University of Michigan Museum of Natural History Podcast

Science Café: What does water sustainability have to do with microbes?

Microbes in the water take carbon from the atmosphere, break down plastics, and even cause and prevent toxic algae blooms. Join Dr. Melissa Duhaime of the U-M's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and members of her lab team to discuss the ecology of aquatic microbes, and how what we learn about them now could have huge impacts on our future.

Originally recorded November 20, 2019.

For more information on future Science Cafes, please visit our website. 

Science Café: You’re the scientist now! Citizen and community science in a connected world

Have you ever helped with research by doing a Christmas bird count, helping to identify photos for an online project, or participating in local water testing? Join us as we explore the potential roles of citizen and community science projects in scientific research and public policy. We’ll highlight some U-M projects, with opportunities for involvement. 

• Nyeema Harris - Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab (U-M Ann Arbor)

• Marty Kaufman -  Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment (U-M Flint); 

• Natalie Sampson - Department of Health & Human Services (U-M Dearborn)

• Justin Schell - Shapiro Design Lab (U-M Ann Arbor Library)

For more information on future Science Cafes, please visit our website. 

Science Café: Politics and Psychology from Mussolini to the Alt-Right

A discussion of the history and social psychology of nationalist and fascist politics and what light this scholarship may or may not shed on current events. 

• Joshua Rabinowitz, lecturer, U-M Psychology Department
• Dario Gaggio, professor, U-M History Department

For more information on future Science Cafes, please visit our website. 

Science Café: Designer Genes? Genetic engineering in the age of CRISPR

New technology makes gene editing easier. Its use is being explored to correct diseases caused by genetic mutations, to fight cancer, and even to learn about human evolutionary adaptations, and its potential is amazing. We'll explore the capabilities and research that CRISPR Cas9 gene editing brings, as well as its ethical, legal, and social implications.

• Jody Platt, Assistant Professor in the Department of Learning Health Sciences at the U-M Medical School
• Daniel Thiel, doctoral student at the U-M School of Public Health and Department of Sociology
• Thom Saunders, Director of the U-M Transgenic Animal Model Core

For more information on future Science Cafes, please visit our website. 

Science Café: Postcards from the Anthropocene

Human beings have changed Earth so extensively that geologists now propose renaming our current epoch as the Anthropocene—the era defined by people. Human influences are apparent in the shape of landscapes, the extent of biodiversity, ocean chemistry, and our climate. We will explore the history of human influence on Earth and the ideas driving the concept of the Age of Humans, taking time to discuss consequences and implications for our future world.

• Julia Cole, U-M Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Naomi Levin, U-M Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

For more information on future Science Cafes, please visit our website. 

Science Café: An Archaeology of Migration

What are the stories of contemporary Latin American migration, and how do we uncover them? What can these stories tell us about borders, their impact, and the struggles of many families to find a new life? How can such stories inform policy and/or political action?

• Jason De Leon, U-M Department of Anthropology

For more information on future Science Cafes, please visit our website. 

Science Café: What Cost, Basic Research?

Basic science research seeks to improve our understanding of the world, without any direct, obvious application. Much of it is funded by government grants, including those from the National Science Foundation.  That funding may soon face cuts. A discussion on how much we spend on such research, what the rationale is, and what the implications of such cuts might be.  

• Meghan Duffy, Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Kristin Koutmou, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry

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Science Café: Oil and Soil: The Forces of Climate Change

A discussion on the politics of oil, water, and food production and how they are deeply intertwined with human-caused climate change and political upheaval, especially in the Middle East.  

• Jennifer Blesh, Assistant Professor of Environment and Sustainability, U-M School for Environment and Sustainability
• Juan Cole, Professor of History and Director for U-M Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies 

Sponsored by Science for the People and MC²: Michigan & the Climate Crisis which is presented in conjunction with the Bicentennial LSA Theme Semester.

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Lecture: The Human Era: Living in the Anthropocene

Today's geologic era—the Anthropocene—is dominated by human activity. In this talk, Ben van der Pluijm explored the impacts of a growing human population and our increasing needs for resources, such as food, water and energy, and solutions toward a thriving human society in this new era.

• Ben van der Pluijm, B.R. Clark Collegiate Professor, U-M Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

For more information on future Science Cafes, please visit our website. 

Science Café: Safeguarding Science: Expanding Access to Public Data

A discussion with U-M faculty and librarians participating in the national DataRefuge project, which looks to preserve, organize, and increase access to publicly-funded research data.

• Jake Carlson, Research Data Services Manager, U-M Library
• Paul Edwards, Professor of Information, School of Information and Professor of History, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
• Catherine Morse, Government Information, Law and Political Science Librarian
• Justin Schell, Director, Shapiro Design Lab, U-M Library

For more information on future Science Cafes, please visit our website.