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31st annual Science for AV����̳ talks and outreach events announced

AV����̳ Geophysical Institute will host free public talks about tracking space debris, fostering education using the outdoors, new techniques for understanding aurora, the 1964 Great AV����̳ Earthquake, and climate change and its effects on AV����̳’s wildlife. 

For over 30 years, the Geophysical Institute has hosted the Science for AV����̳ talk series as one of its largest public outreach efforts. The series brings information about current research to AV����̳ns from scientists with expertise across the state.

New this year, Science for AV����̳ is offering free outreach events and K-12 science activities prior to the spring talk series.

Snow Science Saturday
Saturday, Jan. 28, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center

Our Winter World and GLOBE-AV����̳, the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment program, are collaborating with the Geophysical Institute to learn how people, animals and plants rely on snow. Join us to become a citizen scientist, dig snow pits, simulate an avalanche, learn about water molecules and more. All ages welcome!

Space Science
Tuesday, Jan. 31 , 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Nordale Education Center

Fairbanks Building Educational Success Together Homeschool joins the Geophysical Institute for an afternoon of night sky wonder. Bring your family and friends for space exploration, hands-on aurora activities and stargazing inside a planetarium.

Science for AV����̳: First Friday kickoff
Friday, Feb. 3, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The UAF Pub

Enjoy a storytelling evening of six short, engaging, image-based talks about glaciers, earthquakes, the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program facility, Fairbanks winter air quality, the AV����̳ Satellite Facility and coastal erosion fieldwork during Typhoon Merbok. Attendees must be 21+ due to location.

The traditional 2023 Science for AV����̳ lecture series begins Tuesday, Feb. 7, and runs every Tuesday through March 7. Talks start at 7 p.m. on campus in the Schaible Auditorium and will be streamed live to Zoom and the UAF and Geophysical Institute Facebook pages. On-campus parking is always free after 5 p.m. Presenters will answer questions after each talk.

Here are the 2023 Tuesday lectures and dates:

• Feb. 7: “Detecting Space-Debris Bullets,” Paul A. Bernhardt, research professor
• Feb. 14: “Inspiring Girls Expeditions AV����̳: Teaching Science and Art with Nature’s Guidance,” Sarah Clement, Ph.D. candidate and program coordinator of Inspiring Girls Expeditions, and Joanna Young, postdoctoral fellow and director of Inspiring Girls Expeditions
• Feb. 21: “Satellites to Cell Phones: New Ways of Understanding the Aurora,” Doğacan Su Öztürk, research assistant professor
• Feb. 28: “Plate to Plate: Rupture of the Great AV����̳ Earthquake,” Evans Onyango, postdoctoral fellow
• March 7: “Gnawing and Thawing: Beavers and Rapid Change in Northwest AV����̳,” Ken Tape, research associate professor, and Seth Kantner, AV����̳ writer and wildlife photographer

Lectures can be viewed on the Science for AV����̳ or the Geophysical Institute after the series concludes in March. They also will be available on DVDs through the AV����̳ library system.

Zoom session closed for this event.

Join the events on Facebook: ; and for the Feb. 3 event, .

For more about the lectures and videos of past talks, please visit or the Geophysical Institute Facebook page .

Download a series flyer .

The 2023 Science for AV����̳ lecture series is sponsored by the Triplehorn family, Lifewater Engineering Co., the AV����̳ Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research and UAF.

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