Town Hall Seattle Science Series
The Science series presents cutting-edge research about biology, physics, chemistry, ecology, geology, astronomy, and more. These events often present complex topics in a form that can be understood and enjoyed by listeners at many different levels of expertise, from grade school students to career scientists. With a range of relevant applications, including medicine, the environment, and technology, this series expands our thinking and the possibilities of our world.
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237. Lawrence Ingrassia with Robert Merry: A Lethal Legacy — Genetic Predisposition to Cancer
09/04/2024
237. Lawrence Ingrassia with Robert Merry: A Lethal Legacy — Genetic Predisposition to Cancer
One instance of grief can be difficult enough to cope with, but for Lawrence Ingrassia, losing multiple family members was not only devastating but perplexing. Typical discussions surrounding inheritance may include heirlooms or estates — not rare tumors in the cheeks of toddlers, as was the case for Ingrassia’s two-year-old nephew. After he lost his mother, two sisters, brother, and nephew to different types of cancer, Ingrassia was unsure whether his family’s generational heartbreak was merely misfortune or if there was some other cause. In his book A Fatal Inheritance: How a Family Misfortune Revealed a Deadly Medical Mystery, Ingrassia weaves his own family history with a history of cancer research. Part memoir, part medical thriller, Ingrassia’s work begins in the 1960s with Dr. Frederick Pei Li and Dr. Joseph Fraumeni Jr., groundbreaking researchers and physicians who would later uncover links between genetics and cancer. A Fatal Inheritance journeys from the early days of discovery to present-day developments decades later, as Ingrassia and others continue to build upon Li and Fraumeni’s initial investigations and discover what this means for themselves and their families. Ingrassia also looks toward the future, as gene sequencing, screening protocols, CRISPR gene editing, and other developing technologies aid in extending lifespans and possibly getting us closer to a cure. Lawrence Ingrassia is a former business and economics editor and deputy managing editor at the New York Times, having previously spent twenty-five years at the Wall Street Journal, as Boston bureau chief, London bureau chief, money and investing editor, and assistant managing editor. He also served as managing editor of the Los Angeles Times. The coverage he directed won five Pulitzer Prizes as well as Gerald Loeb Awards and George Polk Awards. His first book, Billion Dollar Brand Club, chronicles the rise of popular direct-to-consumer e-commerce brands and was shortlisted for several best business book awards for 2020. His latest book, A Fatal Inheritance, narrates the tale of a team of dedicated researchers who solved the medical mystery behind seemingly unrelated cancers devastating his and other families. Robert W. Merry spent 45 years in Washington, D.C., as Wall Street Journal reporter and executive at Congressional Quarterly, including 12 years as CQ’s president and editor-in-chief. After CQ was sold to the Economist, he also served as editor of the polemical magazines The National Interest and The American Conservative. He is the author of six books on American history and foreign policy, including the forthcoming Decade of Disunion: How Massachusetts and South Carolina Led the Way to Civil War, 1849-1861 (Simon & Schuster).
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236. Zoë Schlanger with Brooke Jarvis: The Light Eaters
09/03/2024
236. Zoë Schlanger with Brooke Jarvis: The Light Eaters
Did you know that plants can hear sounds? And have a social life? Science writer Zoë Schlanger shares even more remarkable plant talents in her latest book, The Light Eaters, illustrating the tremendous biological creativity it takes to be a plant. To survive and thrive while rooted in a single spot, plants have adapted ingenious methods of survival. They communicate. They recognize their own kin. Schlanger immerses into the world of being a plant, into its drama and complexity. Scientists have learned that plants, rather than imitate human intelligence, have perhaps formed a parallel system. What is intelligent life, Schlanger argues, if not a vine that grows leaves to blend into the shrub on which it climbs, a flower that shapes its bloom to fit exactly the beak of its pollinator, a pea seedling that can hear water flowing, and make its way toward it? Our understanding and definition of a plant is rapidly changing. So then what do we owe these life forms once we come to comprehend their rich and varied abilities? An eye-opening and informative look at the ecosystem we live in, Schlanger challenges us to rethink the role of plants—and our own place—in the natural world. Zoë Schlanger is a staff writer at the Atlantic, where she covers climate change. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the New York Review of Books, Time, Newsweek, The Nation, Quartz, and on NPR among other major outlets, and in the 2022 Best American Science and Nature Writing anthology. A recipient of a 2017 National Association of Science Writers’ reporting award, she is often a guest speaker in schools and universities. Brooke Jarvis is an award-winning journalist who writes for The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, and elsewhere.
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235. Elaine Lin Hering with Ruchika Tulshyan: Learning to Speak Up in a World That Wants You to Stay Quiet
08/20/2024
235. Elaine Lin Hering with Ruchika Tulshyan: Learning to Speak Up in a World That Wants You to Stay Quiet
Can you think of occasions where you wanted to say something, but couldn’t? Perhaps you stopped yourself out of fear, or due to outside pressures. Having a seat at the table doesn’t necessarily mean that your voice is welcome. A new book is aiming to examine the influence of silence and offer ways that we can begin to dismantle it to find our voices at home and work to shift the paradigm. In Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully author Elaine Lin Hering explores the difficulty that can come with speaking up, especially when there may be incentives to stay silent to avoid unwanted consequences. Hering discusses how we as a society have learned to be silent, how we have benefited from silence, and how we have silenced other people. She also offers advice on how we can choose another way, creating new patterns, becoming more complete versions of ourselves, engaging more fully with our talents, and helping others do the same. Elaine Lin Hering is a facilitator, speaker, and writer. She works with organizations and individuals to build skills in communication, collaboration, and conflict management. In her career, Elaine has worked on six continents and with a wide range of corporate, government, and nonprofit clients. She has trained mental health professionals, political officials, religious communities, and leaders at companies including American Express, Capital One, Google, Nike, Novartis, Shell, Pixar, and the Red Cross. Elaine is a former Managing Partner of Triad Consulting Group and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, specializing in dispute resolution, mediation, and negotiation. is the best-selling author of . Ruchika is also the founder of Candour, an inclusion strategy practice. A former international business journalist, Ruchika is a regular contributor to The New York Times and Harvard Business Review and a recognized media expert on inclusive leadership and workplace culture. She is working on her next book, Uncompete: Dismantling a Competition Mindset to Unlock Liberation, Opportunity, and Peace.
