Explore cutting edge science topics, their latest developments, and their relevance to society through speaker presentations followed by conversations between speaker and audience.
Sponsored by the Gallatin Valley Friends of the Sciences, co-sponsored by the non-profit community service organization Hopa Mountain, and hosted by the Museum of the Rockies, the talks for the 2024 fall series will be presented in-person in the Museum of the Rockies’ Hager Auditorium on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm, followed by a question-and-answer period.
The talks are free to the public. Face masks are recommended but not required.
Fall 2024 Science Inquiry Series
Oct 16 – AI and Society: Why It Matters
What is artificial intelligence, and how is it affecting our society today? Dr. John Sheppard, MSU Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, will discuss the issues around creating an “AI” and what this means for people in the real world. He will also introduce the work his lab is doing to develop AI systems to effectively support farmers, wildfire managers, physicians, and military pilots in their work.
Nov 13 – Is an Anthropogenic Planet Domesticating Wildlife? The Case of Coyotes and Gray Wolves in the American West
Humans have transformed every ecosystem on Earth; how is wildlife coping with this immense and rapid ecological change? Dr. Joanna Lambert, professor of ecology and conservation biology at the University of Colorado – Boulder, will discuss her research on how life in the Anthropocene impacts wildlife and their behavioral interactions with humans as we compete over shrinking habitat—with emphasis on the case of coyotes and gray wolves and implications for wildlife management and conservation.
