These special events are designed to give visitors a hands-on experience in science! All Science Saturday events are included with the cost of tour admission. Please call 520.838.6200 for more information. Check back often as new dates and activities are added to the calendar regularly!
The Fin Foundation reaches out into the community with presentations on ocean life and marine conservation. Using marine artifacts such as shark jaws and shells for hands-on learning experiences, The Fin Foundation allows people who live far from the ocean to experience sea life up close! In addition to marine artifacts, the Fin Foundation uses vivid photography and video images to enhance presentations. The Fin Foundation presents to all ages from pre-school through college and for a wide variety of community groups. The Fin Foundation is a consortium of marine biologists, educators, ocean enthusiasts, photographers and community volunteers working to bring marine science and ocean awareness to communities across the Southwest.
Student-developed science-education workshops! Come learn about the Sonoran Desert through demonstrations and hands-on activities!
Student Presentation Topics:
Jordan Hill
Storyteller
Jordan Hill is a supremely animated professional storyteller and wondering/wandering minstrel. The traditional tales he tells bursting with energy, enchantment, and adventure deepen and enliven listener s relationships to elements of science and nature. While the stories grow out of such roots deep in the world around us, Jordan in turn roots himself so firmly in the expansive world of the story that listeners cannot help but join him there, as their imaginations fly alongside of him through further worlds wonderful and joyous.
Click here to see Earth Day video
Dan Griffin
B2 Science and Society Fellow
Title and Description TBA
The Physics Factory is a team of scientists and educators with a common goal: to share their enthusiasm for physics with the community! Through a combination of hands-on learning and eye-popping demonstrations, The Physics Factory aims to show that physics is an exciting process of discovery and invention! Come participate in the fun!
The Physics Factory is a team of scientists and educators with a common goal: to share their enthusiasm for physics with the community! Through a combination of hands-on learning and eye-popping demonstrations, The Physics Factory aims to show that physics is an exciting process of discovery and invention! Come participate in the fun!
Jordan Hill
Storyteller
Jordan Hill is a supremely animated professional storyteller and wondering/wandering minstrel. The traditional tales he tells bursting with energy, enchantment, and adventure deepen and enliven listeners' relationships to elements of science and nature. While the stories grow out of such roots deep in the world around us, Jordan in turn roots himself so firmly in the expansive world of the story that listeners cannot help but join him there, as their imaginations fly alongside of him through further worlds wonderful and joyous.
The Fin Foundation reaches out into the community with presentations on ocean life and marine conservation. Using marine artifacts such as shark jaws and shells for hands-on learning experiences, The Fin Foundation allows people who live far from the ocean to experience sea life up close! In addition to marine artifacts, the Fin Foundation uses vivid photography and video images to enhance presentations. The Fin Foundation presents to all ages from pre-school through college and for a wide variety of community groups. The Fin Foundation is a consortium of marine biologists, educators, ocean enthusiasts, photographers and community volunteers working to bring marine science and ocean awareness to communities across the Southwest.
Chris Goforth
B2 Science and Society Fellow
Come participate in a hands-on, booth style presentation focusing on the aquatic insects of Arizona! See live insects and view a variety of pinned specimens as you become more aware of what is lurking in the waters of our state. A short activity will help you focus on one or two insects in more detail. Chris will also answer questions about aquatic insects and will provide a handout on water gardening to attract aquatic insects to your home.
The Physics Factory is a team of scientists and educators with a common goal: to share their enthusiasm for physics with the community! Through a combination of hands-on learning and eye-popping demonstrations, The Physics Factory aims to show that physics is an exciting process of discovery and invention! Come participate in the fun!
Alandra Kahl
B2 Science and Society Fellow
What do the labels on the bottoms of plastic bottles mean? What and how should I recycle? What is BPA and why should I be concerned about it? How can I avoid exposure to BPA? Get the answers to these and other questions as Alandra presents different types of plastics, explains what the recycling symbols mean, and explains which are the best to choose to avoid harmful chemicals.
The Physics Factory is a team of scientists and educators with a common goal: to share their enthusiasm for physics with the community! Through a combination of hands-on learning and eye-popping demonstrations, The Physics Factory aims to show that physics is an exciting process of discovery and invention! Come participate in the fun!
The Physics Factory is a team of scientists and educators with a common goal: to share their enthusiasm for physics with the community! Through a combination of hands-on learning and eye-popping demonstrations, The Physics Factory aims to show that physics is an exciting process of discovery and invention! Come participate in the fun!
MACS is a student-run outreach club at the University of Arizona that educates the public about how to conserve the ocean. Activites used in this effort include: a hands-on fish diversity station that shares fun facts about preserved fish (gloves are provided); a fish building station where kids and adults can make their own fish using their imaginations; and a plankton station where people can view plankton samples. Also available are sea food guides on the best types of sustainable sea food choices when eating out, as well as information about the vaquita, an endangered species in the Sea of Cortez.
