Videos and Livestreams - Lunchtime Lecture Series The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs hosts a guest lecture series called the Lunchtime Discovery Series. Professionals from a wide range of environmental backgrounds come and give presentations about their work and offer an opportunity for attendees to learn about a variety of subjects during the lunch hour. Topics range from spider diversity in North Carolina to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to how to incorporate music in environmental education programming. The are several taped presentations on a wide variety of environmental topics that can be used in the classroom to supplement existing lessons on ecosystems, natural resources, and North Carolina history. You can sign up for weekly email notifications about upcoming lectures! Contact an office staff member if you have trouble subscribing. First in Hikes Jerry Reynolds, Head of Outreach, NC Museum of Natural Sciences Join Jerry on a virtual visit to his favorite North Carolina State Parks for hiking. There are thirty-four state parks, plus seven natural and recreational areas available for your exploration. Make your own list of favorites as we visit these wonderful natural areas and learn why these are his first choices. Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK Perceptions of African American Outdoor Experiences Diquan Edmonds, Triangle Land Conservancy Outdoor experiences should be provided with equitable access for all. However, we often see disparities in activities and programs participated in by people of color. Diquan will examine the history of and barriers to outdoor experiences for African Americans and discuss ways the "great outdoors" is different for all members of our communities. He will also provide suggestions on how to make the outdoors more equitable. Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALKJoin us on YouTube! The Secret of Their Success: The Long Road to the Recovery of the Eastern Wild Turkey John Henry Harrelson, District 4 Wildlife Biologist, NC Wildlife Resources Commission The recovery of the wild turkey has been touted as one of North Carolina’s greatest wildlife success stories. But it was a long road to get the state’s wild turkey population back to its current level from a low of 2,000 birds in 1970. Join North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission District Four biologist John Henry Harrelson to learn more about the habits and habitats of this popular bird as well as the innovative management efforts that led to its rebound. Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, November 18 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH LIVE: Join us on YouTube! ‘Tis the Season for Animal Migration! Join John Gerwin, the Museum’s Research Curator of Ornithology, as he talks animal migration and how technology is unlocking some of its mysteries. Autumn brings cooler temperatures and a variety of animals on the move. Butterflies, bats and birds are some of the many animals that take a short, medium or long-range trip. John will discuss various ways animals migrate, and some of the technologies used to study the phenomenon. He will showcase data from projects with which he is involved. Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK Connecting Students with Disabilities to Role Models and Careers in STEM Join Jessie Rassau and previous showcase panelists to learn more about the STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities hosted by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. This year's showcase will be an entirely virtual experience that will feature remarks from the keynote speaker and the opportunity for students to connect with role models with disabilities who have thriving careers in STEM. Panelists will share how their lived experiences and diverse perspectives shaped their unique approaches to navigating and pushing boundaries in their fields. The 8th Annual STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities is on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 from 1:00PM until 3:00PM (EST). Ed Summers, Director of Accessibility, SAS Tia Holmes, Software Engineer at Microsoft Jessie Rassau, Coordinator of Accessibility and Inclusion at NC Museum of Natural Sciences Jessica Andreasen, Head of Volunteer and Intern Programs at NC Museum of Natural Sciences Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK: The Secret Life of the Opossum The Virginia Opossum is North America's only marsupial. Learn about the awesome opossum and the amazing adaptations that make it one of our most interesting mammals. You’ll also witness some of their secretive behaviors through the lens of a trail camera. Jerry Reynolds, Head of Outreach, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, October 21 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK The End of the World: An Introduction to the End-Permian Mass Extinction The greatest crisis in the history of life on Earth occurred around 252 million years ago, at the boundary between the Permian and Triassic periods. This talk will discuss new research on the underlying mechanisms and effects of the End-Permian Mass Extinction, its importance in shaping subsequent animal history, and its implications for our current environmental prospects. Christian Kammerer, Research Curator, Paleontology, NC Museum of Natural Sciences Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, October 14 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK Exploring the Biological Cosmos: Hunting for the Wild Microbes that Make Our Lives Longer, Better and More Sustainable Dr. Anne A. Madden--Scientist, TED Speaker, and President of The Microbe