Cafe Sci Orlando announcements for 2013-10: Brain on a Chip; Weather

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contents:

• "Brain on a Chip" at Taste
  
• "Weather" at Downtown Orlando Library
  
• ICal feed of Cafe events

This month we will have fascinating discussions at our Cafe Sci at 7PM on Wednesday 2 October, at Taste, in College Park; and at the Cafe Sci for kids at 6PM on Tuesday 8 October, at the downtown Orlando Public Library.

Brain on a Chip

Advances in cell culture technology have enabled researchers to grow neural material outside of the brain. This neural material can be shaped into neural networks through chemical patterning techniques, networks which can be grown on electrode grids called Micro Electrode Arrays. These networks can then be used as drug testing beds and as research tools to explore plasticity with a high degree of finesse and granularity. The techniques provide important opportunities to move away from the practical and moral challenges associated with human and animal models in neuroscience research.

Max Jackson is a masters student in BioTechnology at the University of Central Florida where he focuses his research on neural-machine interfacing. He is President of the UCF Synthetic Biology Club, and the Graduate President of the Central Florida Society for Neuroscience. Prior to graduate school, Max worked for a mobile-learning application development company. He enjoys reading the classics and philosophy literature in his free time.

Taste

717 W. Smith Street

32804

Taste is near the corner of Princeton Street (really Smith Street east of the fork) and Edgewater Drive. One can park on the street or in the parking lot behind Taste. Please park across the street in parking for Downtown Credo first, then around Taste.

Weather

William Ulrich is an expert on weather. Meteorologists everywhere try to understand and predict what the near future of weather, but not so many of them work for the National Weather Service and live and work in Florida, where hurricanes pummel coasts and lightning strikes each square kilometer about four times a year.

Join William Ulrich of the NWS in Melbourne as he explores different weather phenomena including, hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires, that have helped shape Florida through the years.

Orlando Public Library, first floor

101 E Central Blvd

32801

Parking is free on the street starting at 6PM, and there's a parking garage across from the library on Central.  Lymmo busses are free and can bring you from farther away and stop at the Library.

ICal feed

Let technology make your life simpler, for once.  While it may not replace these email announcements completely, you can have Cafe Sci events automatically appear in your phone's schedule.

For Android or Google Calendar users, copy  http://cafesciorl.com/schedule.ics , and log in to your account at https://www.google.com/calendar .  Next to Other Calendars, click the arrow and "Add by URL". Paste. Okay.

For IOS users, on your device go to Settings / Calendars. Add Account, Other, Add Subscribed Calendar, and put   http://cafesciorl.com/schedule.ics  in Server field. Next, describe, Finish.

[cafesciorl-annc]

Weather topic cancelled

During the federal government's shutdown, it is illegal for government employees to work in their normal positions, even if they're volunteering. Our National Weather Service employee can not speak tomorrow, Tuesday the 8th, and so that Cafe Sci event is cancelled.

Missing a Cafe Sci is not too bad. Think of the years-long science experiments that are going to waste, too.  Trials that need maintenance once a week or less are failing, making results unreliable.  We could be losing a cure for cancer because lab animals can't be cared for.  We're haven't just lost a week of research.  We are losing years.

Next election, vote and get everyone you know to vote.

International Observe the Moon Night, Oct 12

This Sat, October 12, is International Observe the Moon Night. Come out to the Knight's Plaza at UCF between 5-9pm to learn about and observe the Moon! We will also do some solar and planetary observing, and will have Moon-centric family-friendly activities. 

North Gemini Blvd. Orlando, FL 32816

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Tomorrow's replacement topic at the downtown Orlando library:

3D Printing

If you didn't know already, Orange County Library System is awesome.  In early spring next year, a new technology center will open with music, film and photography studios, editing bays, and driving and flight simulators.

Tomorrow night, get a firsthand look at another feature of the new center, 3D printers.  Ormilla Vengersammy will demonstrate this new fabrication system where anyone with an idea can transform it into a physical device.

[Chad MILLER]

Our announcement Monday gave the wrong time that the International Observe the Moon party starts at UCF.  It actually starts at 6PM, not an hour earlier.  it still ends at 9PM.

Revised:  This Sat, October 12, is International Observe the Moon Night. Come out to the Knight's Plaza at UCF between 6-9pm to learn about and observe the Moon! We will also do some solar and planetary observing, and will have Moon-centric family-friendly activities.   North Gemini Blvd. Orlando, FL 32816