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Blinded by the Lack of Light

Meredith Protas and student

Genetics of Pigmentation and Eye Loss in the Cave-dwelling Crustacean, Asellus aquaticus

with Meredith Protas, Ph.D. of Dominican University of California, San Rafael

Join us for a Zoom session with Dominican University’s Dr. Meredith Protas. Dr. Protas’s lab investigates the genetics and evolution of cave dwelling animals, specifically crustaceans. The isopod crustacean, Asellus aquaticus, has two different forms: a cave dwelling form and a surface dwelling form. Interestingly, these two forms can be mated together which ultimately allows for an understanding of the genetics behind characteristics found in the cave form such as eye and pigment loss. The questions the lab are asking include:

  • What are the genes and mutations responsible for cave-specific characteristics like eye loss, pigment loss and increased appendage length?
  • In different cave populations are the same or different genes responsible?
  • Where does the variation that causes cave-specific characteristics come from?

To register for this event ask your teacher to contact us, or send a request for registration information via our contact form.

Meredith Protas PhD
Meredith Protas PhD

Before joining the Dominican faculty, Dr. Protas did research at UC Berkeley on cave-dwelling crustaceans and studied the genetic basis of human eye disease in her research work at UCSF. Currently, she uses genetic, molecular, and developmental techniques to answer evolutionary questions about cave animals. Dr. Protas holds a BA in Biology from Pomona College and a PhD in Genetics from Harvard University.

Links:

Photo of Asellus aquaticus, a crustacean
Asellus aquaticus, a crustacean

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I’m a Botanist (and unfortunately I don’t know why your succulent isn’t flowering!)

with Sarah Jacobs PhD of California Academy of Sciences

Wednesday November 9, 2022; 7:30-8:30pm, Terra Linda HS Innovation Hub

Dr. Jacobs is a curator of Botany at the California Academy of Sciences. She helps manage the herbarium (a museum for plants) and also leads a research lab focused on the evolution of plants, specifically the group of wildflowers called ‘the paintbrushes’. In her talk, Dr. Jacobs will describe what it’s like to be a museum scientist and the educational path she took to get there. Along the way, she’ll tell us about the paintbrushes and their biology, as well as highlighting her favorite parts of the type of work that she does.

Dr. Sarah Jacobs of the CA Academy of Sciences

Dr. Sarah Jacobs received her Bachelor of Science at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, a Master of Science at Washington State University, and her doctorate at the University of Idaho. As the Howell Chair of Western North American Botany, she is particularly focused on guiding and shaping the collection of Western North American plants, ensuring their preservation, growth, and relevance into the future.

Castilleja - Texas Indian paintbrush
Texas Indian paintbrush

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Understanding Air Quality Data in the Bay Area

with Michael Flagg of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District

Wednesday, October 12, 2022 – 7:30-8:30 pm – TLHS Innovation Hub, San Rafael

Join Michael Flagg and learn about his career path in air quality monitoring including about his current job at the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). You will also learn how air quality is measured in the Bay Area, how you can access those data, and what that data means. Join us and learn!

Speaker Michael Flagg of the BAAQMD

Michael received a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He currently works as a principal air quality specialist at the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) in the Ambient Air Quality Analysis Office Section. Prior to joining BAAQMD last fall, Michael worked at the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 9 Air Quality Analysis Office for the past 10 years, where he served as a national expert on air monitoring, quality assurance & quality control, implementation of the exceptional events rule, and ambient air quality data analysis supporting federal policy decisions and regulatory actions.

Bay Area Air Quality Management District logo

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Video Games, The Metaverse and the Future of Science Education

with Dane Lancaster of XRMarin and the Marin County Office of Education

Wednesday, September 28, 2022; 7:30-8:30 pm; Terra Linda HS Innovation Hub

Science Education at XRMarin

What is the Science MetaVerse? The new paradigm for STEM education…. Learning in 3D through movement, experience, and discovery.  Check out how high school and college students around the world are using Virtual and Augmented Reality to enhance STEM learning. You will get to demo some advanced educational VR content in Math, Chemistry and Biology.