Institute Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, October 7 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK: Join on YouTube! Fake it Till You Make It: The Design, Fabrication and Maintenance of Exhibit Models and Dioramas Jason Whitman, Exhibit Designer, NC Museum of Natural Sciences Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, September 23 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK:https://youtu.be/zjchAF2pXeY Bugs in Art: the Good, the Bad & the Beautiful Perry Hurt, Art Conservator, North Carolina Museum of Art Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALKhttps://youtu.be/iLMuix8pMYU “Give to Grow" - Connecting Community to Food, Education and Wellness at Cape Fear Botanical Garden! Amy Stidham, Therapeutic Horticulture Program Manager, Cape Fear Botanical Garden Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, September 2 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK: https://youtu.be/h-uCLH38s3w You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE Join us to learn how the Cape Fear Botanical Garden is helping the local community through its Urban Agriculture Resilience Program. The current pandemic has created an opportunity for the botanical garden to take an overgrown vegetable garden and turn it into a productive community garden. By blending techniques of their existing therapeutic horticulture program with the resilience program, the garden is now able to provide food to the community along with educational and health benefits for all ages and abilities. Will History Repeat Itself? Climate Change, Extinction and the Geological Record Dr. David Bond, Head of Geology, Department of Geography, Geology and Environment at the University of Hull, Hull England WATCH THIS TALK: https://youtu.be/uJYehXbrg7k Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, August 26 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE Ships, Submersibles, and Deep-Sea Creatures, Oh My! - Experiences of Studying The Deep Ian Grace, Graduate Student Research Assistant, Aurora Myers, Undergraduate Student Research Assistant and Leslie Smith, Undergraduate Student Research Assistant, NC State University WATCH THIS TALK: https://youtu.be/UrgbJxMeouI Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, August 19 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT Join us on August 19 as three NC State students share their personal experiences with conducting deep-sea biological research at sea. Learn how they live and work aboard a research ship and what it’s like to dive thousands of feet to the seafloor. Find out what scientific discoveries are motivating them to study such a remote, unique ecosystem and the challenges they face in doing so. Updates from Spiral Graph, the Astronomy Citizen Science project with a Twist Dr. Patrick Treuthardt, Assistant Head, Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Lab, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences WATCH THIS TALK:https://youtu.be/SD9jNcN5-cc Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, August 12 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT Spiral Graph is an online citizen science project dedicated to determining the winding of spiral arms in galaxies. The degree of arm winding has been linked to other parameters that are more time consuming and difficult to measure, such as the mass of the black hole found in a galaxy's nucleus. It is currently not clear how a galaxy's central black hole can grow to be millions to billions of times the mass of the Sun. The results of Spiral Graph may shed some light on this along with other aspects of galaxy evolution. Data collection on the first sample of 6222 galaxies was completed in July, 2020. The second phase of data collection is now underway on 14027 separate galaxies with the help of over 2700 registered volunteers. You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE The Other Side of Environmental Injustice: Parks and Greenspace Inequity in Marginalized Communities Tatiana Height, Doctoral Candidate in Agricultural and Extension Education at North Carolina State University Watch this Talk https://youtu.be/hnqh_2R8eX4 Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, August 5 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE Traditionally, environmental injustice has been thought of as pollution and inequitable distribution of environmental burdens in marginalized communities. However, in recent years, the environmental justice movement has incorporated a number of "spin-offs" related to land use and environment in marginalized communities. This session will describe the presenter's research and experience related to one of those spin-offs; namely, parks and greenspace inequity. Oh, For the Love of Leeches! Bronwyn Williams, Research Curator, Non-Molluscan Invertebrates, NC Museum of Natural Sciences SECU Daily Planet Theater, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, March 11 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. What is your knee-jerk reaction to the mention of leeches? Yes, we thought so, but urge you to give it a second thought. Join Bronwyn Williams, Research Curator of Non-molluscan Invertebrates at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, to learn about these much maligned, yet fascinating and important organisms from a social and scientific perspective. Be prepared to dance…the leech dance! Watch the Livestream Part 1 and Part 2 Transplanting Traditions – Connecting Cultures through Farming and Food Transplanting Traditions – Connecting Cultures through Farming and Food Kelly Owensby, Founder and Executive Director, Transplanting Traditions SECU Daily Planet Theater, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, March 4 