December 12th, Wenli Wang
Green Genes: How Plants Shape Our World
Like us, plants are also watching the sunrise, experiencing the changing seasons and breathing the air. Behind these behaviors lies a complex network of genes that regulate plant growth and development. Understanding these gene networks helps us uncover how plants adapt to their environments and thrive. By manipulating gene expression, we can even design plants to better benefit our lives. But what exactly are gene-edited plants? And are they safe? Let’s explore these questions together at our December event on the 12th with Wenli Wang, a post-doctoral scholar in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at UT Austin.
📅 Date: December 12th
📍 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
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November 7th, Luke Larter
Getting to Know Your Nighttime Neighbors: A Guide to The Calls of Common Nocturnal Callers in Austin
The nocturnal world is filled with creatures that go ‘Buzz!’, ‘Croak’!, and ‘Squawk!’ in the night. Austin is no exception, being home to many fascinating species of insects and frogs that can really kick up a racket! But who are these nocturnal neighbors of ours? Why do they make the noises they make? And, when in the year do they dust off their vocal cords, wings, or timbals, to belt out their favorite tune? Luke Larter, a PhD candidate in Integrative Biology at UT Austin, will introduce you to some of his favorite players in Austin’s star-lit symphony, to teach you their calls and the right times to listen for them. Impress friends and bewilder enemies with your newfound knowledge of these secretive singers that, to many, remain shrouded in darkness.
📅 Date: November 7
📍 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
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October 10th, Maddie Brightbill
The Flower that Blooms in Adversity: Molecular Responses to Warm Temperatures
What do you do when it’s hot outside? This question is more and more relevant every year, as global temperatures continue to rise. While animals can travel to cooler climates, plants cannot rely on movement to survive. Instead, they combat warm temperatures by changing their gene expression in real time. Plant geneticists all over the world are studying this and making advances in genome editing to learn more. But what are the plants doing in the first place? And what are scientists actually doing to help? Join Maddie Brightbill for an introduction to plant genetics and flowering guaranteed to make you feel confident next time you hear about these studies in the news.
📅 Date: October 10
📍 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
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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
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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.
Science Under The Stars 