Community Night at XRMarin

Dane Lancaster is the Director of XRMarin, a program of the Marin County Office of Education. Dane’s current efforts are directed towards the application of XR ML and AI for learning, data visualization, design, and collaboration in education and the enterprise. XRMarin is a regional training center for students, educators and the community interested in immersive education and innovation in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. XRMarin offers a variety of student academies, classes, art programs and community workshops that advance the application of these emerging technologies that are certain to impact the way we learn, work, and play. In his previous role as Marin County Office of Education CTO he was responsible technology and information systems supporting Marin County school districts. He has BS in Chemistry from the University of Akron. Earlier in his career he founded the Biofeedback Institute of Marin and taught psychology and computer science at the College of Marin.

Dane Lancaster of XMarin
Dane Lancaster of XRMarin

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Cutting Edge Research on Elephant Seals at Año Nuevo Reserve

With Allison Payne, PhD student at UC Santa Cruz

Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 7:30 – 8:30 pm at Terra Linda HS’s Innovation Hub

The wonderful Allison Payne returns to Marin Science Seminar with a fun, informed natural history of elephant seals and of the long-term monitoring program at Año Nuevo. Along the way she will reveal the marvels of the biologging and tracking research being done on these magnificent creatures. Here’s a link to some maps so you can see where the seals are right now: https://roxannebeltran.weebly.com/research.html

Join us and Learn! (Masks required of all visitors to MSS.)

Allison Payne

Allison’s previous MSS presentation: 9/25/20 CSI Humpbacks: Decoding Whale Scars

WhaleGirl website: www.whalegirl.org

Allison Payne at the Oceanic Society: https://www.oceanicsociety.org/person/allison-payne/

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CSI Humpbacks: Decoding Whale Scars

Title: “CSI Humpbacks: Decoding Whale Scars“ with Allison Payne of San Francisco State’s Estuary and Ocean Science Center

Date: Wed. March 4th, 2020; 7:30 – 8:30 pm at Terra Linda HS in San Rafael, Room 207

Description: Coming soon

Bio: Allison Payne is a graduate student researcher with the Hines Lab at San Francisco State’s Estuary and Ocean Science Center, where she is working on her M.S. in Marine and Estuarine Science. Her thesis is looking at the scars on humpback whales in the Gulf of the Farallones to assess their interactions with fisheries, small vessels, natural predators, and more. She is also a researcher with the Marine Mammal Center Cetacean Field Research team, where she studies harbor porpoises, humpback whales, gray whales, and bottlenose dolphins. She collects much of the data for these projects while working as a naturalist for San Francisco Whale Tours.

Allison received her undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science from UC Berkeley and has worked in labs around the world studying everything from squirrels to ancient whale fossils.

Links:

Facebook event: RSVP here

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Do you Know How to Fix a Broken Heart? Medical Education Simulation Workshop

“Do you Know How to Fix a Broken Heart? Medical Education Simulation Workshop” with Rich Fidler PhD  and the VAMC SF Medical Simulation Team

Date, Time, Location: Wednesday, April 1st, 2020; 7:30 – 8:30 pm at Terra Linda HS in San Rafael, Room 207

Back by popular demand! Join us for an introduction to medical education via simulation, including the educational requirements and job opportunities. There will be a hands-on break out session. Join us and learn!.

Links:

Facebook event: RSVP

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Biologics and Me: A Career in the Biotech Industry

Title: “Biologics and Me: A Career in the Biotech Industry” with Terry Hermiston Ph.D. of Coagulant Therapeutics and GLAdiator Biosciences 

Date: Wed. February 26th, 2020; 7:30 – 8:30 pm at Terra Linda HS in San Rafael, Room 207

“Biologics” are substances made from a living organism or its products which are used in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer and other diseases. Biologic drugs include antibodies, interleukins, replacement factors and vaccines. Dr. Hermiston will discuss his training and career in biologics and the Biotech industry.

