Science On Tap: Curing Climate Change? Smoke, Haze, and Solar Intervention
There’s a lot more going on in the skies that’s affecting climate than just fossil fuel emissions increasing CO2! Particles in the atmosphere — like smoke from fires and pollution from engines and industrial activities — are affecting our climate. Yet, their influence on climate might surprise you – they actually act to cool the planet and “mask” some of the greenhouse gas warming. Research scientist Dr. Sarah Doherty will talk about how particles in the atmosphere are already affecting climate, how these influences are likely to change in the future, and whether these effects can be leveraged to rapidly reduce global warming to avoid many of the negative impacts of climate change.What are the ideas?What’s being done so far?Why are scientists considering these ideas? This talk will discuss the current climate trajectory, and why cutting emissions alone won’t be enough to keep global warming from exceeding the 1.5-2 C of warming that scientists have identified as “dangerous levels of climate change”. Dr. Sarah Doherty is a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Washington. Her interest in atmospheric science began with a year of work in Antarctica, where she was helping make measurements to better understand the ozone hole. Since getting her PhD, much of her research has involved making measurements of smoke and pollution in different parts of the world, including off the coasts of Africa, China, India, and the Arctic, and understanding how they affect climate. She has also been involved with multiple scientific assessments, including the U.S. National Climate Assessment and two international assessments of the state of the ozone layer. 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: Molds, Mushrooms, and Medicines: Our Lifelong Relationship with Fungi
The hidden role of fungi inside and all around us. From beneficial yeasts that aid digestion to toxic molds that cause disease, we are constantly navigating a world filled with fungi. Our health and well-being depend on an immense ecosystem of yeasts and molds inside and all around us. Come on a guided tour of a marvelously unseen realm, describing how our immune systems are engaged in continuous conversation with the teeming mycobiome inside the body, and how we can fall prey to serious and even life-threatening infections when this peaceful coexistence is disturbed. Our speaker also sheds light on our complicated relationship with fungi outside the body, from wild mushrooms and cultivated molds that have been staples of the human diet for millennia to the controversial experimentation with magic mushrooms in the treatment of depression. Drawing on the latest advances in mycology, Molds, Mushrooms, and Medicines reveals what scientists are learning about the importance of fungi to our lives, from their vital role in supporting the ecosystems on which we depend to their emerging uses in lifesaving medicine. Nicholas Money is a mycologist and professor at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Get 15% off the book and your ticket when you buy them together! (see ticket options on the Get Tickets link) Tickets:$46.70 Book + Ticket (15% off each!)$35.00 VIP: Premium seating in the front several rows of the center section$25.00 GENERAL ADMISSION$15.00 DISCOUNT (senior, student, it’s your birthday, just can’t afford the GA price right now) Minors ok when accompanied by a parent or guardianReview our venue FAQ here
Science On Tap – DIFFERENT: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist
How different are men and women? Are differences due to biological sex or to culture? How do they compare with what is known about our fellow primates? Do apes also culturally learn their sex roles or is “gender” uniquely human? In Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist, world-renowned primatologist Frans de Waal draws on decades of observation and studies of both human and animal behavior to argue that despite the linkage between gender and biological sex, biology does not automatically support the traditional gender roles that exist in human societies. It certainly doesn’t justify the gender inequalities in those societies. Frans de Waal, author of Mama’s Last Hug, is C. H. Candler Professor Emeritus of Primate Behavior at Emory University and the former director of the Living Links Center at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center.Tickets:$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass, and good feelings for supporting the program$45.00 GA + BOOK: General seating plus a signed copy of the book at a 15% discount off retail price$35.00 VIP: Premium seating in the front several rows of the center section$25.00 GENERAL ADMISSION$15.00 STUDENT$15.00 ONLINE (tune into the live stream onlyReview our Health & Safety Policies HERE
Science On Tap – Making Memories: Using Neuroscience to Enhance Teaching and Learning