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Kelly Owensby, founder and executive director of Transplanting Traditions will discuss how a non-profit teaching farm in the heart of Chapel Hill is supporting women farmers and small farm owners from Burma. Learn how this model creates community, income and preserves culture through the lens of farming and food. Watch the Livestream Masters of Our Own Destiny - North Carolina African American Farmers Melody Hunter-Pillion, Ph.D. Student, Public History, Department of History, NC State University SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, February 26 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Melody Hunter-Pillion uses the oral histories of North Carolina’s African American farmers and fisherman to tell the story of how these families have shaped North Carolina and how they are dealing with heritage depletion, land loss and climate change. Watch the Livestream Warren County North Carolina – Birth of the Environmental Justice Movement Bill Kearney and Wayne Moseley SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, February 19 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Dollie Burwell, Bill Kearney and Wayne Moseley discuss their role as community members in the Warren County PCB Landfill protests which are recognized as the beginning of the Environmental Justice Movement in the United States. Watch the Livestream A Tale of Two Ships – One Ship with Two Identities – Queen Anne’s Revenge and La Concorde Angela Thorpe, Director, North Carolina African American Heritage Commission SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, February 12 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Angela Thorpe, director of the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission discusses Blackbeard’s flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, and its earlier life as the slave ship La Concorde. Watch the Livestream The Story of Sankofa Farms Lunchtime Discovery Series: The Story of Sankofa Farms Kamal Bell, Owner, Sankofa Farms SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, February 5 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Kamal Bell, owner of Sankofa farms, tells us how he turned 12 acres of land in Cedar Grove, North Carolina into a place where teens can learn to grow their own food while developing important life skills. The talk will focus on the importance of learning from our past and rich history to help solve our problems of today, and how our youth represent the change that our community needs. Watch the Livestream Wild Ideas for Williamson Preserve – 406 Acres of Forests, Trails and Farms for You! Wild Ideas for Williamson Preserve – 406 Acres of Forests, Trails and Farms for You! Sandy Sweitzer, Executive Director and Deja Smith, Community Engagement Associate, Triangle Land Conservancy SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, January 29 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Triangle Land Conservancy’s Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve is a 405-acre mosaic of fields and forests just fifteen minutes from downtown Raleigh that will open to the public on April 25th. The property will host working farmland to support our local food scene, several unique ecosystems, and hiking and mountain biking trails that will connect to the Neuse River Greenway Trail, East Coast Greenway, and Mountains to Sea Trail. Come see how TLC and our partners are working to make the Triangle a more vibrant place to live, work, play, and eat! Watch the Livestream Searching for Intermediate Mass Black Holes in Spiral Galaxies with the Help of Citizen Scientists Searching for Intermediate Mass Black Holes in Spiral Galaxies with the Help of Citizen Scientists Dr. Patrick Treuthardt, Assistant Head, Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Lab SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. How can you help solve the mystery behind the origins of supermassive black holes? Join us Wednesday, January 22 as North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences astrophysicist Patrick Treuthardt explains how citizens are helping with his latest research project to find black holes by identifying spiral galaxies. Watch the Livestream Fort Bragg - Longleaf Pines and the Saint Francis' Satyr Fort Bragg - Longleaf Pines and the Saint Francis' Satyr Brian Ball, Wildlife Biologist, Endangered Species Branch, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Bragg SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, January 15 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Watch the Livestream Fort Bragg is one of our nation’s largest and most important military installations. In addition to the thousands of troops stationed there, Fort Bragg is home to over 1,500 species of plants and animals. Over 70 species of rare plants and animals can be found on the installation. Perhaps the most unique and one of the rarest species is the Saint Francis' Satyr, a federally endangered butterfly found on Fort Bragg and nowhere else in the world. Barred, Barn, Great Horned and Screech (and sometimes Snowy) – Owls of North Carolina Colleen Bockhahn, Assistant Park Manager, Lake Crabtree County Park SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, January 8, 2020 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Owls are known as symbols of wisdom and magic. Gain some wisdom about our local owl species, and discover the magic behind their unique adaptations and natural histories. Did you know that great-horned owls prey on other owls? Which North Carolina owl species is declining in northern states? Get the answers to these questions and many more! Watch the Livestream