Bio: Dr. Hermiston has over 20 years of industrial experience in research and drug development. His experience includes drug development focused on idea conception and concept validation, as well as Scientific Advisory Board and Board of Directors service for biotechnology companies. Dr. Hermiston is currently CEO of Coagulant Therapeutics and GLAdiator Biosciences developing assets acquired from his time working at Bayer. Dr. Hermiston holds a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology from University of Iowa.

Dr. Terry Hemiston

Links:

Facebook event: RSVP here

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Engineering Rivers and Wetlands for Climate Resiliency

Title: “Engineering Rivers and Wetlands for Climate Resiliency” with Rachel Kamman PE of Kamman Hydrology & Engineering

Date: Wed. February 5th, 2020; 7:30 – 8:30 pm at Terra Linda HS in San Rafael, Room 207

Kamman Hydrology & Engineering’s mission is to provide hydrologic, engineering and geomorphology support in the restoration, enhancement and protection of watershed, river, wetland and coastal systems. Rachel Kamman will demonstrate and discuss how this can be done to help rivers and wetlands adjust to changes brought on by climate change.

Bio: Rachel Z. Kamman PE is a consulting hydrologist whose work focuses on ecological habitat restoration. Her San Rafael based consulting practice focuses on projects that revolve around sensitive wetland, fishery, and/or riparian habitat issues and problems. Rachel specializes in the fields of hydraulic and hydrodynamic analysis and modeling, focusing on the protection and restoration of estuarine and wetland systems. Typically, Rachel Kamman works on multi-disciplined projects, collaborating closely with biologists/botanists, ecologists, planners, engineers, and/or regulatory and resource agency staff. She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Lafayette College and an M. Eng., in Hydraulics, Coastal Engineering, Hydrology & Geomorphology from UC Berkeley.

Links:

Facebook event: RSVP here

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Geoengineering and Terraforming: the manipulation of climate on Earth and other planets

Title: “Geoengineering and Terraforming: the manipulation of climate on Earth and other planets” with Warren Wiscombe Ph.D. of NASA Goddard

Date: Wed. January 29th, 2020; 7:30 – 8:30 pm at Terra Linda HS in San Rafael, Room 207

Warren Wiscombe

In 2010 ‘geoengineering’ entered the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘the modification of the global environment or the climate in order to counter or ameliorate climate change’. Geoengineering must be intentional, not accidental (as in the current global warming). And geoengineering is only a stopgap measure on the way to a renewable energy economy.

The safest and most predictable method of moderating climate change is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, geoengineering may be useful to augment emission reductions. While some methods would incur gargantuan costs, notably the space-based ones, others are a relative bargain and technologically easy, notably putting aerosols into the stratosphere. While there are few technical showstoppers, geoengineering technology is nascent, and there are major uncertainties regarding its effectiveness, cost, and environmental impacts.

Terraforming, a much more radical version of geoengineering, is the technology to make an alien planet more suitable for Earth life forms. Edgar Rice Burroughs hypothesized terraforming in his book “Princess of Mars”. Kim Stanley Robinson fleshed out the idea in his trilogy “Red/Green/Blue Mars”. If humanity is to escape extinction, it will have to learn how to do terraforming. Possible methods will be noted, but the field is barely in its infancy.

Bio: Warren Wiscombe got a BS in Physics from MIT and a PhD in Applied Math from Caltech. Starting in 1971, he spent his career working on radiative transfer aspects of climate, notably the interaction of sunlight with clouds and aerosols. From 1983 till retiring in 2013, he worked at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. His core background is in e.m. radiation spanning wavelengths from UV to radio.

Links:

Facebook event: RSVP here

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