Calendar
Soap Making
Make soap from scratch to take home while learning about the awesome chemistry of soap molecules! Participants must wear clothing that completely covers their arms, legs, and feet (no sandals or open-toed shoes) as we will be working with caustic substances.
Recommended for ages 6 and up with an adult, 12 and up without. General Admission and parking are not included in the price of the ticket.
One ticket per batch of soap. | Maximum three participants per ticket.
Time: 10AM - 12PM
Science Pub Corvallis: When Ideology Trumps Science
When Ideology Trumps Science: Why We Question the Experts on Everything from Climate Change to Vaccinations
With Erika Wolters, PhD, Assistant Professor at OSU, School of Public Policy and Brent Steel, PhD, Professor and Director at OSU, School of Public Policy
February 10, 2020 | 6-8PM; Doors open @ 5PM | FREE, RSVP Required | REGISTRATION for this Science Pub event will open soon.
Why are some citizens in developed countries such as the United States less trusting of science, expert scientific consensus and government? Why are they, instead, prioritizing their ideological values?
Erika Wolters and Brent Steel, professors in the OSU School of Public Policy, will examine these questions. They will explore how proponents of scientific findings and the scientists responsible for conducting and communicating applicable research to decision makers are encountering direct challenges to scientific consensus.
For example, while vaccines exist for many diseases, a 2010 outbreak of whooping cough in California infected more than 8,000 people, resulting in the hospitalization of over 800 people and deaths of 10 infants. In 2015, a measles outbreak in Disneyland infected more than 125 people. Both the whooping cough and the measles are vaccine preventable diseases that have been largely nonexistent in the United States for decades. As these cases demonstrate, individuals who prioritize ideology or personal beliefs above scientific consensus can impinge on society at large. These examples illustrate how rejecting science has unfortunate results for public health and the environment.
Using examples from high-stakes policy debates centered on hot-button controversies such as climate change, GMO foods, immunization, stem cell research, abstinence only education and birth control, Wolters and Steel document how the contested nature of contemporary perspectives on science leads to the possibility that policymakers will not take science into account when making decisions that affect the general population. In addition, their research identifies ways in which liberals and conservatives have both contested issues of science when consensus diverges from their ideological and value positions. Possible approaches for overcoming the ideology-science divide in policy will also be presented for discussion.
The Science Pub presentation is free and open to the public.
RSVP for the Next Science Pub
Due to the continuing popularity of Science Pub, we are implementing a ticketing/RSVP process. Please read the specifics below.
- Limit of two free tickets per person.
- Registration opens three weeks prior to each Science Pub and is limited to the first 100 tickets.
- Available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the link above or by calling 541-737-4717.
- Advanced registration recommended to guarantee a ticket/seat.
- Only register if you plan on attending please.
- If plans change, please cancel your reservation via your initial confirmation email or by calling 541-737-4717.
- Walk-ins welcome, but seating will not be guaranteed and is based on availability.
- Register for the Science Pub listserv by emailing events@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-4717.
Sponsors of Science Pub include Terra magazine at OSU, the Downtown Corvallis Association and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
For more information or to sign up for our mailing list, email: sciencepub@omsi.edu.
You can also listen to their podcasts at http://communications.oregonstate.edu/podcast.
The Garden of Secrets: Film Screening & Panel Discussion
FEB 12, 2020 | 6:30-8PM | Doors @ 6:15PM | Free Parking | All Ages Welcome
6:30PM | Introductions
6:40PM | Film: Garden of Secrets (21 mins; unrated)
7:00PM | Panel Discussion and Q&A
Join us for the short film, Garden of Secrets and a panel discussion about biomimicry, “idea libraries” and the revolutionary new role botanical gardens can fill in helping us find solutions for the future.
Cohosted by OMSI and the Portland Japanese Garden’s International Japanese Garden Training Center. The event is part of the 2020 Garden+ public lecture series presented by the Training Center. Garden+ invites designers, authors, and practitioners to explain new ideas, challenge assumptions, and share new creative work with our audiences.
Tickets are $7/non-members. OMSI and Portland Japanese Garden members receive $1 off. (PJG members will receive a discount code via email.)