Videos and Livestreams - Lunchtime Lecture Series The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs hosts a guest lecture series called the Lunchtime Discovery Series. Professionals from a wide range of environmental backgrounds come and give presentations about their work and offer an opportunity for attendees to learn about a variety of subjects during the lunch hour. Topics range from spider diversity in North Carolina to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to how to incorporate music in environmental education programming. The are several taped presentations on a wide variety of environmental topics that can be used in the classroom to supplement existing lessons on ecosystems, natural resources, and North Carolina history. You can sign up for weekly email notifications about upcoming lectures! Contact an office staff member if you have trouble subscribing. First in Hikes Jerry Reynolds, Head of Outreach, NC Museum of Natural Sciences Join Jerry on a virtual visit to his favorite North Carolina State Parks for hiking. There are thirty-four state parks, plus seven natural and recreational areas available for your exploration. Make your own list of favorites as we visit these wonderful natural areas and learn why these are his first choices. Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK Perceptions of African American Outdoor Experiences Diquan Edmonds, Triangle Land Conservancy Outdoor experiences should be provided with equitable access for all. However, we often see disparities in activities and programs participated in by people of color. Diquan will examine the history of and barriers to outdoor experiences for African Americans and discuss ways the "great outdoors" is different for all members of our communities. He will also provide suggestions on how to make the outdoors more equitable. Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALKJoin us on YouTube! The Secret of Their Success: The Long Road to the Recovery of the Eastern Wild Turkey John Henry Harrelson, District 4 Wildlife Biologist, NC Wildlife Resources Commission The recovery of the wild turkey has been touted as one of North Carolina’s greatest wildlife success stories. But it was a long road to get the state’s wild turkey population back to its current level from a low of 2,000 birds in 1970. Join North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission District Four biologist John Henry Harrelson to learn more about the habits and habitats of this popular bird as well as the innovative management efforts that led to its rebound. Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, November 18 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH LIVE: Join us on YouTube! ‘Tis the Season for Animal Migration! Join John Gerwin, the Museum’s Research Curator of Ornithology, as he talks animal migration and how technology is unlocking some of its mysteries. Autumn brings cooler temperatures and a variety of animals on the move. Butterflies, bats and birds are some of the many animals that take a short, medium or long-range trip. John will discuss various ways animals migrate, and some of the technologies used to study the phenomenon. He will showcase data from projects with which he is involved. Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK Connecting Students with Disabilities to Role Models and Careers in STEM Join Jessie Rassau and previous showcase panelists to learn more about the STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities hosted by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. This year's showcase will be an entirely virtual experience that will feature remarks from the keynote speaker and the opportunity for students to connect with role models with disabilities who have thriving careers in STEM. Panelists will share how their lived experiences and diverse perspectives shaped their unique approaches to navigating and pushing boundaries in their fields. The 8th Annual STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities is on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 from 1:00PM until 3:00PM (EST). Ed Summers, Director of Accessibility, SAS Tia Holmes, Software Engineer at Microsoft Jessie Rassau, Coordinator of Accessibility and Inclusion at NC Museum of Natural Sciences Jessica Andreasen, Head of Volunteer and Intern Programs at NC Museum of Natural Sciences Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK: The Secret Life of the Opossum The Virginia Opossum is North America's only marsupial. Learn about the awesome opossum and the amazing adaptations that make it one of our most interesting mammals. You’ll also witness some of their secretive behaviors through the lens of a trail camera. Jerry Reynolds, Head of Outreach, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, October 21 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK The End of the World: An Introduction to the End-Permian Mass Extinction The greatest crisis in the history of life on Earth occurred around 252 million years ago, at the boundary between the Permian and Triassic periods. This talk will discuss new research on the underlying mechanisms and effects of the End-Permian Mass Extinction, its importance in shaping subsequent animal history, and its implications for our current environmental prospects. Christian Kammerer, Research Curator, Paleontology, NC Museum of Natural Sciences Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, October 14 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK Exploring the Biological Cosmos: Hunting for the Wild Microbes that Make Our Lives Longer, Better and More Sustainable Dr. Anne A. Madden--Scientist, TED Speaker, and President of The Microbe Institute Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, October 