taste of science Tampa Bay brings you this special event combining science with a little friendly competition. We’ve partnered with East Lake Community Library and made Bingo our method of choice for sharing our fun facts with you.

Open to all grown ups, you can reserve your spot using the link below.

Meet Darcy Pritchett, Our Science Bingo Host!

All work and no play makes for a very boring bunch of science fans, so taste of science would like to invite you out for an evening of science gaming fun.

Our Tampa chapter is excited to be relaunching with some chat about game theory, followed by a chance to play a series of science board games.
Join us at Corner Club in Seminole Heights to feed yourselves and your curiosity.

This will be a sensory friendly event.

Life is a game

In social situations, do you ever feel like you never quite do the right thing? That’s normal. It happens when your best behavior depends on that of others. What to do? Enter Joel and game theory as a wonderfully nerdy branch of mathematics -- think game of chicken, prisoner’s dilemma, and producer-scrounger games. It applies across all of nature including games of fear and stealth between predator and prey. Even cancer treatment is a game between the physician and the cancer cells.

Meet the speaker: Prof. Joel Brown

Check out the games

Join us for a night of interesting and engaging presentations by environmental scientists. Learn about ecology resources, robotics, and harmful algal blooms.

$5 tickets online - $10 at the door

On May 5th we will host an Art & Science Night at Imagine Museum, from 6-8 PM. View the beautiful glass museum and listen to talks by artists inspired by science.

Event tickets here:

$5 tickets (museum included)

https://76188.blackbaudhosting.com/76188/Admission--Ticket-by-Arrival-Time-05May2022-8

On April 20th we will bring a light to a few ecology speakers, who will speak about plants and animals in Tampa Bay. Join us at Hawthorne Bottle Shoppe from 6-8 PM. Good food, good wine, and beautiful atmosphere. Outdoor event (patio setting).

Event tickets here: 

$5 presale, $10 at the door

Join us April 18th to hear the connection between science and music. Listen to talks by a music professor, music therapist, and Ph.D. student. Join us at Bayboro Brewing Company from 6-8 PM. Outside event.

Buy tickets here:

Education and Evolution

Are you interested in learning about how we can use machine learning to help students learn, how humans have changed over time, or how the opioid epidemic started? Come out to hear Dr. Kelli Carter, Associate Professor at Pasco Hernando State College, and Dr. Lorena Madrigal, Professor at the University of South Florida and AAAS fellow, and Dr. Michael Sheehan, addiction psychiatrist and clinical drug researcher, answer these questions and more. Join taste of science Tampa at PJ Dolan’s Irish Pub on Sunday, April 28! 

Dr. Michael Sheehan

The Opioid Epidemic: History & Treatment 

History of narcotic opioid drug use. The recent epidemics worldwide. 40,000 deaths in USA last year. Cultural attitudes, problems and solutions. 

(more details coming soon!)

Dr. Lorena Madrigal

Recent human evolution: How do we detect it and why do we study it?

Dr. Lorena Madrigal is renowned for her studies on evolutionary studies among living or recent people. For example, she documented the formation of the Indo-Costa Rican population locally known as the Culis, In this talk, Lorena will dispel mis-understandings about modern evolutionary theory, and will use examples from her own work to show how modern human populations are still evolving.

Join us as we closeout or week-long festival for a morning at Gandy beach dedicated to community service and science!
9:30a: Keep Pinellas Beautiful starts the morning with a beach clean-up along the south side of the beach (about 1/4 mi east of The Getaway).
10:30a: taste of science Tampa Bay picnic style talks start where the clean-up began.

Remember to bring: chairs or blanket to sit, your own food and drink to enjoy the picnic! KPB will provide gloves and materials for the clean up.

Hillary Stockdon

Shifting Sands: Understanding the hazards that come with living where the ocean meets the land - Many of the things we love about Florida - the beautiful beaches and clear waters – also make it a hazardous place to live. During hurricanes, waves and surge dramatically reshape our coastlines. Sea level rise threatens low-lying towns with nuisance flooding. However, there is strong science that explains how coasts respond to these external forces. With this understanding of the natural system, we can predict areas of future vulnerability and provide useful guidance to decision-makers.

