Omaha Science Cafe marks fifth anniversary in February

CLICK ON PHOTO FOR VIDEO: The Science Cafe has been held at the Slowdown in Omaha since 2009.

When people gather at the Slowdown on the evening of Feb. 4 to hear Steven Wengel, M.D., discuss bipolar disorder, it will be a major event of sorts.

The Science Cafe, a free educational event sponsored by UNMC and other groups to increase science literacy, will be marking its five-year anniversary.

Sex, brain surgery, mental illness, dinosaurs, sleep apnea, asteroids, immunizations, suicide — topics have run the gamut.

See sidebar at right for information on this month’s Science Cafe topic.

Cafe brewers These current and former Science Cafe committee members have been integral to the creation and success of the Science Cafe. Victoria Kohout, Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures (partner/sponsor and committee member) Linda Sather, College of Nursing (committee) Amber Donnelly, School of Allied Health Professions (committee) Heidi Kascke, High School Alliance (committee) Kim Ager, School of Allied Health Professions (committee) Giovanni Jones, Interprofessional Education (committee) Denise Britigan, College of Public Health (committee) Nikki Simmons, School of Allied Health Professions (committee) Donald Klepser, College of Pharmacy (former committee member) Nancy Waltman, College of Nursing Lincoln – Lincoln committee member Eric Fung, College of Dentistry Lincoln – Lincoln committee member Peggy Cain, College of Dentistry Lincoln – Lincoln committee member

Val Nelson, manager of the Slowdown, remembers when she was first contacted by Kacie Gerard, UNMC’s science outreach coordinator. Nelson thought the event sounded interesting.

She didn’t think it would last five years.

“(It’s) a very relaxed environment,” she said. “It’s not a lecture hall, it’s not something that’s very structured — you’re going to go to the bar and have a couple of drinks, and learn way more about something than you’ve ever known, probably.”

Gerard said that although the cafe was envisioned as outreach to young professionals, it has proved popular across all age ranges.

“It’s really interactive and fun,” she said.

“In the last two years, we’ve seemed to really hit our stride,” she added. “It’s grown, and it’s getting even bigger than we could have imagined it would be.”

A similar event is held regularly in Lincoln, and UNMC-sponsored Science Cafes have also been held in Kearney, Scottsbluff and Nebraska City.

Tyler Swain, who has been coming to the Omaha cafe for about a year, said he enjoyed the sense of community and the casual environment.

“I think it’s really great for people to learn about science,” he said.
Vicki Rubeck and her husband, Jim, have been coming since the events began, drawn, she said, by the variety of the speakers. They often attend with a group of about 20 people.

“It’s very informational,” she said. “Most of the topics apply to our personal needs.”

The topics are key, Nelson agreed.

“You’re really seeing an expert in that field for free,” she said.

The bar setting opens the audience up, Nelson said.

“The first few (events), people were kind of nervous, but now we have to call last question, because there are so many hands in the air and we’re running out of time.”

The most popular topics? Anything about the brain or sex, Gerard said. Especially sex.

“The sex topics are always intriguing,” Rubeck agreed. “We really get a charge out of those.”