7 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK: Join on YouTube! Fake it Till You Make It: The Design, Fabrication and Maintenance of Exhibit Models and Dioramas Jason Whitman, Exhibit Designer, NC Museum of Natural Sciences Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, September 23 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK:https://youtu.be/zjchAF2pXeY Bugs in Art: the Good, the Bad & the Beautiful Perry Hurt, Art Conservator, North Carolina Museum of Art Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALKhttps://youtu.be/iLMuix8pMYU “Give to Grow" - Connecting Community to Food, Education and Wellness at Cape Fear Botanical Garden! Amy Stidham, Therapeutic Horticulture Program Manager, Cape Fear Botanical Garden Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, September 2 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT WATCH THIS TALK: https://youtu.be/h-uCLH38s3w You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE Join us to learn how the Cape Fear Botanical Garden is helping the local community through its Urban Agriculture Resilience Program. The current pandemic has created an opportunity for the botanical garden to take an overgrown vegetable garden and turn it into a productive community garden. By blending techniques of their existing therapeutic horticulture program with the resilience program, the garden is now able to provide food to the community along with educational and health benefits for all ages and abilities. Will History Repeat Itself? Climate Change, Extinction and the Geological Record Dr. David Bond, Head of Geology, Department of Geography, Geology and Environment at the University of Hull, Hull England WATCH THIS TALK: https://youtu.be/uJYehXbrg7k Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, August 26 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE Ships, Submersibles, and Deep-Sea Creatures, Oh My! - Experiences of Studying The Deep Ian Grace, Graduate Student Research Assistant, Aurora Myers, Undergraduate Student Research Assistant and Leslie Smith, Undergraduate Student Research Assistant, NC State University WATCH THIS TALK: https://youtu.be/UrgbJxMeouI Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, August 19 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT Join us on August 19 as three NC State students share their personal experiences with conducting deep-sea biological research at sea. Learn how they live and work aboard a research ship and what it’s like to dive thousands of feet to the seafloor. Find out what scientific discoveries are motivating them to study such a remote, unique ecosystem and the challenges they face in doing so. Updates from Spiral Graph, the Astronomy Citizen Science project with a Twist Dr. Patrick Treuthardt, Assistant Head, Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Lab, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences WATCH THIS TALK:https://youtu.be/SD9jNcN5-cc Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, August 12 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT Spiral Graph is an online citizen science project dedicated to determining the winding of spiral arms in galaxies. The degree of arm winding has been linked to other parameters that are more time consuming and difficult to measure, such as the mass of the black hole found in a galaxy's nucleus. It is currently not clear how a galaxy's central black hole can grow to be millions to billions of times the mass of the Sun. The results of Spiral Graph may shed some light on this along with other aspects of galaxy evolution. Data collection on the first sample of 6222 galaxies was completed in July, 2020. The second phase of data collection is now underway on 14027 separate galaxies with the help of over 2700 registered volunteers. You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE The Other Side of Environmental Injustice: Parks and Greenspace Inequity in Marginalized Communities Tatiana Height, Doctoral Candidate in Agricultural and Extension Education at North Carolina State University Watch this Talk https://youtu.be/hnqh_2R8eX4 Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff Wednesday, August 5 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE Traditionally, environmental injustice has been thought of as pollution and inequitable distribution of environmental burdens in marginalized communities. However, in recent years, the environmental justice movement has incorporated a number of "spin-offs" related to land use and environment in marginalized communities. This session will describe the presenter's research and experience related to one of those spin-offs; namely, parks and greenspace inequity. Oh, For the Love of Leeches! Bronwyn Williams, Research Curator, Non-Molluscan Invertebrates, NC Museum of Natural Sciences SECU Daily Planet Theater, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, March 11 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. What is your knee-jerk reaction to the mention of leeches? Yes, we thought so, but urge you to give it a second thought. Join Bronwyn Williams, Research Curator of Non-molluscan Invertebrates at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, to learn about these much maligned, yet fascinating and important organisms from a social and scientific perspective. Be prepared to dance…the leech dance! Watch the Livestream Part 1 and Part 2 Transplanting Traditions – Connecting Cultures through Farming and Food Transplanting Traditions – Connecting Cultures through Farming and Food Kelly Owensby, Founder and Executive Director, Transplanting Traditions SECU Daily Planet Theater, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, March 