About Hilary: Dr. Hilary Stockdon is the Science Advisor for Coastal Change Hazards at the U.S. Geological Survey. She grew up exploring the woods of Virginia.

Patrick Schwing (@PatrickTSchwing)

Oil Spills in the Gulf of Mexico and potential implications for the Tampa Bay Area - We have learned a great deal about oil exposure and response of Gulf of Mexico ecosystems following the Deepwater Horizon (2010) & Ixtoc (1979-80) oil spills. We have also gained invaluable information about natural Gulf ecosystem operation and connectivity. Patrick’s talk will provide an overview of several scientific efforts underway to aid responders and managers in the case of future oil spills, the current setting for deepwater drilling in the Gulf and implications for the Tampa Bay area.

About Patrick: As a research associate at the USF, College of Marine Science, Patrick studies human impacts on marine seafloor systems.

Cary Lopez & Sugandha Shankar

Pyrodinium bahamense: coming this summer to a water body near you…Tampa Bay? - Phytoplankton are important and critical to life, but a small percentage of species can be harmful. Most Floridians know the harmful red tide alga well, but this talk will focus on a toxic, bioluminescent species called Pyrodinium bahamense, and why blooms of this species are a recurring summer feature in Tampa Bay.

About Cary Lopez: Cary is a phytoplankton ecologist by training, and her research focuses on a toxic alga that blooms in Tampa Bay most summers.

About Sugandha Shankar: Sugandha is a phytoplankton ecologist and her current projects focus on harmful algal bloom ecology and physiology. She is interested in understanding environmental factors that favor bloom maintenance and toxin production.

Kids’ Day in the Gardens!

Join taste of science Tampa and the University of South Florida Department of Integrative Biology at the USF Botanical Gardens for a morning of fun for all ages! Multiple, interactive exhibits specifically planned for the younger taste of science audience members will be set up for hands-on learning about topics from geology to plant biology. Come meet friendly USF students and biologists as they tell you about their favorite science! Join us for things that go BOOM!

Ticket price of $5 covers admission and proceeds go to the gardens. More information about the USF Botanical Gardens can be found here.

Start your weekend with a cup of Joe with a triple shot of SCIENCE! This special morning edition of taste of science brings speakers from Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, USF Oncology, and University of Florida

Suganthi Sridhar

CD82, a protein that prevents cancer spread - Suganthi’s research focuses on a protein called CD82 that prevents cancer from spreading in prostate cancer. I will discuss our lab findings on what we have discovered so far about the protein and how we think it may be regulating cancer spread to other areas.

About Suganthi: Suganthi is an associate professor (Biology) at USFSP. She holds a B.S & M. S (Biochemistry) & Ph.D. in physiology and was a professor (at GVSU) prior to USFSP

Peter Westmoreland

Act Like a Right-Hander - 90% of human beings are right-handed, and the human world is designed for encounter with the right hand. This right hand bias is well-known, and special devices such as scissors, coffee mugs, and wooden spoons are designed for left-handers. From the perspective of one-off accommodations, however, the extent of right hand bias is unclear. Are there norms or rules governing handed activity?

About Peter: Peter is a Senior Lecturer in the Philosophy Department at the University of Florida.

Katurah Jenkins-Hall

The Psychology of Breaking Bad Habits - The presentation will address the psychology of how habits start, how they are reinforced, how they are maintained and why they are so hard to break. Using a cognitive/behavioral model, the presenter will discuss addictive/habitual behaviors including food addictions, drug addictions and sex addictions--For those who have kicked the habit, there will be a discussion of thoughts and behaviors that lead to relapse and ways to avoid returning to old habits.

About Katurah: Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Dr. Jenkins-Hall is the first African-American female to receive a Ph.D. in Clinical/Community Psychology

Friday’s Fusion

Have you ever wanted to learn how modern forensics can help study past civilizations, understand the psychology of a criminal, or take a 3D tour of Mars!?!? If so you need to come out to 7venth Sun Brewery Tampa for a funky Friday night taste of science! We will be joined by Dr. Bryanna Fox, former FBI Special Agent and current Professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of South Florida, Dr. Antonio Paris, a NASA trained Planetary Scientist and former astrophysics professor, and Liotta Dowdy, PhD candidate in the Department of Anthropology at the University of South Florida. Our distinguished speakers will take us on a tour of past, present, and maybe even future societies and the techniques and psychology they use in their research!

