Great Plains bird conservation will be the focus of the Jan. 7 Omaha Science Cafe at 7 p.m. at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St.
Presenters will be L. LaReesa Wolfenbarger, Ph.D., professor and chair of biology, and John P. McCarty, Ph.D., professor of biology and director of environmental studies, both from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO).
Drs. Wolfenbarger and McCarty founded and run the UNO Laboratory of Avian Ecology. They collaborated on research for the exhibition by Richard Ibghy and Marilou Lemmens called “Look, it’s daybreak, dear, time to sing,” now on view through Feb. 15 at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts.
Dr. Wolfenbarger conducts research on the ecology and conservation of grassland species and communities in the agricultural landscape of the Great Plains. She also devotes research time to synthesizing information for policymakers and resource managers, so that scientific results are readily available for decision makers.
Dr. McCarty also conducts research in ecology focused on the behavior and evolution of birds. He is especially interested in designing research that meets the needs of policymakers and resource managers, while also addressing basic questions in ecology.
This cafe is being held in partnership with the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, which is located at 724 S. 12th St.
Science Cafes involve a face-to-face conversation with a scientist about current science topics. They are open to everyone (21 and older) and take place in casual settings like pubs and coffeehouses. Each meeting is organized around an interesting topic of conversation. A scientist gives a brief presentation followed by a Q-and-A period.
Pizza will be provided for the first 50 people. See more information about Science Cafes.