratory’s quest to work out which yeast and bacteria are most commonly found in SCOBY and how they cooperate to deliver tasty, non-alcoholic kombucha. He will also discuss the sometimes controversial topic of whether kombucha is a probiotic beverage.Dr. Chris Curtin is an associate professor of fermentation microbiology at Oregon State University, chairs the Microbiology committee of the American Society for Brewing Chemists, and serves as associate editor for the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. His lab focuses on the role of microbes in beverage fermentation and food stability…and enjoying the consumption of those products! Tickets:$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass, and good feelings for supporting the program$35.00 VIP: Premium seating in the front several rows of the center section$25.00 GENERAL ADMISSION$15.00 STUDENTReview our Health & Safety Policies HERE
Science On Tap – Amazing Adaptations: How Birds Cope with Hardship
Most of us humans are able to retreat to the safety of a building or a well-stocked pantry to wait out storms, smoke, or heat waves…but what do all the birds do? Do they also seek shelter? Do they leave? How long can they wait before they must go try to find food? Such decisions can literally mean life or death.Some amazing adaptations help them decide what to do. For example, information from nearby neighbors can change their brains and how they process stress…and can even affect how large their intestines are! These strategies help them to cope with times of unpredictable food and highlight how important social interactions are for birds.Dr. Jamie Cornelius and her lab study behavioral and physiological strategies that birds use to cope with unpredictable change. In other words, why do some birds survive better than others when the going gets tough? She’ll describe field and lab experiments that help us understand their needs and what strategies might help them to cope with global change. While many talks centered on climate change can fill you with doom and gloom, this one just might give you reason to hope that mother nature has some tricks up her sleeve. 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 (front center rows)$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass (beer not included), and good feelings for supporting the programDr. Jamie Cornelius is an assistant professor at Oregon State University in the Department of Integrative Biology. She earned a B.S. in Zoology at the University of Washington and a PhD in Animal Behavior at UC Davis. She spent several years as a post-doctoral scholar at the Max Planck Institute of Ornithology in Germany and as a Fulbright fellow at St. Petersburg State University in Russia. Hard work and good luck have brought her back to the Pacific Northwest – and to Vancouver, where she first started her science career at Columbia River High School nearly 30 years ago! Review our Health & Safety Policies HERE
Science On Tap – Within Reach: The Fight to Finish Cancer
Within Reach takes you behind the scenes of an immunotherapy clinical trial at Providence Cancer Institute, where doctors and scientists race against the clock to develop gene-engineered T cells for patients who have exhausted all other forms of treatment. Watch as researchers make international headlines for a breakthrough in pancreatic cancer and meet the patients who are the first in the world to receive this type of innovative immunotherapy. A panel discussion with Providence researchers will follow the 45-minute documentary. Panel members TBA. 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 (front center rows)$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass (beer not included), and good feelings for supporting the programMinors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardian.Review our Health & Safety Policies HERE