The Empirical Café will be open with sandwiches, hotdogs, snacks and beverages.
ABOUT THE FILM
Join us for the short film “Garden of Secrets,” a co-production of the artisanal tea blender TeaLeaves and the University of British Columbia’s Botanical Garden. Through millions of years of evolution, the structures and processes of organisms have resolved many of the engineering and environmental challenges facing the modern world–we just need to look, observe, and learn. Botanical gardens are “idea libraries,” places where a wealth of these solutions have been assembled near the doorsteps of the scientists, engineers, and designers tackling these issues. Whether a developer, designer, innovator, or just plain interested, botanical gardens can offer secrets that are beyond their edible, aromatic, and medicinal properties.
The film’s concept is grounded in biomimicry, an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature's time-tested patterns and strategies. In this exploration of nature, the film explores how botanical gardens and the “secrets” they house can inspire different innovators from tea blenders, designers, academics and more to build lasting impact on people, society and the environment. With this knowledge, it is our hope to generate awareness for and curb future decisions that may harmfully impact our planet and our well-being.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Patrick Lewis is Director of UBC Botanical Garden (including the Nitobe Memorial Garden). Patrick is responsible for leadership and strategic direction. Prior to joining the Garden, Patrick was managing director of the Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics UBC, as well as on the executive of the UBC College for Interdisciplinary Studies.
Byron Garcia works for OMSI as an Outdoor Educator at Hancock field Station. He worked for OMSI for six years and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Biomimicry from Arizona State University. He has a passion for understanding the interconnectedness of the natural world that surrounds us.
Stefanie Koehler is a Portland-based consultant who works to facilitate an innovation mindset with organizations as they plan for a more sustainable future and co-create solutions people love. Her work combines being a strategist, designer, and visual facilitator. She views social problems as design challenges, using the art of design thinking to generate business opportunities.
Casey Howard is a landscape architect who was on the winning team of the 2015 Biomimicry Global Design Challenge with the team's design concept, the Living Filtration System. Casey currently works here in Portland for the interdisciplinary firm MIG, where her work spans a diverse range of topics including play, inclusive design, historic landscapes, and climate change resiliency.
Science Pub Eugene: Snowpack
Photo by Joe Klementovich
What’s in your Snowpack? Community Snow Observations and the Value of Citizen Science
With David F. Hill, PhD, Professor, Civil and Construction Engineering at Oregon State University
February 13, 2020 | 6:30-8:30PM; Doors open @ 5PM | $5 Suggested Donation
If you don’t live in it, it can be easy to ignore snow. Tire chains, show shovels, down jackets…all someone else’s problems. But in the Pacific Northwest and other mountain environments, even if you don’t live in it, snow is an essential and unavoidable part of our water resources. Snowpack stores water, and slowly releases it to downstream locations in the spring time. Stream ecology, agriculture, and thirsty people all benefit. And, before it melts, let’s not forget the incredible recreational resource that snow provides to the Pacific Northwest. Understanding the distribution and evolution of our snowpack is therefore important, but can be difficult for many reasons. It’s cold, the days are short, and it’s hard to get to it to measure it.
This talk will discuss some of the ways in which we observe and study snow. It will introduce citizen science as a valuable way to crowd-source unique snow depth information. Wax your boards, tune your edges, and help improve what we know about the snow.
David Hill is a professor at Oregon State University and a National Geographic Explorer. For over 25 years, he has studied how water behaves as it travels from mountain headwaters to coastal environments. He currently co-leads the Community Snow Observations project, one of six citizen science projects funded by NASA to improve understanding of our physical environment. Hill has recently been an Erskine Fellow at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. No matter the hemisphere, if it is spring time, You’ll find him out surveying the snow between mountain summit and trailhead.
Science Pub Eugene is a monthly event that is open to anyone and everyone. No RSVP or scientific background required. Just bring your curiosity, sense of humor, and appetite for food, drinks, and knowledge! For more information or to sign up for our mailing list, email: sciencepub@omsi.edu.
