Fwd: February Science Cafes (9)
Amy Savage
From: Ahmann, Katey <katey....@naturalsciences.org>
Date: Tue, Jan 28, 2014 at 11:44 AM
Subject: February Science Cafes (9)
To: "Ahmann, Katey" <katey....@naturalsciences.org>
Hi Café Enthusiasts,
Hope all of you stay warm and safe through our wintry weather this week!
Below is the list of events for our Science Cafe series in February. We have a great line up of speakers and interesting topics for Thursday nights. Science Cafes begin at 7:00 pm in the Daily Planet Café located on the corner of Jones and McDowell Streets. Free parking is available in the parking garage behind the Nature Research Center (entrance off of Edenton Street).
In addition to the Science Cafe - check this link each week to learn about what we have planned for the entire Museum on each Thursday night. http://naturalsciences.org/sciencethursdays
Hope you can join us!
2/6 Science Trivia!
What’s cooler than absolute zero? Find out at Science Trivia nights at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, where questions feature a mix of science facts, current news, pop culture and scientific discoveries. Held in the new wing's Daily Planet Cafe on the first Thursday of every month, this is a great opportunity to mingle with friends, compete for prizes and bragging rights ...and perhaps even learn something cool. http://naturalsciences.org/programs-events/science-trivia-8
2/13 Remote Controlled Cockroaches for Environmental Sensing and Search-and-Rescue
Present day technology falls short of offering centimeter-scale mobile robots that can function effectively under unknown and dynamic environmental conditions. Insects, on the other hand, exhibit an unmatched ability to navigate through a wide variety of environments. In this Science Café, Dr. Alper Bozkurt will explain how he and other scientists at NC State’s iBionicS Lab are using neural stimulation systems to wirelessly navigate cockroaches – effectively creating “biobots” that can potentially assist humans in environmental sensing and search-and-rescue applications, from pinpointing hazardous material to finding earthquake victims.
About our Speaker
Dr. Alper Bozkurt is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North Carolina State University, as well as founder and director of the Integrated Bionic MicroSystems Laboratory (iBionicS Lab), which is focused on developing novel neural engineering methodologies to interface artificial systems with biological organisms and ultimately producing the next generation bionic cyber-physical systems. His recent achievements with cockroach biobots were covered by several media agencies including CNN, National Geographic, Discovery Channel and Reuters. He also worked as an official consultant for the Disney movie “G-Force” produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. http://naturalsciences.org/programs-events/science-cafe-remote-controlled-cockroaches
2/20 Science Snapshots
You certainly know that the Triangle area is home to several world class universities and colleges – but did you know that groundbreaking research is happening right here in our own backyard? Join us for an evening of brief “Lightning Talks” presented by Duke and NC State University doctoral students. From neurobiology to tornadoes to chimpanzee intelligence, these young scientists will discuss their favorite discoveries and give us a glimpse into what is happening in our local laboratories. http://naturalsciences.org/programs-events/science-cafe-science-snapshots
2/27 Giant, Bomb-Sniffing African Rats!
While some rats may have bad rap, the African giant pouched rat (Cricetomys ansorgei) is helping to save lives in Tanzania. These rodents have an acute sense of smell and are trained to sniff out landmines and even detect tuberculosis in patients. From their pouched cheeks to their scaly tails, these large rats can grow up to 3 feet long and are as common in Tanzania as an Eastern gray squirrel is here. But much remains to be learned about the behavior and biology of these amazing African creatures. Join our conversation with Dr. Danielle Lee, who is making history with her behavioral research on the incredible African giant pouched rat.
About Our Speaker: Dr. Danielle N. Lee is an animal behavior scientist completing postdoctoral work in a laboratory at Oklahoma State University that will soon be moving to Cornell University. Dr. Lee’s research blends the animal behavior fields of psychology, ethology, and behavioral ecology, and her studies use field and laboratory experiments to identify individual behavior variations, or behavioral syndromes.
Dr. Lee earned a BS in Animal Science from Tennessee Technological University, MS in vertebrate zoology at the University of Memphis, and PhD at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Dr. Lee is perhaps best known online for her Scientific American blog, The Urban Scientist, described as, “a hip hop maven blogging on urban ecology, evolutionary biology & diversity in the sciences." On Twitter as @DNLee5, Dr. Lee has been named by the City University of New York’s Feminist Press as one of the “Top Women in Science to Follow on Twitter” and the Huffington Post Science list, “30 Biologists and Chemists to Follow on Twitter.”
From examining the biology of vacant urban lots in America to tagging pouched rats near Tanzanian homes, Lee is passionate about communicating science to wide audiences and introducing them to science in their own backyard. http://naturalsciences.org/programs-events/science-cafe-giant-bomb-sniffing-african-rats
Thank you very much for your support of our events. We look forward to seeing you in February!
Katey
Katey Ahmann
Deputy Director of Education & Senior Manager of Programs
NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Email correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties
Amy M. Savage