Dan Griffin
Biosphere 2 Science and Society Fellow
This presentation will review dendrochronology and some of its salient applications. The principal tenets behind tree-ring science, including cross-dating, environmental site selection, sample replication, and uniformitarianism will be discussed. An overview of several of the fellow's tree-ring projects will be given, with applications in climatology, ecology, archeology, and conservation.
Bryan Moravec
Biosphere 2 Science and Society Fellow
In this hands-on activity, visitors will have a chance to microscopically view 3 incubated soils collected from around Tucson and will get to perform a contact slide assay to see the diversity and abundance of different soil microbial populations. Participants will: 1) learn that microbes live in the soil; 2) observe how fertilizers increase microbe communities in soil and make them more robust; 3) see how sodium affected soils are simply dead or devoid of microbes; and 4) learn how all plants rely on soil microbes for access to nutrients. Soil microbial identification pictures will be available to assist participants in identifying microbes observed in the microscope.
Kelly Arganbright
Gina Watkinson
This workshop introduces ethnobotany of the Sonoran Desert. Find out how native tribes survived in the desert by living off the land. Explore how genetic diversity is important ecologically, evolutionarily, and economically and even how it plays a factor in modern day health concerns. Enjoy soup made of ancient desert heirloom beans. Kids can paint with traditional cochineal dye using paintbrushes they have made! Discover how you can incorporate desert plants into your own diet to promote genetic diversity and improve health.
"Water and Life" is a new exhibit on the relationship between liquid water and the evolution of life on earth. Water has played a pivotal role in human culture, religion, food gathering, conflict, and exploration; the evolving geology of the earth; and the evolution of all life on our planet, even in the most extreme environments. The exhibit, located in the human habitat building, includes artifacts, hands-on interactives, and images. The exhibit is the first of three slated to open that will cover water and supports one of Biosphere 2's missions which is to catalyze interdisciplinary thinking and understanding about the Earth, its living systems, and its future, as well as improving understanding of soil-water-atmosphere-plant-society interactions providing insight into the impacts and causes of global environmental change and variation.
Michael Weiss & Seth Wisniewski Smith
In this workshop we will be exploring the Desert Tortoise and the Lowland Leopard Frog as two examples of native species that are under pressure from a number of dangers. An interactive discussion session for each species will explain who each animal is and exactly what challenges are threatening their existence. Human development and expansion is threatening a journey Desert Tortoises have needed for millions of years to keep the genetics of their populations alive; an invasive species of bullfrog is outcompeting our local Lowland Leopard Frogs and carrying with it a deadly fungus that is decimating amphibian populations. We will be playing games, collecting scientific data, and singing a song to drive the points home in a fun and memorable way. Everyone will have the chance to write down a suggestion for addressing the issues presented, and will be entered into a raffle to win cool Biosphere2 stuff!
Alandra Kahl
Biosphere 2 Science and Society Fellow
Is it time to nix the Nalgene? Pharmaceutical compounds in water are a growing concern, especially as water scarcity increases and we look to other sources to obtain water. Widespread domestic use of compounds like BPA, flame retardants, and anti-microbials contribute to their eventual appearance in municipal wastewater. In this talk, Alandra Kahl, a graduate student at the University of Arizona, will discuss her work on tracking trace compounds like these in water resources, specifically wetlands. Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that are often used for remediation, even that of effluent and biosolids from wastewater. Wastewater is also a primary entryway for trace organics into the environment. Current research focuses on tracking and possibly treating these compounds with wetlands as a sustainable solution.
The Physics Factory is a team of scientists and educators with a common goal: to share their enthusiasm for physics with the community! Through a combination of hands-on learning and eye-popping demonstrations, The Physics Factory aims to show that physics is an exciting process of discovery and invention! Come participate in the fun!
David Reznick
Professor
University of California, Riverside
"Darwin's book was misnamed, because it is...not a treatise on the origin of species." (E. Mayr, 1942)
Ernst Mayr was one of the foremost evolutionary biologists of the 20th century and a major figure in shaping our modern concept of species and speciation. When I read this quote, it distressed me, since I and most others thought that Darwin wrote about the origin of species. It took me over 20 years to reconcile Darwin and Mayr and to confirm that The Origin of Species was indeed about the origin of species. Doing so means envisioning the Origin's place in a stream of science. There were concepts of species and speciation before Darwin, but Darwin's vision forever changed our thinking. The scientists who followed did not see the Origin as a statement of truth, but rather as a challenge to first ask if Darwin was correct, then to study the consequences of what Darwin referred to as "transmutation" (his word for speciation). In the process, the theory of evolution evolved, as did our understanding of what a species is and how speciation occurs. Mayr's statement is a measure of the divide between Darwin's understanding of speciation in 1859 and Mayr's in 1942. Evolution has continued to evolve since Mayr. This talk will describe our evolving understanding of the meaning of species and the process of speciation.