Reel Eats: Dirty Dancing
Reel Eats taps into the senses using both cinema and cuisine. Each curated bite is tucked away in different numbered boxes matching key moments in the film, enhancing the narrative in electrifying ways. Come join us for this quarterly film series and experience the silver screen like never before.
6:15PM | Doors open; guests arrive and will be greeted with a tray of numbered boxes
7:00PM | Introduction and event instructions
7:15PM | Movie: Dirty Dancing (Duration: 1 hr. 40 mins. | Rating: PG-13
ABOUT THE FILM
Spending the summer at a Catskills resort with her family, Frances "Baby" Houseman falls in love with the camp's dance instructor, Johnny Castle.
Tickets: $35 per person (due to the nature of the event, no dietary restrictions can be accommodated)
The Empirical Theater seats 300 guests. Due to event logistics, we sell a maximum of 250 tickets to this event so there is no need to arrive extra early to reserve a seat. Doors open at 6:15pm and we aim to begin the event promptly at 7pm.
The tasting menu that accompanies the film consists of 8 food items that average 3 bites. If you would like to purchase beverages or additional food from the Empirical Café prior to the event, please plan on arriving early. The café will be open until 8pm should you wish to get something additional during the movie.
Miso Making Workshop
In this workshop participants will discover the history and science of miso, taste different types, and craft a batch of red miso to take home. Learn useful tips for how to use miso in the kitchen while enjoying a fresh bowl of traditional miso soup.
One ticket per batch of miso, 1 adult per ticket. Children 8-16 are welcome to share a ticket with an adult. General Admission is not included in the price of the ticket. All Maker Workshops are 15% off for museum members.
Foodstuffs in this lab include soy, a common allergen.
OMSI After Dark: PrOMSI
Tease your hair to the heavens, take an awkward photo with your date and hit the pre-spiked punch.
Shoot off water rockets, concoct chemical creations, and explore the wonders of OMSI with no kids in sight! Enjoy a glass of wine while learning about robots, tornados, or fossils. Talk to a brewer about the science behind beer, or sample products from local artisans.
All that and more with OMSI After Dark, a night at the museum for the 21-and-over crowd filled with food, drink, and science fun!
Visit our featured exhibit, Exquisite Creatures.
21+ Only | ID's Required
Please check out our event FAQ page.
Due to the popularity of this event, we strongly recommend that you purchase tickets in advance as capacity is limited and may sell out.
OMSI After Dark admission:
$16/non-members
$8.00/OMSI Members
FREE for OMSI After Dark Access Pass Holders*
*At this time, we have discontinued the OMSI After Dark Access Pass. We will honor existing passes until they expire.
SCIENCE DEMONSTRATIONS
Intermingling Infections | Let's talk about sex (and see how quickly an STI can spread), baby!
Prom Date Debacle | How do you pick the best potential prom date? Learn to wade through your options using math!
Tricky Tinder Tactics | Who said that math isn’t sexy? Learn what it takes to make a successful dating profile.
PERFORMANCES AND PRESENTATIONS
Newlywed Game
A-WOL Dance Collective Aerialists
Dance Party in the Auditorium!
9-11pm
THEMED VENDORS - More coming soon!
The Art of Makeup School
Nails by Cherice
Paul Mitchell School
Pillow Talk (Center for Biological Diversity)
ARTISAN VENDORS
Cake Nouveau
Don Churro
Donna's Macarons
Hibisbloom
New Deal Distillery
peace. love. pretzels.
Portland Cider Co.
Pup Pawtisserie
Shalom Y'all
Tostado Coffee Roasters
Vagabond Brewing
Wildland Kombucha
Questions? Email events@omsi.edu.
Ticketing questions call 503.767.4000 x0
Micah and Me
Pump up the jam with Micah and Me, an energetic kids band comprised of three stay-at-home dads who know how to throw a good dance party. This 45-minute set will be followed by an instrument petting zoo, where kids will have a chance to strum, shake, and roll to their hearts’ content. Open to members and museum guests with General Admission.
Adults must be accompanied by a child under 8 to enter.