4 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Kelly Owensby, founder and executive director of Transplanting Traditions will discuss how a non-profit teaching farm in the heart of Chapel Hill is supporting women farmers and small farm owners from Burma. Learn how this model creates community, income and preserves culture through the lens of farming and food. Watch the Livestream Masters of Our Own Destiny - North Carolina African American Farmers Melody Hunter-Pillion, Ph.D. Student, Public History, Department of History, NC State University SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, February 26 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Melody Hunter-Pillion uses the oral histories of North Carolina’s African American farmers and fisherman to tell the story of how these families have shaped North Carolina and how they are dealing with heritage depletion, land loss and climate change. Watch the Livestream Warren County North Carolina – Birth of the Environmental Justice Movement Bill Kearney and Wayne Moseley SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, February 19 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Dollie Burwell, Bill Kearney and Wayne Moseley discuss their role as community members in the Warren County PCB Landfill protests which are recognized as the beginning of the Environmental Justice Movement in the United States. Watch the Livestream A Tale of Two Ships – One Ship with Two Identities – Queen Anne’s Revenge and La Concorde Angela Thorpe, Director, North Carolina African American Heritage Commission SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, February 12 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Angela Thorpe, director of the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission discusses Blackbeard’s flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, and its earlier life as the slave ship La Concorde. Watch the Livestream The Story of Sankofa Farms Lunchtime Discovery Series: The Story of Sankofa Farms Kamal Bell, Owner, Sankofa Farms SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, February 5 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Kamal Bell, owner of Sankofa farms, tells us how he turned 12 acres of land in Cedar Grove, North Carolina into a place where teens can learn to grow their own food while developing important life skills. The talk will focus on the importance of learning from our past and rich history to help solve our problems of today, and how our youth represent the change that our community needs. Watch the Livestream Wild Ideas for Williamson Preserve – 406 Acres of Forests, Trails and Farms for You! Wild Ideas for Williamson Preserve – 406 Acres of Forests, Trails and Farms for You! Sandy Sweitzer, Executive Director and Deja Smith, Community Engagement Associate, Triangle Land Conservancy SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, January 29 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Triangle Land Conservancy’s Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve is a 405-acre mosaic of fields and forests just fifteen minutes from downtown Raleigh that will open to the public on April 25th. The property will host working farmland to support our local food scene, several unique ecosystems, and hiking and mountain biking trails that will connect to the Neuse River Greenway Trail, East Coast Greenway, and Mountains to Sea Trail. Come see how TLC and our partners are working to make the Triangle a more vibrant place to live, work, play, and eat! Watch the Livestream Searching for Intermediate Mass Black Holes in Spiral Galaxies with the Help of Citizen Scientists Searching for Intermediate Mass Black Holes in Spiral Galaxies with the Help of Citizen Scientists Dr. Patrick Treuthardt, Assistant Head, Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Lab SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. How can you help solve the mystery behind the origins of supermassive black holes? Join us Wednesday, January 22 as North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences astrophysicist Patrick Treuthardt explains how citizens are helping with his latest research project to find black holes by identifying spiral galaxies. Watch the Livestream Fort Bragg - Longleaf Pines and the Saint Francis' Satyr Fort Bragg - Longleaf Pines and the Saint Francis' Satyr Brian Ball, Wildlife Biologist, Endangered Species Branch, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Bragg SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, January 15 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Watch the Livestream Fort Bragg is one of our nation’s largest and most important military installations. In addition to the thousands of troops stationed there, Fort Bragg is home to over 1,500 species of plants and animals. Over 70 species of rare plants and animals can be found on the installation. Perhaps the most unique and one of the rarest species is the Saint Francis' Satyr, a federally endangered butterfly found on Fort Bragg and nowhere else in the world. Barred, Barn, Great Horned and Screech (and sometimes Snowy) – Owls of North Carolina Colleen Bockhahn, Assistant Park Manager, Lake Crabtree County Park SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor Wednesday, January 8, 2020 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. Owls are known as symbols of wisdom and magic. Gain some wisdom about our local owl species, and discover the magic behind their unique adaptations and natural histories. Did you know that great-horned owls prey on other owls? Which North Carolina owl species is declining in northern states? Get the answers to these questions and many more! Watch the Livestream
