Join taste of science and other science organizations from across New York City! Get some post-work drinks in your face, and some brand new knowledge in your brain. Several stations of experts on the week’s theme will be set up around the bar — grab a drink, and choose your own adventure. Each expert has a 10-minute speed-lesson, so you can get the basics or go deep. Each week features experts on a different topic, so come back next week for all-new stuff!
Are you Smarter Than a 6th Grader?
Hosted by SOWING
Scientists all over New York City are desperately trying to make our fellow New Yorkers more science-literate. For some of us, it’s even a full-time job. It’s hard work, and so we have recently joined forces as SOWING (Science Outreach Working to Inspire the Next Generation). Typically, SOWING members are focused on grade school students, whose minds are more malleable than the average adult. For this one night, we turn our attention to you -- and ask, ‘Are YOU smarter than a 6th grader’ (at least when it comes to basic science)? How about after a few beers?
Stations
BioBus: What the %&$# am I looking at?
Meet the scientists and microscope nerds who run BioBus — operators of research-grade mobile microscope laboratories that drive all around New York City. Although you can usually find us parked outside of grade schools, tonight, we’ll bring some of the BioBus experience to you. The name of the game is “What the %&$# am I looking at?” — using your powers of observation and reasoning, you’ll be challenged to use a microscope to identify animate and inanimate objects found across our fine city. You’ll get extra points for more scientific answers: “It’s a bug!” is not as good as “It’s a roach!” which will be beaten by “That’s a fine example of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica”. (“It’s gross” is not a scientifically valid answer and will earn zero points.) Leave with a new appreciation for the micro-world that surrounds you, which you probably usually ignore.
Glowing Genes or… add some DNA to your day! by DNA Learning Center
This station introduces you to recombinant-DNA techniques used to manufacture human insulin and other biotech products. Learn how scientists use restriction enzymes to clone a jellyfish gene into bacteria and observe the resulting transformants glowing green under UV-light! These bacteria can also be used as paint to create unique works of Agar Art!
Rank-A-Virus by RockEDU
Viruses and their impact on the human population are common topics in the news. We’ve read about historical pandemics like the Spanish flu, or the multiple cholera outbreaks during the 19th and 20th centuries. More recently, we have seen the devastation resulting from the ebola virus, and are in the midsts of another really rough flu season. What does it mean to be infectious? How do we determine the public health risks related to viral pandemics? Join RockEDU to play a game about viruses, and hang out with our resident immunologist (and a few of her friends, who also know some things about science).
taste of science: Sense-ational Science
We are taste of science; we bring mind-bending science out of the lab and into bars near you! When was the last time you thought about the biology of taste? Was it sixth grade, looking at an outdated diagram of sweet and salty taste bud regions on the tongue? If that’s the case, join us for a refresher course on gustation – we promise this will be a whole lot more fun! We’ll scramble your senses so you can test whether your nose or tongue contribute more towards your enjoyment of beer (or wine!), and we’ll put that old diagram to the test and find out where sweet and salty taste buds are really located on the tongue. Bon ap!
New York Academy of Sciences — Hack your Health!
Hack Your Health is designed to help kids gain computer science skills while engaging in physical activities and learning about their health. Normally designed for middle school students, during Pregame Your Brain, you can test your knowledge of computer science, physiology, and how the human body functions as a data generating machine all through this interactive station designed to get your heart pumping.
NYU are Women in STEM (NYUrWIS): A Color Symphony
NYU Are Women in STEM (NYUrWIS) provides resources and support for women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at New York University Medical Center. Through seminars, mentorship programs, and informal socials, NYUrWIS helps women reach their professional goals in the scientific realm. On a monthly basis, NYUrWIS volunteers visit the Connelly Middle School of the Cornelia Connelly Center to help foster the next generation of female scientists! Through doing fun science activities, we hope to mentor younger girls and open their minds to the possibility of pursuing careers in STEM. Today you will be doing a Color Symphony experiment with dish soap, milk, and food coloring to learn about solubility and the scientific method. Have you ever wondered why cleaning a dish with soap is much more effective than using just water? You will find out! Plus, it will be colorful so that’s fun.