Dr. Bryanna Fox

The science behind offender profiling and criminal psychology

Dr. Fox is a USF Professor specializing in criminal psychology and policing, and former FBI Special Agent.

Liotta Dowdy

Isotope analysis to help reconstruct past diet and migration patterns for past populations or individuals

The purpose of this talk is to introduce the utility of chemical isotope analysis in forensics or looking at past human populations. What is isotope analysis? How it is useful in forensics? 

In my current dissertation research, I am looking at modern populations and their enamel to determine the quantity of chemical isotopes and trace elements in the teeth from different regions of Florida or out of the state; and to examine the regional variation of the quantities of these elements. Therefore, we pursue to create a geographic map (isoscape) of the elemental isotopes ratios and/or values in teeth that will be useful in the identification process of the missing and unidentified people in the U.S.A.

Not to go elementary on you, but our speakers will breakdown the fundamentals of their research in three unique topics: baseball science, robotics, and communicating climate change.

Join us for our second night at Cage Brewing in St. Petersburg to meet some local scientists and the work they’re doing to make St. Pete a better city.

Will Cousins

Science and Technology in Baseball - Over the past decade, technology has allowed for the measurement of detailed information on what happens in a baseball game, ranging from the spin of pitched baseballs, exact trajectories of home runs, and the motion of players on the field. We'll talk about this new information and how it impacts the game.

About Will: Will is the Director of Research and Development for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Sandra Vernon-Jackson

Bots… Robotics that is! - Robotics in the classrooms for All students: Access and Equity. The discussion is Bots/robotics education in the classroom, the necessary evil for teacher…and Why Bots

About Sandra: Dr. Jackson is a STEM Educator and the Director of the STEM INQ Innovation Lab at the USFSP College of Education. Her research interest focus on equity, gender, cultural identity in STEM education and STEM-related fields.

Joanna Huxster (@Doc_Hux)

Public Controversy Over Science: Lessons for Communication - Why is there a disconnect between scientists and the public when it comes to scientific issues like climate change, vaccine safety, and GMOs? How can we better communicate about science that has become publicly and politically "controversial?"

About Joanna: Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at Eckerd College. I study public understanding of science, particularly for issues like climate change.

Health: from Humanity to Hippos

Are you ready for some Wednesday global health and wellness? Well, then you should join us at Skipper’s Smokehouse on April 24 with:

• Dr. Dominique Keller, Senior Zoo Veterinarian at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

• Dr. Thomas Unnasch, Department Chair & Distinguished University of South Florida Health Professor and Interim Chair of Environmental and Occupational Health

• Dr. Derek Wildman, Professor in the College of Public Health at the University of South Florida.

  Scroll down to read more about our fantastic speakers and their transformative science to be discussed.

  See you on Wednesday!

Dr. Thomas Unnasch

Using Science to help eliminate river blindness

Onchocerciasis, or river blindness, is an ancient scourge that is of the most important causes of socio-economic disruption in Africa. In the most afflicted areas it blinds 40% of the adult population. The international community has been working to eliminate this disease for over 40 years. I have devoted my life to developing new tools to help this elimination effort. I will provide an overview of this very important but little-known disease, discuss the challenges we face when trying to eliminate it.

Dr. Derek Wildman

How has pregnancy evolved? 

What causes a pregnant woman to go into labor? How come elephant pregnancies are almost two years long while a mouse pregnancy last only three weeks? Can DNA tell scientists whether a woman is going to deliver a preterm infant? Can we inherit the biological effects from traumatic events our ancestors experienced? I will do my best to answer these and other big questions in pregnancy research.

Join us and celebrate the diversity in science around the Sunshine City. Mr. and Mrs. B welcome us to the courtyard for an evening of science talks and delicious, creole food!

Tampa Bay is a diverse area to live. We are celebrating that diversity with a night dedicated to under-represented minorities and their incredible research.