About the artists: For over 5 years, Micah and Me has been entertaining and inspiring kiddos and their caregivers with catchy toe-tapping songs and energetic live shows at festivals, museums, schools, street fairs, and coffee shops in Portland and across the Pacific Northwest. Made up of three stay-at-home dads, Micah and Me combine clever originals and upbeat covers with updated takes on classic kids’ standards to create an irresistible dance party that will have kids partying hard—and napping hard when they get home!
Science Pub Portland: The Dead Sea
Tickets are a suggested $5 donation at the door; we are not preselling tickets to Science Pub at Kennedy School.
“Is the Dead Sea Dead?”
with Scott A. Wells, Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Portland State University
February 18, 2020 | Doors Open @ 5:30PM | 7-9PM | Suggested donation $5pp
The Dead Sea is a terminal lake and is the lowest water body on the earth’s surface. As a result of historic changes in inflows to the Dead Sea, water levels are now receding at more than 1 m per year. There have been many proposed solutions to the ‘dying’ Dead Sea such as reinvigorating the Jordan River by bringing in desalinated water from the Mediterranean Sea and pumping sea water from the Gulf of Aquaba. Water quality impacts on the Dead Sea were evaluated for the latter solution by constructing a suite of mathematical models of the circulation and chemistry in the Dead Sea. Will these proposed ‘solutions’ save the Dead Sea or will they cause other problems?
Scott A Wells, has a Ph.D. from Cornell University in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and graduate and undergraduate degrees from MIT and Tennessee Technological University. He served as Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at PSU from 2002-2014 and currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Environmental Engineering, conducts webinars for EPA in water quality modeling, and teaches workshops on how to perform water quality modeling of surface water bodies.
His current research focus is environmental fluid mechanics and primarily the development of surface water quality and hydrodynamic modeling tools. He has written over 100 technical publications and is a co-developer of the current version of the CE-QUAL-W2 model used throughout the world for hydrodynamic and water quality modeling studies. He has been involved in about 150 water body studies throughout the United States as well as projects in Canada, Iraq, China, Guyana, Peru, Costa Rica, Brazil, Spain, Ukraine and Israel/Jordan.
His work in China in cooperation with Three Gorges University in Yichang focuses on improving water quality in the Yangtze River and evaluating how to control water quality impacts from the Three Gorges Reservoir He has been actively involved in studies for local, state and federal government as they work on improving water quality in surface water systems and in understanding the environmental impacts of reservoirs.
Science Pub Portland at McMenamins Kennedy School is a monthly event that is open to anyone and everyone – no scientific background required. Just bring your curiosity, sense of humor, and appetite for food, drinks and knowledge!
Kennedy School Theater has everything from pizza to burgers to popcorn and candy. Food and drink are welcome in the theater. Parking is free for the event. Doors open at 5:30pm.
For more information or to sign up for our mailing list, email: sciencepub@omsi.edu or call 503.797.4529.
Science Pub La Grande: Wildlife of Southern Africa
Photo Credit: Donna Rainboth
Stories from the Okavango: The Exquisite Wildlife of Southern Africa
with Donna Rainboth, Assistant Professor of Science Education at Eastern Oregon University and James McIver, PhD, Entomologist and Research Professor at Oregon State University
February 20, 2020| 6:30-8:30PM; Doors open @ 5:30PM | $5 Suggested Donation | Special Edition
The African landscape evokes images of wildlife, of predator-prey relationships, of large migrations, of survival of the fittest. For most people, Africa offers the possibility of witnessing first hand, some of the most spectacular events in the animal kingdom. Ever encountered a lion on foot, watched a hyena stick its head into a hippo carcass, seen a leopard in a tree? Join husband and wife team Donna and Jim (and friends) as they explore the southern African landscape as Rudyard Kipling saw it. You’ll hear stories of amazing wildlife encounters, told with photos and videos, that capture the lives of the incredible birds and mammals of the Okavango Delta, in central Botswana, as well as the deserts of northern Namibia.
Donna Rainboth is an assistant professor of science education at Eastern Oregon University and the STEM coach for La Grande School District. James McIver is an entomologist and Oregon State University research professor who works on fire-related issues in sagebrush steppe lands of the interior west. Each of them has been watching wildlife for over 40 years. This science Pub talk, will focus on experiences they’ve had in southern Africa, after having spent over seven months there since early 2016.
