May 12th, Carley Scott
Coral Bleaching: An On-Again-Off-Again Relationship
You’ve probably seen photos of completely white – or bleached – coral reefs. This bleaching happens as sea temperatures rise and can be deadly for corals. However, coral bleaching is really the “break-up” between the coral animal and tiny algae partners that live within their cells. Who are these partners? What causes this relationship breakdown? Why are some corals more resistant to warming seas than others?
Through this talk, we’ll explore the relationship between corals and their algae and how scientists assess which reefs are most at risk.
Science Under the Stars is a free public outreach lecture series in Austin, Texas. The talk will be held outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we request that visitors follow CDC and UT Austin-recommended guidelines to ensure the safety of all in attendance:
- Before attending the event, take the CDC’s online Coronavirus Self-Checker to ensure you are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. If you are experiencing symptoms, please get tested and stay home.
- We highly recommend masking for all attendees.
- At this time, we will not be providing food or drinks to reduce the need to remove masks, please plan accordingly.
- Maintain a physical distance of at least six feet between yourself and others, seating will be spaced appropriately.
- Use the provided hand sanitizer and wash your hands (for at least 20 seconds) frequently.
For those who still prefer to attend virtually, we will be streaming the talk live on our YouTube channel. Please tune in at 8pm CDT. We ask for your patience in case of technological difficulties as we try out this new hybrid format. Feel free to post questions for the speaker in the comments and email scienceunderthestars@gmail.com with any issues.
Though we currently plan to have in-person presentations, we may be forced to return to an online zoom format at any time, including for inclement weather. **Please subscribe to our emails, our blog, our YouTube channel, or our Facebook page for the most up-to-day event notifications.**
Here’s the schedule for this month’s event:
- 7:00 pm: Kid’s activities and natural history displays of local animals and plants found at Brackenridge Field Laboratory
- 7:15 pm-7:45 pm: Guided tour of the field lab (wear sturdy shoes and bring water)!
- 8:00 pm: Settle in, because the talk begins now!
- 8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker
First time visitor? Please read our pet policy & field station rules here, and find parking info and directions here. Please note that parking permit requirements are not enforced during our events.
September 12, Megan O’Connell
Bees go grocery shopping
How to Think, Dance, and Grocery Shop Like a Bee! We humans depend on bees for a lot more than we realize, but the bees need our help! Around the world bees are struggling to survive and now it is up to us to save them. One place to start is to understand which bees live around us (spoiler alert: it’s not just honey bees!), how they think, and what they like to eat. We’ll share all the interesting ways scientists gather this information, what we know so far, and most importantly, what you can do to help!
Science Under the Stars is a free public outreach lecture series in Austin, Texas. The talk will be held outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703. Here’s the schedule for this month’s event:
- 7:00 pm: Snacks, kids activities, and displays of local animals and plants found at Brackenridge Field Laboratory will be available.
- 7:15 pm-7:45 pm: Guided tour of the field lab (wear sturdy shoes and bring water)!
- 8:00 pm: Settle in, because the talk begins now!
- 8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker.
First time visitor? Please read our pet policy & field station rules here, and find parking info and directions here.
April 12, Gautam Surya
Bird Conservation in Northeast India: The what, the how and the why.
With stories about a 6th mass extinction in the headlines, ‘conservation’ is a word we all are becoming increasingly familiar with. But what exactly is conservation, how does science help contribute to conservation efforts, and why is conservation important? Come out to Science Under the Stars this April to hear EEB PhD candidate Gautam Surya discuss these topics in the context of his own conservation work in Northeast India, a global biodiversity hotspot. Can’t make it to the talk or want an introduction to Gautam’s research and field experiences? You can read through a series of blog posts that he wrote for Global Wildlife Conservation in 2015 – they’re amazing!
Science Under the Stars is a free public outreach lecture series in Austin, Texas. The talk will be held outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703. Here’s the schedule for this month’s event:
- 7:00 pm: Snacks, kids activities, and displays of local animals and plants found at Brackenridge Field Laboratory will be available.
- 7:15 pm-7:45 pm: Guided tour of the field lab (wear sturdy shoes and bring water)!
- 8:00 pm: Settle in, because the talk begins now!
- 8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker.
First time visitor? Please read our pet policy & field station rules here, and find parking info and directions here.
Nikhil Advani
The Biological Impacts of Climate Change: Insights from Butterflies!
Climate change is predicted to accelerate over the course of this century. Breaking research on butterflies shows how species might respond.
Click here to download the poster from Nikhil’s SUTS Event!
Science Under The Stars 