Breaking all sorts of stereotypes, the Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) and Rogue Ales in Newport are teaming up to offer the public a taste of science -- along with the usual assortment of beers and food commonly served up in a pub.
They're calling it Science on Tap - a new kind of lecture series set in the relaxed atmosphere of a brewpub or restaurant where audiences are encouraged to ask questions and engage in conversation with scientists about their research. Sponsored by the Friends of HMSC, Science on Tap is being promoted as a family-friendly event.
Over seventy people showed up at the Rogue Ales brewery in Newport on February 15th to hear Oregon State University geologist Bill Chadwick's lecture on undersea volcanoes, prompting the speaker to wonder whether it was his presentation topic or the novel location that had attracted the Friday evening crowd. Judging from the attention level and engagement of the audience through the end of the lecture, science was the main draw, though the availability of beer and food were a nice complement.
Chadwick presented research that he and colleagues from the OSU-NOAA Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies have conducted during expeditions to a chain of active volcanoes that extend north of Guam in the western Pacific for over 600 miles, part of the "Submarine Ring of Fire". Known as the Mariana volcanic arc, the chain is much like the Cascade Range in the northwest, except most of the volcanoes are underwater and have been completely unexplored until recently.
In 2006, dives with a remotely operated vehicle discovered extraordinary ecosystems, including sites with active eruptions, molten sulfur lakes, and liquid carbon dioxide. Despite the extreme environments, unique biological communities seem to thrive at these underwater volcanoes. Chadwick presented dramatic video illustrating these remarkable environments, generating plenty of "oohs" and "ahs" from the audience.
The notion of hosting a scientific talk in a brewpub is not original, admits HMSC Program Manager Ken Hall, explaining that it was inspired by the "Cafe Scientifique" movement that started in England a decade ago as a public forum for learning about and debating science issues. More recently, the trend has taken off in the United States with "Science Cafes" popping up in places like Portland and other cities where universities and museums are seeking innovative ways to connect people to science.
Boston-based public broadcasting station WGBH, producer of the popular NOVA series on television, has even created a web site to promote the science cafe concept, with resources for organizers, presenters and a directory of events happening all over the country. It can be found at www.sciencecafes.org.
The success of the inaugural Science on Tap lecture has already generated requests for this type of event to be repeated. Among the topics being considered for a future presentation is Pacific salmon biology and habitat.