Explore cutting edge science topics, their latest developments, and their relevance to society through speaker presentations followed by question-and-answer period with the audience.
The Fall 2021 Science Inquiry Series Announced
Given the current surge in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fall 2021 Science Inquiry Series will be conducted virtually, via Zoom.
On September 22, Dr. Dana Longcope, MSU Professor and Head of the Physics Department, will discuss how the sun affects our everyday lives through its energetic behavior. On October 13, Dr. Raina Plowright, MSU Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, will relate how pathogens like COVID-19 can spill over from wildlife to domestic animals and human populations. And on November 10, Dr. Dave McWethy, Assistant Research Professor in the MSU Department of Earth Sciences, will discuss the causes and threats of increasing wildfires in the West and how communities can better adapt for the future.
Use the Zoom link provided on this page (below) to tune in to these timely and relevant presentations.
Science Inquiry Series Explores Factors Driving Large Wildfires
What are the factors driving large and destructive wildfires in the West, and how can we protect communities from a future projected to include more? Dr. David McWethy, Associate Professor in MSU’s Department of Earth Sciences, will explore this question in the third and final virtual presentation of the Fall 2021 Science Inquiry Series.
The talk will be presented online via Zoom on Wednesday, November 10 at 7 pm, sponsored by the Gallatin Valley Friends of the Sciences, and co-sponsored by the non-profit community service organization Hopa Mountain and the Museum of the Rockies.
The series explores cutting edge science topics, their latest developments, and their relevance to society through speaker presentations followed by questions from the audience. The talks are free to the public.
In his presentation, titled “Wildfires in Montana: What Does the Future Hold?” McWethy will discuss the causes and threats of increasing wildfires and how communities can better adapt.
Dr. McWethy holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Environmental Studies from MSU, with primary research interests in ecosystem diversity, understanding factors driving changes to Earth’s vegetation, and ecosystem vulnerability to human activity and climate change. He’s a member of MSU’s Paleoecology Laboratory, has published in a wide variety of journals, and was featured in a recent New York Times article examining wildfires in the Western United States.
The Zoom presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer period via the Zoom chat function; the event will last approximately an hour.
To access the Zoom link for the talk on November 10, see below.
Click on Zoom Link to join the session:
Science Inquiry Series Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 821 0939 0204
Passcode: 419126
+1 346 248 7799 US
+1 669 900 6833 US
Note: If you have not used Zoom before, you will need to download the Zoom application. If you cannot or do not wish to connect via your computer, you can connect using one of the telephone numbers above and enter the meeting ID and passcode to listen in.
Keep up on the world of science with this new feature offering links to selected online articles in a variety of disciplines.
October’s Featured Article:
From CNN:
Fossilized Footprints Show Humans Made It to North America Much Earlier Than First Thought
For additional article links, click on the “Science Link” tab above (under the banner).
Click on the “Initiatives” tab above (under the banner) to learn about current science-based initiatives. Current topic: climate change.