On Tuesdays, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is hosting free virtual science pubs via Facebook Live. The local science center has kicked off a new online series of short talks on topics such as geology, ethology and physics.
Since OMSI’s Facebook page is public, you can watch the livestream even without a Facebook account. Visit their page to tune in. You can also watch the live event on their Youtube channel.
The virtual science pubs are free, but OMSI does encourage a $5 donation that can be made on their website.
Here are the descriptions and details about the upcoming virtual science pubs.
OMSI Virtual Science Pubs
The Balancing Act: Protecting the Environment to Survive in Mongolia
Nomadic herders at Mogoin Gol (Snake River) region of Arkhangai, Mongolia have been suffering the ill effects of climate change and illegal human actions for the last 20 years. 80% of Mongolia’s total territory is under desertification and the average annual temperature increase of 2.14C since the 1940s is three times the global average. Illegal wood logging, poaching, forest fires, and overgrazing have taken a toll on the environment and the livelihoods of the communities that live in the area. Mogoin Gol, a river that was once thriving with abundant levels of water and aquatic life and the only water source for families and livestock in the area, now goes completely dry for 1-2 years at a time.
In 2014, the nomadic herder families on the land formed a Community Conservation movement (Spirit Mongolia ngo) to fight for their survival and protect the forests and wildlife from illegal activities.
In this talk, Tumko Davaakhuu will share the experiences of nomadic herders at Mogoin Gol and the challenging interconnectivity between survival of people, sustainability of natural ecosystems, and development and enforcement of policies.
This talk is Tuesday, January 19 at 6:30 p.m.
High-Tech, Human Rights, and Social Justice
John Stanley Ford was passed over for promotions and forced to train men who would later become his supervisors. When Clyde W. Ford dug into the company he and his father worked for, he uncovered not only this institutionalized racism but IBM’s deep involvement in eugenics, the Holocaust, apartheid, and racial profiling.
The technology we hold dear today is rooted in a history of supporting human rights abuses. And even today’s high-tech firms promote products and practices that display racial, gender, and economic bias.
Clyde Ford believes that those concerned about social justice need to better understand high-tech’s past, to be effective advocates in an increasingly high-tech future.
Throughout this presentation, Ford draws on examples from the products and practices of major high-tech firms to illustrate the problems of high-tech and social justice, and to advance workable solutions.
This talk is Tuesday, February 2 at 6:30 p.m.
Dynamic Geology of the Oregon Coast
The Oregon coast lies at a plate boundary where the Juan de Fuca Plate is crashing under the North American plate. This “subduction” causes dynamic geology of large earthquakes and tsunamis about every 500 years. The origin of the rocks of the coasts is interesting from the headlands of the north coming from basalt flows that have flowed across the state to uplifted sea floor! The southern Oregon coast is made up on the Klamath Mountains which are parts of continents just stuck onto Oregon. The sediment of the beaches is constantly in motion creating spits and bay barriers. The town of Bay Ocean literally eroded into the sea because of a jetty put in the wrong place. Many sand dunes are present along the coastline – how did they get there and why are they growing? Landslides have a huge history on the coastline and many examples will be discussed. What is the origin of our famous sea stacks like Haystack Rock? It is one exceptionally beautiful place with some great stories!
This talk is Tuesday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m.
The Science of Clean, Safe Drinking Water
We often don’t think about the water from our tap. Where does it come from and how is it treated to make it healthy and safe? The Portland Water Bureau wants to share the science behind treating and delivering safe drinking water to 700,000 Portland area residents along with regional wholesale customers. Our presentation will look at the science behind clean and safe drinking water—past, current, and what’s coming in the future. Hear from the Portland Water Bureau how we’re protecting against lead, pathogens, toxic algal, and more!
This talk is Tuesday, April 13 at 6:30 p.m.
After the lectures there will be a Q&A session. You will be able to easily ask your questions via the comment section on the Facebook Live. For more information, visit OMSI’s website.
Want more Portland freebies, events and deals? Subscribe to my newsletter (only one email a day), and follow me on Facebook and Twitter!
You may also like:
Virtual Nature Journaling with Hoyt Arboretum
2020 ZooLights Walk- and Drive-Through Nights
Portland Living on the Cheap is a member of 
[…] ← OMSI Hosts Virtual Science Pubs […]