Josh Ruddick, Alex Lichtblau, Emily Kaleugher
Biological Pollutants alter the ecology of the area and threaten specific species. These pollutants are often introduced intentionally by humans to solve other issues. Focusing on three examples of human interventions that have adversely affected Sonoran Desert ecology we will examine two invasive species and one instance of human recovery efforts gone awry. Learn about the research coming from the University of Arizona, and our commitment to bettering the natural world around us. Find out how you can get involved and help stem the tide of invasive species and how you can prevent future pollutants from being introduced into our Sonoran Desert. Come see our workshop on Biological Pollutants!
Janel Michels & Anna Alderman
When you think of a desert, the last thing that comes to mind is aquatic life. Yet, the Sonoran desert is divided by one of the most diverse marine ecosystems- the Sea of Cortez. Come and learn about the various types of sea stars, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers in the Sea of Cortez and interact with some live aquatic life. Learn what these marine animals eat and where they live. Observe how human activity in the Sonoran desert affects the Sea of Cortez and learn about current conservation efforts. Lots of interactive demonstrations and activities are provides for people of all ages.
Chris Goforth
Biosphere 2 Science and Society Fellow
In this fun, lighthearted lecture, Chris will cover some of the interesting behaviors of the giant water bugs, focusing on the species of Arizona, and how they interact with their environment. Chris will share some of her data from her own research program, and she will pass around bugs and other “hands-on” items to handle as well!
Aletris M. Neils and Geoffrey H. Palmer
Apex predators play a crucial roll in maintaining ecosystem functions, and yet human activities continue to reduce predator populations and sometimes even drive them to extinction. We will be discussing the importance of apex predators in preserving biological diversity, and focus on the five top predators native to Arizona; the mountain lion, jaguar, Mexican wolf, black bear, and grizzly bear. We will recount the stories of the past persecution of these predators, and present the current conservation efforts to preserve remaining populations. We will have skulls, tracks, and skins of these Arizona predators on hand to teach distinctive characteristics for identification, and have an activity that illustrates the impact top predators have on ecosystems.
The Physics Factory is a team of scientists and educators with a common goal: to share their enthusiasm for physics with the community! Through a combination of hands-on learning and eye-popping demonstrations, The Physics Factory aims to show that physics is an exciting process of discovery and invention! Come participate in the fun!
How and why did Biosphere 2 come into being? What kinds of architectural and engineering challenges were overcome? Were new technologies developed? What kinds of materials and building techniques were used during construction? Come hear answers to these and many other fascinating questions from Bernd Zabel, Biosphere 2’s original construction general manager.
Bernd Zabel was raised in Munich, where he graduated with a Master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Technical University. He also received his certification as a teacher. In 1985, Bernd joined the Biosphere 2 project in Tucson as general manager of construction for the three-acre sealed experimental system. Designed to create a living laboratory in which to study ecological processes at work in the biosphere of planet Earth, Biosphere 2 originally contained tropical rainforest, savannah, marsh, ocean, desert and agriculture ecosystems, as well as a sophisticated human residence and monitoring facility. Bernd also trained as a Biosphere 2 crew candidate for five years and helped develop the aquaculture systems of Biosphere 2. In 1994, he lived sealed inside Biosphere 2 for six months as a crewmember during Biosphere 2’s second mission. He served as Director of Engineering and Biospheric Operations with responsibility for all operating systems that maintain the atmosphere, living conditions, and physical structure of Biosphere 2. In 2000 he resigned as the General Manager of Biosphere 2 to pursue independent consulting projects.
The Physics Factory is a team of scientists and educators with a common goal: to share their enthusiasm for physics with the community! Through a combination of hands-on learning and eye-popping demonstrations, The Physics Factory aims to show that physics is an exciting process of discovery and invention! Come participate in the fun!
All special events are included with the cost of tour admission.
The University of Arizona Biosphere 2 and a UA scientist involved in a new international ocean expedition will present a special public event, “Tara Oceans: Voyage to the Bottom of the Food Chain,” at Biosphere 2 on Saturday, Sept. 5.
Featuring Ted Fleming, PhD, Emeritus Professor, University of Miami and Adjunct Professor, University of Arizona
In recent years, nectar-feeding bats have begun visiting many hummingbird feeders throughout the greater Tucson area. This talk will review the ecology of lesser long-nosed bats (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae), the principal midnight raider, and will describe a monitoring program that aims to understand its use of hummingbird feeders in an urban setting. Away from Tucson, this bat is a major pollinator of columnar cacti in the Sonoran Desert and of paniculate agaves in upland parts of southern Arizona. It is a federally endangered species, so that factors influencing its foraging behavior are of great interest. Learn how you can volunteer to help as a citizen-scientist in the feeder-monitoring program.
