Science Friday at GW

Science Friday Live in Washington DC: National Treasures

Join Ira Flatow and the rest of the SciFri crew as they hit the road to uncover and report on the amazing science news and stories happening in Washington, D.C.! This is your chance to peek behind-the-curtain of your favorite national radio show and participate in a special live performance with the experts and conversations you love.

Get ready for an evening exploring urban trees, local seafood sustainability, the science of art and object conservation, and more! Learn more about the topics below:

There’s a lot of science happening behind-the-scenes at museums and in collections to preserve our national treasures. We’ll hear from Saira Haqqi and Mark Ormsby, who work at the National Archives conserving important documents, including the Declaration of Independence! We’ll also speak with Schillica Howard from the George Washington University, who works with museums to care for African American collections—everything from oil paintings to digital photography.

It’s finally spring here in the northern hemisphere, and signs of new life can be seen sprouting everywhere, from neighborhood gardens to the National Mall. Trees are an important part of keeping DC green (have you visited the Cherry Blossoms yet?), but they also play a key role in keeping cities cool and air quality clean. We’ll get our hands dirty with Mike Alonzo from American University and Ryan Alston from the Baltimore Tree Trust, who will break down just how important trees are to the environment and the people who live near them.

If you’re a local seafood connoisseur, you’ve probably indulged in blue crabs, oysters on the half shell, and striped bass fresh from the Chesapeake Bay. But in the face of climate change, the Bay’s ecology—and a local food source—is in flux. One up-and-coming solution: oyster farming! We’ll talk with aquaculturist and researcher Imani Black and biologist Tara Scully from the George Washington University about the Bay’s history, why aquaculture is on the upswing, and how food production and conservation go hand in hand.

When an animal meets its end at the National Zoo, it may end up on the necropsy table of Dr. Kali Holder, the Zoo’s veterinary pathologist. By studying critters after they die, she can poke around for information that can be used to improve the care and conservation of living animals. We’ll talk with Dr. Holder about what she learns by studying death, and we’ll crack open some of her most fascinating cases, including a geriatric lioness.

This 2-hour program typically features interactive moments, props, audience Q&A, and science demonstrations. As a bonus, the event will be recorded for the Science Friday radio show, so you can be a part of a future broadcast! (We’ll give attendees a head’s up when they can tune in to re-listen to their favorite moments.) Check back for more details about our guests soon.

This event is presented by the George Washington University and WAMU.

By attending this event, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur. Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with the Science Friday Initiative and the George Washington University, including but not limited to: brochures, websites, online videos, radio broadcasts, social media, etc.