Karyna Rosario (@karyna_rosario)

Virus Hunting - Viruses are everywhere! However, these obligate parasites are difficult to track. This talk will describe some virus hunting adventures from our lab. We have looked for viruses in a wide range of environments, from wastewater to air, and organisms, from insects to sick marine mammals. We have captured an incredible diversity of viruses and, yet, we are only scratching the surface of the unseen viral world, which holds many surprises.

About Karyna: She is a Research Associate at the USF College of Marine Science with Dr. Mya Breitbart’s lab, where she uses molecular tools to detect viruses in organisms and environmental samples.

Maya Carrasquillo (@BlackSTEMinist)

Social Justice Engineering: Engineering for the Culture - Science can often be disconnected from daily life experiences, inhibiting the diversity of culture and thought in STEM fields. Students from diverse backgrounds have a passion for using their STEM degrees as a way to solve socially relevant challenges in their respective communities. “Social Justice Engineering” asks the questions “what matters for my community” and “how can STEM solve this challenge?” It challenges traditional science towards inclusivity, allows for diverse ideas and solutions.

About Maya: A PhD candidate at USF in Environmental Engineering. I’m a social justice engineer- passionate about science and people! Also, a consultant and blogger

Cara Estes

Remote Sensing: How it works and what we can learn from it - Remote sensing is one of the newest frontiers in science. It allows scientists to monitor many things at once all over the globe. This talk will discuss how remote sensing in satellites provides useful data and describes a few products and services satellites can provide for public health, ocean health, and research.

About Cara: I am a marine oceanographer with a love of coral reef ecosystems. I love science and want other people to enjoy it too.

Help out the kitchen and dining staff by ordering your meal ahead of time. More information on the ticketing website.

Galaxies, Gravity, and Criminology

What decent taste of science festival would be complete without hearing about space, geology, or criminology? Good news! This year, we’ve combined three audience favorites into one exciting Tuesday evening. And did we mention this is all taking place at the awesome Rock Brothers Brewing? Starting with Dr. John Cochran, Professor of Criminology at the University of South Florida, we will learn about the myths, facts, and controversy surrounding the death penalty and his research into social and scientific aspects of its usage in America. Next, you won’t want to miss Dr. Denija Crnojevic, Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Tampa, tell us about her research into how galaxies form and evolve, particularly faint, distant galaxies using space-borne telescopes. Then gravity will bring us back to Earth to meet Mitchell Hastings, who is currently pursuing a PhD in geology at the University of South Florida. Mitchell will tell us how they use changes in gravity to understand what structures and processes occur beneath volcanoes and how they may interact with faults!

Dr. John Cochran

Myths and Facts about the Death Penalty in America

Public opinion on the death penalty is strongly divided with both supporters and opponents offering a variety of reasons for their positions. While these reasons are matters of belief for those who espouse them, they are also open to social scientific inquiry. This inquiry has established some of these beliefs as myths and others as supported by facts. This talk will discuss these beliefs and research behind them.

Dr. Denija Crnojevic

Galaxies in a Nutshell!

What are galaxies, and how did we discover them? Did you know that they can evolve into different shapes and sizes, and that they interact within their "communities" just like humans do? Are you curious about the ultimate fate of our own Galaxy, the Milky Way? I will be talking about this and more (even black holes!), and you will get a chance to ask everything you ever wanted to know about galaxies! 

Mitchell Hastings

Understanding Volcano-Tectonic Interactions: What Can We Learn From Gravity?

Typically, we think of gravity as a constant, something that doesn't change with time or space (at least on Earth). However, that's not the case, gravity varies across the globe as a function of where you are but more importantly, with whats beneath you. This talk is aimed at how we can use changes in gravity to understand what structures and processes occur beneath volcanoes and how they may interact with faults.

We're bringing the taste of science festival to Cueni Brewing for a night of local scientists sharing beer and science. Three speakers will take the stage for the latest science-focused talks coming out of Dunedin.