How does your brain learn best? As the field of neuroscience uncovers the neural mechanisms of perception and learning, can we begin to bring these findings into the classroom to help improve how students learn? Back by popular demand, this hilarious Science on Tap will discuss the brain’s learning networks, emotional connections and how the visual and motor pathways influence what we process. Join us as Dr. Mark Pitzer demonstrates of how each brain circuit can be recruited by instructors to improve teaching/learning in and out of the classroom and how neuroscience can make learning truly memorable. Mark Pitzer, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist at the University of Portland. For the last 25 years he has worked to better understand diseases of the brain. He has worked on techniques to improve the survival of newly transplanted brain cells as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease and, more recently, conducted experiments using a genetic technique to halt the production of toxic proteins in the brain as a potential treatment for Huntington’s disease. Currently, his lab is conducting experiments designed to identify the neural circuits and neurotransmitters that play a role in the personality changes that affect those who suffer from Huntington’s disease. 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 STUDENT$15.00 ONLINE (tune into the live stream only) COVID POLICY Vaccine cards required and checked at entry. Masks are recommended (and subject to be required following any County mandate changes). Review our Health & Safety Policies HERE
Science On Tap – The Sounds of Life: How Digital Technology Is Bringing Us Closer to the Worlds of Animals and Plants
Technology often distracts us from nature, but what if it could reconnect us instead? In The Sounds of Life political ecologist Karen Bakker shares fascinating and surprising stories of nonhuman sound, interweaving insights from technological innovation and traditional knowledge. We meet scientists using sound to protect and regenerate endangered species from the Great Barrier Reef to the Arctic and the Amazon. We discover the shocking impacts of noise pollution on both animals and plants. We learn how artificial intelligence can decode nonhuman sounds, and meet the researchers building dictionaries in East African Elephant and Sperm Whalish. Karen Bakker is a Professor at the University of British Columbia and, in 2022/23, Martina S. Horner Distinguished Visiting Professor and Fellow of the Harvard Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies. Her Smart Earth project explores the relationship between digital innovation and environmental sustainability, including research at the frontier of digital bioacoustics, featured in her new book The Sounds of Life. Tickets:$45.00 SUPPORTER: Premium seating, pint glass, and good feelings for supporting the program$35.00 VIP: Premium seating in the front rows of center section$25.00 GENERAL ADMISSION$15.00 STUDENT$15.00 ONLINE (tune into the live stream only) COVID POLICY Vaccine cards required and checked at entry. Masks are recommended (and subject to be required following any County mandate changes).Review our Health & Safety Policies HERE
Science On Tap – How’d They Film That? Behind-the-Scenes of Science Communication at OPB
This event will be IN PERSON at the Alberta Rose Theatre and also ONLINE ($15) Scientists often work for decades to unlock the mysteries of our world and make our lives better. But when you’re trying to explain that amazing work to a wider audience, you’re lucky to have about 10 minutes (unless you’re Science on Tap, of course). At this very special Science on Tap, a behind-the-scenes look at how the folks behind the new OPB show “All Science. No Fiction.” communicate science. How do they pull off all the different things they do on camera to try to get you as excited about science in the Pacific Northwest as they are? “All Science. No Fiction.“ uses whimsy, curiosity and fun to place a spotlight on PNW scientists and the work and they’re doing. These stories are about new marvels of technology, cutting edge solutions and inventions and grand ideas that pass the HCTC (Holy Crap That’s Cool!) test. Jes Burns and Brandon Swanson are the production team behind “All Science. No Fiction.” Jes is a science reporter and producer for OPB’s Science & Environment unit. Brandon is a videographer and editor, working on OPB shows like Oregon Field Guide. They’ve worked in some places, won some awards, and really dig scientists and making videos about their work. 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 STUDENT$15.00 ONLINE (tune into the live stream only) COVID POLICY Vaccine cards required and checked at entry. Masks are recommended (and subject to be required following any County mandate changes). Review our Health & Safety Policies HERE
CONSIDER THIS on Black Political Power in Oregon
Oregon Humanities presents an onstage conversation about on the state of Black political power in Oregon with Joy Alise Davis, executive director at Imagine Black; Keith Jenkins, director of Southern Oregon Black Leaders, Activists, & Community Coalition; and Marcus LeGrand, vice-chair of Bend-La Pine Schools. Journalist Bruce Poinsette will facilitate the conversation. 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. Conversation Starter tickets convey no special benefits beyond good feelings and our gratitude. No CostTo make sure as many people as possible who want to attend are able to, some tickets are 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. Click here to register for no-cost tickets to Consider This. About Our Guests Joy Alise Davis has consulted on urban planning, urban design, and racial equity projects with government bureaus in Oregon for over five years. She is the founder of the award-winning Design + Culture Lab, a research-driven, urban-social enterprise that works at the intersection between identity and place. Currently, she serves as the president and executive director of Imagine Black, where she works to help our Black community imagine the alternatives they deserve and build political participation to achieve those alternatives. Keith Jenkins was the deputy field director for We Count Oregon and is currently leading community outreach and political strategy for Southern Oregon Black Leaders, Activist, & Community Coalition (SOBLACC). Marcus LeGrand is the Afrocentric Program coordinator and a professor of business and human development at Central Oregon Community College. He serves on the board of Bend-La Pine Schools and volunteers for numerous organizations. He is a Navy veteran who fought in the Persian Gulf and the father of a daughter and son. Bruce Poinsette is a writer, educator, and community organizer whose work is primarily based in the Portland Metro Area. He hosts “The Blacktastic Adventure: A Virtual Exploration of Oregon’s Black Diaspora.” In addition to his professional writing work, Poinsette volunteers with Respond to Racism LO, a grassroots antiracism organization in his hometown of Lake Oswego. Review our Health & Safety Policies HERE
