Science on Tap CoMo

Tonight would be our usual event and it saddens us that we can't host the wonderful speakers that we had scheduled. However for the safety of everyone, there will be no Science on Tap today. Please keep an eye out for us in the future!

See you TOMORROW (2/25) for Science on Tap! Come learn about the outcomes of teen outreach and what the heck a gall is.

Please join us for Science on Tap TONIGHT at 6:00pm! Here are descriptions of our talks for this snowy evening...

Shawn: Tree thinking and Pocket Monsters

Tree thinking allows researchers to understand the evolutionary relationships of various species and genes. It is used in the fields of forensics, medicine, oil drilling, you name it! But most people (including biologists!) don’t know how to read a tree correctly and can cause some confusion. Come check out my talk where I use the popular game/anime Pokemon to teach you how trees are made and how to read them!

Patrick: Advocate for Your Health! Facts and Myths about Infectious Diseases

I will be presenting on pressing issues about human pathogens and their treatment in modern medicine. Topics will include such things as the threat of antibiotic resistance and why vaccination is so important to society.

Join us tonight at 6:00pm!

See you tonight at 6:00pm!

Special at this Month's Science on Tap Event, STICKERS!! With a $1 donation one of these cute little guys could be yours! Great for water bottles and computers or any planar surface! (while supplies last)

Join us TOMORROW (8/27) at 6:00pm for Science on Tap with Arianne Messerman and Patrick Nittler from Biology! Read more about their talks below.
Arianne Messerman: Stayin' Alive: Survival among Juvenile Pond-breeding Salamanders.

Amphibians are a diverse group of over 8,000 species, including frogs, toads, salamanders, and caecilians. Many of these species are disappearing across the globe due to habitat destruction, disease, and climate change. To determine which species are in decline and predict how these species will respond to both continued habitat change and conservation efforts, it is useful to understand the growth, development, and survival of each phase of life (i.e. life stage). Survival rates during the terrestrial juvenile life stage are known to be particularly important predictors of overall population viability among amphibians. Unfortunately, juveniles are small and often difficult to locate and track in the wild. As such, I have spent my dissertation narrowing our knowledge gap by collecting juvenile survival rate estimates for multiple species of pond-breeding salamanders found in Missouri. Having established baseline juvenile survival estimates, I also investigated how individual juvenile physiology may make salamanders more or less likely to survive under current and forecasted environmental conditions. The results of these studies can now be used to inform population models that guide amphibian conservation initiatives.

Patrick Nittler: How do Plants Know When and Where to Move?

Plants are a lot more active then most people think. While they do not move from where they are rooted in the ground to a new location; plants move individual portions of themselves, such as leaves, stems, and roots, to better fit their environment and maximize photosynthesis. In my research I ask questions regarding how plants receive information from their environment and how they decipher that information to make decisions that influence their growth.

Come join us tomorrow at iTap (6:00pm) to hear amazing talks from Katherine and Daniel! See descriptions of their research below:

Katherine Uttley: The Big Ca-tal-ski: The Dude abides

What does carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion have to do with bowling? In most cases, nothing. However, just as the Dude, Walter, and Donny are unwittingly caught up in a scheme to recover Mr. Lebowski’s most prized possession — his wife Bunny — so too is a small nickel-containing compound unwittingly caught up in a scheme to recover another highly-valuable material — acrylate.

Acrylate, a form of acrylic acid, is a small molecule that is used in everything from diapers, adhesives, paints, and coatings. In 2015, the global demand for acrylic acid exceeded 12 billion dollars and is expected to nearly double by 2022. Unfortunately, this valuable compound is currently produced from non-renewable carbon sources, namely coal and oil, which contribute to CO2 emissions. However, coal and oil are not the only sources of carbon that can be used to make acrylic acid.

Given the abundance of CO2 in the atmosphere, it is effectively a renewable source of carbon. As a member of the Bernskoetter lab, I have been investigating ways to incorporate CO2 into the production of value-added materials like acrylate. The problem in CO2 conversion lies in the stubbornness of this small molecule. Like Walter, CO2 can be unpredictable and reckless at times, but with help from the Dude and Donny, Walter can be reasoned with and ultimately prove to be an invaluable part of the bowling team.

Daniel Kick: Spare the synapse, spoil the circuit.

Neurons have to work together to do their jobs, so what happens when one starts misbehaving? Do its neighbors help get it back to normal or cut ties with it? To find out we tricked neurons into misbehaving and watched what their neighbors did.

Science on Tap CoMo updated their business hours.

Come check out our new venue, International Tap House - Columbia, MO !!

Science on Tap TODAY, 6:00PM, iTAP! See you there 🐟🦗

Come join us tonight at our NEW LOCATION (iTAP) at 5:30 (NEW TIME)!