Caden Hjelseth

The Sciences of Brewing - A discussion of how biology, chemistry, and thermodynamics come together in every pint of beer we consume. There will be a quick dive into each of these branches of science, and a couple ways they are used or incorporated into the brewing process. We will pair the branches of science with a flight of beer, in order to give examples of the results. There will also be a brief rundown of the general brewing process, and how ingredients effect flavors.

About Caden: Caden is the head brewer at House of Beer in Dunedin, FL.

Savannah Gandee

Bottlenose Dolphin Dorsal Identification Research - Dorsal identification involves taking high quality photography of wild resident bottlenose dolphin dorsal fins and using unique fin markings to tell one apart from the other. Studying dolphins not only allows us to better understand their community, but ecosystem health as a whole. This presentation will be an overview of our study, the unique stories of some of our study animals, and what we hope to learn from our data.

About Savannah: Savannah acts as the current Education Coordinator at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Growing up in Florida, she has always had a passion for marine life which lead her to pursuing a degree in Marine Science from the University of South Florida. During her senior year, Savannah began her journey at the aquarium as a volunteer eventually leading into an internship with the Rescue Team post-graduation. After this internship, she was hired on as staff with the Education and Research team where she has found profound interest in the team’s various research projects and education outreach. Currently, Savannah is working towards her Master’s degree from the University of Florida in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences and serves as a co-investigator on the team’s Dorsal ID permit.

Bryan Beckman

Pinellas Ready for 100 - St. Pete, Largo, and Dunedin have set 100% renewable energy goals. Come learn why and how they moving ahead. Also learn what other cities are doing and what the rest of Pinellas can do.

About Bryan: I am a retired volunteer for Suncoast Sierra. I lead our Pinellas Ready for 100 campaign, which engages cities and county to set 100% renewable goals

Russell Ferlita (@rferlita78)

Dunedin Water Plant Refurbishment - The City has had a close, working relationship with its chosen design builder throughout pilot testing, planning, design, and now construction of improvements to its reverse osmosis water treatment plant. All stages of the project will be covered in this presentation.

About Russell: B.S. in Chemistry - Loyola, M.S. & Ph.D. - USF. 5 yrs as Research Chemist - Merck, 5 yrs Process Manager - Doosan, 3yrs at Dunedin

Diversity and Inclusion in STEM

Despite pervasive stereotypes and media portrayals, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields today have become more diverse and inclusive than ever. Nobel prize winning work such as the discovery of green fluorescent proteins or the creation of immune-based therapies for cancer are just two of many discoveries made possible by multi-cultural teams of men and women. But reaching this point has not been easy, and efforts to improve STEM diversity and inclusivity need to remain a priority. To better understand the challenges of maintaining and expanding diversity and inclusion, Dr. Anita Marshall, an advocate and researcher of disability inclusion in STEM as well as a member of Choctaw Nation, Dr. Daniel Cruz-Ramirez de Arellano, LGBTQA+ advocate and instructor of general and organic chemistry at the University of South Florida, and Renee Fonseca, graduate student with a passion for diversity studying genetics and bioinformatics at the University of South Florida will join taste of science Tampa for an interactive discussion at The Bricks Ybor on Monday, April 22!

Dr. Anita Marshall

Adventures in Accessible Geology Field Research

Many geologists have tales of adventure out in the wilds of nature. Field research is an important part of our academic training and a big part of our cultural identity as geologists. Come hear a very different take on these tales as we talk about the challenges and triumphs of doing field research with a disability. From the slopes of an active volcano in Nicaragua to the bogs of western Ireland, this is a globe-trotting tale of science, innovation, teamwork and creative problem solving.

Dr. Daniel Cruz-Ramirez de Arellano

Queer in STEM: Demographics and Disrupting Stereotypes of Identity

The Queer in STEM national study provides an unprecedented look at the personal stories and workplace experiences of LGBTQ-identified STEM professionals. Quantitative analysis of 1,427 participant responses to an online survey allows us to describe the diversity of LGBTQ identities and STEM fields represented by survey participants. Qualitative analysis of 54 semi-structured interviews allows us to develop a model of identity for queer professionals in STEM fields.

Renee Fonseca

From Professors to Participants: Improving diversity in science

Diversity and science are more closely linked than you might think. From the people doing research to study participants, a lack of diversity is creating knowledge gaps. When entire populations are left of out of STEM everything from artificial intelligence to medical treatments, and education to quality of life falls behind. 

