Local university professors and other professionals facilitate informal and lively public discussions on important science-related topics as part of the Science Cafe series.

Join the conversation and relax with a cup of coffee or tea; topics range from how to combat headaches effectively and why it is so hard to predict the weather to body language and its importance in everyday communication.

We meet at locations in the local community so that others can participate in these unique and thought-provoking conversations.

Special Bonus Clarkson University Science Café

Preventing Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Disease 
Potsdam: Wednesday, May 22

“Preventing Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Disease” will be presented by University of Massachusetts Professor of Microbiology and Director of the Laboratory of Medical Zoology Dr. Stephen Rich at a special bonus Clarkson University Science Cafe at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, at the St. Lawrence Valley Roasters & Jernabi Coffeehouse, 11 Maple St. in Potsdam, N.Y.The risk of Lyme and other diseases has increased since the first reports in the 1970s. With that expansion, the list of germs transmitted by ticks has grown long, but there are ways of significantly reducing exposure to these hazards. The key to staying safe and healthy is to understand a few fundamental aspects of the biology and ecology of ticks. Dr. Rich will describe and explain appropriate personal protection measures that can greatly reduce risk. Handouts and tickID tools helping with tick identification and prevention will be provided.This presentation is aimed at the general public and will provide an overview of the hazards and risks associated with human-biting ticks.Science Cafes bring together engineers, scientists, and townspeople in a relaxed, informal setting, such as coffeehouses and pubs. The speaker makes a short presentation about a topic in his or her field and then opens up the floor to discussion.

 

Spring 2019 Series Schedule

Biodiversity and Agriculture: Threats and Opportunities
Canton: Tuesday, Feb 5
Potsdam: Wednesday, Feb 6

Over 40% of the Earth’s surface has been transformed to agriculture. Whether it’s oil palm and pineapple plantations in the tropics, or hayfields and pasture in the North Country, conventional agriculture reduces the amount of habitat available to native wildlife and plants. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Sustainable, biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices exist and are gaining acceptance and popularity worldwide. Kate Cleary, Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at St. Lawrence University, will relate her experiences developing bird-friendly grazing practices in Guatemala and bat-friendly pineapple plantations in Costa Rica, and will present upcoming opportunities for citizens to participate in research on biodiversity and agriculture here in the North Country.

When Man Can Buy Sex
Canton: Tuesday, Feb 26
Potsdam: Wednesday, Feb 27 

What happens when men can legally buy sex, women can legally sell it, and both can do so in a safe and protected environment? In Germany, this has been the law of the land since 2002. Join Dr. Annegret Staiger (Clarkson University) as she discusses her ethnographic research in an upscale German mega brothel and her insights about the men who self-identify as sex clients.  Even though casual sex is socially accepted in Germany, sex clients often feel the need to hide it. Many counter intuitive questions arise: about the stigma of paying for sex, the vulnerability of sex clients, and the social control that operates in a sexually enlightened society.

Changing the Face of Small Wind
Canton: Tuesday, March 12
Potsdam: Wednesday, March 13 

Small wind turbines typically entail a significant capital investment for the home or farm user,because of the higher cost per unit energy ($/kWh) than other sources of energy. As both our dependency on electricity,and the need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, continue to grow, so does the urgency to responsibly increase the use of this renewable energy source. Ken Visser, Associate Professor of Aeronautical Engineering (CU), will discuss small wind possibilities for individuals, and present some exciting results developed in his lab that will help to literally change the image of small wind for our future. A brief history leading up to the current technology will also be presented.

What Lurks Unseen
Canton: Tuesday, April 2
Potsdam: Wednesday, April 3

Ghosts, ghouls, spirits, and hauntings have increasingly infringed upon our modern cultural experience; has the elevated stress of modern society driven unrest among the undead, or might there be something more sinister at play? Humans live and interact with an impressive, often invisible, microbiome that can alter our everyday lives in surprising, and sometimes frightening, ways. Join Clarkson University Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering Shane Rogers for a look into the darker side of the environmental microbiome.

Stumped by Salamanders: Habitat Use and Reproduction of an All-Female Amphibian “Species”
Canton: Tuesday, April 16
Potsdam: Wednesday, April 17

Unisexual Salamanders are an all-female lineage that reproduce by “stealing” the sperm of a host species. Little is known about their ecology because they are difficult to identify and study, and a lack of information hinders their conservation. Join Dr. Kristine Hoffmann (SLU) as she describes her work with salamanders at four wetlands in Maine, using a combination of trapping, radio tracking, and genetic analysis.  Her results indicate that the communities were almost entirely female. But if there were no males how were they reproducing? The narrative of this study demonstrates how results can lead to more mysteries.

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