Consider This with Omar El Akkad
Ticket sales for this show have been suspended.This show is transitioning to an online event. More details will be announced very soon. Thanks for your patience and understanding.Oregon Humanities presents an onstage conversation with novelist and journalist Omar El Akkad, author of American War and What Strange Paradise. This program is part of Oregon Humanities’ series American Dreams, American Myths, American Hopes, and Akkad is a writer who has devoted considerable thought to all three. American War, his debut novel, takes place in a near-future nation riven by climate change and civil war, where shared ideals have given way to factional identities. His second novel, What Strange Paradise, explores the lives and desires of displaced people seeking safety. About Our Guest Omar El Akkad is an author and journalist. He was born in Egypt, grew up in Qatar, moved to Canada as a teenager and now lives in the United States. The start of his journalism career coincided with the start of the war on terror, and over the following decade he reported from Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and many other locations around the world. His work earned a National Newspaper Award for Investigative Journalism and the Goff Penny Award for young journalists.
Consider This with David F. Walker and Douglas Wolk
Oregon Humanities presents an onstage conversation with comic book writer and filmmaker David F. Walker, cocreator of Naomi and Bitter Root, and pop culture critic Douglas Wolk, author of All the Marvels. This program is part of Oregon Humanities’ series American Dreams, American Myths, American Hopes, and we’ll discuss how comic books, and especially superhero comics, have embodied the hopes and dreams of many Americans and become a national mythology in their own right. Writer Courtenay Hameister will moderate the program. General Admission: Price: $15 Conversation Starter: Price: $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. David F. Walker is an award-winning comic book writer, author, filmmaker, journalist, and educator. Walker is an adjunct professor at Portland State University. Douglas Wolk is a pop culture critic, teacher and writer, and the author of All of the Marvels, Reading Comics and 33 1/3: Live at the Apollo. Currently, he teaches at Portland State University and hosts the podcast Voice of Latveria. Courtenay Hameister is the former host and head writer for Live Wire Radio. Her debut book is Okay Fine Whatever. The Alberta Rose Theater will no longer be requiring masks for entry in alignment with the recent announcement from Oregon Governor Kate Brown.While face masks are no longer mandatory, our staff will continue to wear them and we highly encourage that you wear one as well. Mandatory COVID-19 vaccine requirements remain in place until Sunday, March 20th. Please bring your proof of a full course vaccination with a matching ID to this event. We will continue to monitor the CDC, state and local guidance to set our policies and some artists and events may have specific policies that ticket holders must adhere to. Please do not attend the show if you are feeling sick in any way. This information is provided so each patron can make a well-informed decision based on their own personal comfort level. These guidelines may change prior to performance. MORE INFORMATION HERE These policy changes will be in effect until further notice.
Consider This with Laura Kipnis
Oregon Humanities presents an onstage conversation with cultural critic and essayist Laura Kipnis, author of Love in the Time of Contagion, Unwanted Advances, and Against Love. This program is part of Oregon Humanities’ series American Dreams, American Myths, American Hopes and will explore love, marriage, capitalism, and sexual politics in the United States.General Admission: Price: $15 Conversation Starter: Price: $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. Laura Kipnis is a cultural critic, essayist, and former video artist whose work focuses on sexual politics, aesthetics, shame, emotion, acting out, moral messiness, and various other crevices of the American psyche. She is the author of seven books, including Love in the Time of Contagion: A Diagnosis (Pantheon, 2022). Kipnis has published essays and reviews in the New York Review of Books, the Guardian, Slate, the Atlantic, Harper’s, Playboy, the New York Times Magazine, the New York Times Book Review, Bookforum, and New Left Review. She is professor emerita in the department of radio/television/film at Northwestern University, and she has taught previously at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Michigan, NYU, Columbia University, University of British Columbia, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Kipnis has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Michigan Society of Fellows, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Yaddo. She has a BFA from San Francisco Art Institute and an MFA from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Kipnis’ books are available from Broadway Books and other independent bookstores.Review our Health & Safety Policies HERE