Whether you’re celebrating Earth Day or want to kick off the 2019 taste of science festival, join us at Cage Brewing for three local speakers sharing their research over a glass of Galaxy Cat APA or Mango Bob’s IPA (or any number of their craft beer selection).

Ryan Venturelli studies Antarctica to better understand what changes in ice over thousands of years means for the future of the planet. Jennifer Sedillo is the program director of the USFSP Brewing Arts Program, but for tonight she's talking about the Science of Taste!

Ryan Venturelli (@raventurelli)

Subglacial lake science: from space lasers to sediments - Antarctic subglacial lakes remain one of the most unexplored regions of Earth's surface. Throughout the last decade, almost 400 of these lakes have been identified with the use of multi-mission satellite altimetry (SPACE LASERS), but only two have been directly sampled. As part of the Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access (SALSA) project, Mercer Subglacial Lake was recently sampled (January, 2019). Here I will discuss preliminary findings and what this means for the way we view Antarctica.

About Ryan: PhD Candidate at USF-CMS using novel geochemical techniques to answer questions about, "What happened?" and, "When?" in the geologic past!

Jennifer Sedillo

Science of Taste (of Beer) - Beer tasting and judging uses all of the senses to evaluate beer and its quality. The flavor of a beer depends on the taster's perception. The use of gustatory, olfactory, and trigeminal senses help us to perceive flavor. There is a lot of research in this field but individuals are unique in how they perceive flavor. There are many chemical compounds and combinations of compounds found in beer that will alter the flavor and the quality of beer based on the style and local palate.

About Jennifer: I am the director of the USFSP Brewing Arts Program. I am a microbiologist by training and a certified beer judge.

Get ready to be amazed by Dr. Antonio Paris, Dr. Christine Theodore, and Dr. Olaseni Sode at 7venth Sun Brewery!  Dr. Paris is Chief Scientist at the Center for Planetary Science and renowned author who excels in bringing planetary science to the people.  Dr. Theodore is a Professor of Chemistry at The University of Tampa where she works as natural products chemist focusing on finding new drug leads for research.  Dr. Sode specializes in theoretical and computational chemistry at The University of Tampa, where he is a Professor of Chemistry researching the chemical properties of carbon dioxide. 

Come over to 7venth Sun Brewery for a lively Friday evening of marine science discussion with the Associate Curator of The Florida Aquarium and "Shark Guy" Eric Hovland and Dr. Kristine White, professor, marine biologist, and amphipod specialist at The University of Tampa.  You are welcomed and encouraged to stick around afterwards for a complimentary viewing of the stunning Chasing Coral documentary, courtesy of the film producers!  

Would you like to know a secret?  We here at taste of science love birds!  Do you know what else we love?  DINOSAURS!  So how could anyone resist this incredible opportunity to join Dr. Ryan Carney and Dr. Holly Kilvitis at Hidden Springs Ale Works to learn about birds, dinosaurs, and diseases?!  

Important Parking Information: 

If driving, please park either in their lot directly across from Hidden Springs on Franklin Street, on Henderson Avenue just west of Tampa Street, or use any available street parking along Franklin Street.

Join us at c.1949 for Women in Science, an evening dedicated to past, present, and future women scientists and their remarkable contributions to science, featuring Dr. Lori Collins and Jaclyn Angelo!  Dr. Collins is a professor and co-director of the Digital Heritage and Humanities Collections (DHHC) in the University of South Florida Libraries, working to preserve and protect the world’s cultural and natural heritage through education and global engagement.  Jaclyn is a forensics expert, with more than a decade of experience in the field who currently uses her training to close unsolved cases using DNA evidence.

Meet us at Coppertail Brewing for an evening of brainstorming!  We are delighted to have Marissa Voors, a speech-language pathologist, Dr. Amber Gum, a psychologist and professor at the University of South Florida, and Dr. Eric Lau, a cancer biologist and assistant professor at the Moffitt Cancer Center share their stories and talk with us about the clever approaches they use to tackle familiar health complications and challenges in our community.