OMSI is taking our popular Science Pub event series on the road and we're excited to host a one-time event in La Grande on February 20, 2020.
Science Pub is a fun, informal science talk held in several locations around Oregon. Science Pub La Grande is a one-time event that is open to anyone and everyone. No RSVP or scientific background required. Just bring your curiosity, sense of humor, and appetite for food, drinks, and knowledge! All ages are welcome!
Side A Brewing will have burgers, sandwiches, salads and other delicious food options available for purchase. Visit sideabeer.com for their menu.
For more information or to sign up for our mailing list, email: sciencepub@omsi.edu
Special thanks to the Side A Brewing for donating the space and hosting our event!
Kendall Concerts Presents Die Robot
Doors open @ 7:30PM; Music starts @ 8:00PM | $15 tickets; OMSI Members Receive 15% Discount | Parking is free
Beer, wine, snacks and more! Concessions available for purchase at the Empirical Theater Cafe.
Kendall Concerts: Music Under the Dome is a monthly planetarium concert series combining live performances with stunning visuals in riots of color, shape and movement, enveloping the audience into an adventure of the senses without ever having to leave their seat.
Die Robot is an American Alternative Rock, Electro-Industrial band. This is future rock in a post-industrial age. Their sound straddles rock and electronic with a wide appeal. Unique, haunting, and romantic, Die Robot is full of angst and soul with the groove of a predatory animal.
Vince Christian provides powerful vocals and a fierce performance. Barbie Saint's strings are dark and passionate, combining not only bass and guitar, but synthesized leads simultaneously, a unique sound accomplished with special custom gear designed for Barbie by RMLfx. Zane Hamilton's electronic drums, keys and synth fill the dance floor and Rosmic Z's guitars accentuate an engaging performance, producing and intense electronic plus analog soundscapes.
Having released their debut full lengh album "Technopunk" in 2018 and since their formation in 2014, Die Robot toured around the USA twice with incredible turn outs, and performed with artists like Stabbing Westward, Clan of Xymox, The 69 Eyes, The Birthday Massacre, Orgy, Conjure One (Front Line Assembly, Delerium), Unter Null, God Module, 16volt, Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Erasure), David J (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) John 5 (Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson), Julien-K, Night Club, Kite, among many others. They are claiming a spot as one of the elites bands in the Electronic Industrial Rock circuit.
Kendall Concerts is an all ages, monthly music series. For more information please contact kmeyer@omsi.edu.
FOR PATRONS AND VISITORS WITH MOBILITY DISABILITIES
Entrances
OMSI’s building has accessible entrances, and the Kendall Planetarium is located on the ground floor.
Accessible Seating
OMSI reserves accessible seating space for patrons using wheelchairs and their companion(s). You can purchase wheelchair seating by phone, in person, and online. For more information about accessibility, please contact Kathleen Meyer at 503.797.5411 or at kmeyer@omsi.edu.
Patron Drop-off Zones
Curbside drop-off zones are located along the front plaza, with easy access to the Kendall Planetarium.
Courtesy Wheelchairs
Patrons who wish to use an OMSI wheelchair may request a courtesy wheelchair from the Concierge window located next to the Main Lobby. We encourage you to notify OMSI in advance at 503.797.4511 as courtesy wheelchairs are limited.
Accessible Restrooms
OMSI has public restrooms that are wheelchair accessible. Gendered public restrooms are located in the Kendall Planetarium hallway. Companion care and non-gender-specific restrooms are located in the Turbine Hallway.
Parking
Parking is free in either of OMSI’s designated parking lots. There are 5 wheelchair accessible parking spaces in each lot, for a total of 10 spaces.
Teen Night
OMSI After Hours for Teens only!
On February 21st at OMSI, we’re opening the museum just for teens aged 13-18! Explore the museum, enjoy snacks, and hang with friends at Teen Night! Featuring our new Teen Tech Center and Center for Innovation, we’ll have music, games, demos, and more! Bring a friend and share this FREE event.