September 12th, Sarah Hunter
Let’s Go Bananas
🍌 Ever wondered why banana candy tastes so different from the bananas we eat today? It’s all thanks to the Gros Michel banana, once the “it” banana of the fruit world until a devastating fungus wiped it out in the 1960s. Join Sarah Hunter, a PhD candidate in Integrative Biology at UT Austin, as she explores the history of this banana variety, the collapse of an entire industry, and the lasting impact on agriculture. Learn about one of the worst plant epidemics in history and the risks of growing in monoculture. Don’t miss this fascinating dive into the past!
📅 Date: September 12
📍 Location: Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, TX
🕗 Time:
- 7:00 pm – Kid’s activities & natural history displays
- 7:15 pm – Guided tour of BFL begins
- 8:00 pm – Talk begins
———————————————
Fall 2024 Schedule
We are thrilled to announce Science Under The Stars’ fall 2024 schedule. Please mark your calendars for our monthly events covering topics on science and nature by biologists at UT:
- September 12: Sarah Hunter – Let’s Go Bananas
- October 10: Maddie Brightbill – The Flower that Blooms in Adversity: Molecular Responses to Warm Temperatures
- November 7: Luke Larter – Getting to Know Your Nighttime Neighbors: A Guide to The Calls of Common Nocturnal Callers in Austin
- December 12: Wenli Wang – Green Genes: How Plants Shape Our World
Here’s the schedule for each of the events (RSVP is not required):
- 7:00 pm: Kid’s activities and natural history displays
- 7:15 pm – 7:45 pm: Guided tour of the Brackenridge Field Lab (please remember to wear sturdy shoes and bring water)!
- 8:00 pm: Settle in, because the talk begins now!
- 8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker
Science Under the Stars is a free, student-run public outreach lecture series in Austin, Texas. Events are held outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703. We will post the precise schedule and links for each event in a separate, event-specific post. Subscribe to this blog, our Instagram, Twitter, YouTube channel, Facebook page, or send us emails to get event notifications.
April 11th, Sarah Ortiz
From the ground up: Exploring biodiversity in your backyard
April is here, and we invite you to join our monthly SUTS event on April 11th as we explore the beauty and importance of Central Texas Biodiversity. Sarah Ortiz, PhD candidate from the Department of Integrative Biology at UT Austin will talk about why biodiversity at the local levels matters, how we are studying biodiversity here in Austin from soils to herbivores, and how to best cultivate biodiversity in your backyard.
Our evening kicks off at 7 pm with engaging activities at our natural history and kids’ activities tables. At 7:15 pm, there will be a guided tour of the Brackenridge Field Laboratory, offering you a unique glimpse into the ongoing field research. The main event begins promptly at 8 pm with Sarah’s talk, followed by an interactive Q&A session.
———————————————
March 21st, Kristina Black
Amazing adaptations under the sea: Nature’s genetic toolbox for coral reef restoration
Coral reefs are declining around the world, and humans are rushing to restore them. For our March event, we are excited to host Kristina Black, PhD candidate from the Department of Integrative Biology at UT Austin, who will be presenting her research on coral reef conservation. We will dive into the major strategies used by coral restoration practitioners and cover true stories from the Caribbean. We will also learn about cutting-edge genetic approaches to help corals adapt to their changing environment.
Our evening kicks off at 7 pm with engaging activities at our natural history and kids’ activities tables. At 7:15 pm, there will be a guided tour of the Brackenridge Field Laboratory, offering you a unique glimpse into the ongoing field research. The main event begins promptly at 8 pm with Kristina’s talk on coral reefs, followed by an interactive Q&A session.
———————————————
February 8th, Devin Grobert
Fire, water, and biodiversity: How Austin water uses fire to restore ecosystems and how you can help
The Water Quality Protection Lands program of Austin Water protects over 34,000 acres of natural areas over the subsurface watershed of Barton Springs. Come to our February SUTS event and learn why and how your municipal water utility uses prescribed fire to restore biodiversity and ecosystem function, how research conducted at UT Austin informs land management, and ways you can get involved with this long-term, watershed scale ecosystem restoration project.
Our evening kicks off at 7 pm with engaging activities at our natural history and kids’ activities tables. At 7:15 pm, there will be a guided tour of the Brackenridge Field Laboratory, offering you a unique glimpse into the ongoing field research. The main event begins promptly at 8 pm with Devin’s talk, followed by an interactive Q&A session.
———————————————
Science Under The Stars 