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234. Anjali Nayar and Dr. Sean Gibbons: Hack Your Health — The Secrets of Your Gut
08/13/2024
234. Anjali Nayar and Dr. Sean Gibbons: Hack Your Health — The Secrets of Your Gut
Your gut microbiome consists of trillions of microbiota and is a critical health determinant, affecting your immune system, mood, energy level, and much more. As a scientific field, microbiome research is new to the scene, but the intricate relationship between our gut and our overall health is clear – and getting clearer. In April, Netflix started streaming Hack Your Health, an informative documentary about the gut microbiome, gut health, and the science of eating. In this collaborative event between Town Hall Seattle and the Institute for Systems Biology, Hack Your Health Director Anjali Nayar will sit down with gut microbiome specialist Dr. Sean Gibbons, a scientific advisor on the film, to discuss the project, interesting developments in microbiome research, and much more. Anjali Nayar is an Indian-Canadian director, former climate scientist, and tech founder. Anjali’s newest film, a Netflix Original called Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut is streaming on Netflix, and her fantasy short Closer has over 5 million views and won the 2022 Prism Prize Audience Award (Canada’s top music video awards). As of 2024, she is developing a slew of scripted projects and a series with the Golden State Warriors. Her prior films have been supported by Cinereach, Sundance, and Tribeca, won countless awards, jury prizes, gone theatrical, and been acquired by Netflix and Amazon. Sean Gibbons, Ph.D., is associate professor at Institute for Systems Biology. He received his PhD in biophysical sciences from the University of Chicago in 2015, winning a prestigious EPA STAR Graduate Fellowship. He completed his postdoctoral training in the Department of Biological Engineering at MIT and The Broad Institute in 2018. He joined ISB as Washington Research Foundation Distinguished Investigator and assistant professor in 2018. His research on the human microbiome has been published in top scientific journals, including Nature, Science, and Cell. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and the Institute for Systems Biology.
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233. Sabrina Sholts with Dr. Julianne Meisner: Pandemics and Human Potential
07/29/2024
233. Sabrina Sholts with Dr. Julianne Meisner: Pandemics and Human Potential
The very fact of being human makes us vulnerable to pandemics, but it also gives us the power to save ourselves. The COVID-19 pandemic most likely won’t be our last—that is the uncomfortable but all-too-timely message of Sabrina Sholts’ new book, The Human Disease. Traveling through history and around the globe to examine how and why pandemics are an inescapable threat of our own making, Sholts draws on dozens of disciplines—from medicine, epidemiology, and microbiology to anthropology, sociology, ecology, and neuroscience—as well as a unique expertise in public education about pandemic risks, to identify the human traits and tendencies that double as pandemic liabilities. Though the COVID-19 pandemic looms large in Sholts’s account, it is, in fact, just one of the many infectious disease events explored in her book. When the next pandemic happens, and how bad it becomes, is largely within our highly capable human hands—and will be determined by what we do with our extraordinary human brains. Sabrina Sholts is the curator of biological anthropology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, where she developed the major exhibit Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World. She has also served as a scientific commissioner for a related exhibition at the Musée des Confluences in Lyon, France. Julianne Meisner, PhD, MS, BVM&S, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, focusing on One Health and pandemics. Her research explores the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, with a focus on novel pathogen emergence and the impacts of livestock keeping. She holds degrees from the University of Edinburgh and UW, and her current projects include investigating the effects of land use change on disease emergence and refining models for human-animal contact networks.
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232. Dori Gillam and Mack McCoy: Hello Old Lovers Wherever You Are!
07/18/2024
232. Dori Gillam and Mack McCoy: Hello Old Lovers Wherever You Are!
Can you find lifelong love with an AARP card in your wallet? Dori (72) and Mack (69) did, and they’ve got a lot to say on the subject! Join them for a candid chat where they dish on discovering love later in life. Balancing time for each other, family, friends, and furry companions? Yep. Talking about merging households? Yep. Starting a family? Probably not going to happen. People in their third act of life tend to seek more than mere flesh and flash, instead craving depth and maturity. Ignorance of each other’s previous lives provides the bliss of having an abundance of stories, perspectives, and wisdom waiting to be discovered; an endless adventure! Dori Gillam is a speaker and writer on aging creatively and ageism and is the Board Chair for the Northwest Center for Creative Aging. She is a native Seattle-ite and loves hiking. Mack McCoy is New York City born and raised and has been a real estate broker in Seattle for 30 years. His hobbies include playing pop music with friends and admiring Seattle theatre. This event is presented by Town Hall Seattle and Northwest Center for Creative Aging.
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231. Lee McIntyre: A History of Disinformation
05/10/2024
231. Lee McIntyre: A History of Disinformation
Disinformation has been used throughout history as a tool to intentionally deceive or manipulate the enemy. In our present age of information, where fabricated news stories, photos, or posts of any kind can be spread in an instant, we find ourselves especially vulnerable to the potentially devasting effects of weaponized disinformation. Lee McIntyre is an author and Research Fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University. McIntyre has penned multiple publications exploring the science behind strategic deception. In On Disinformation, the author guides readers through a seventy-year history of strategic political denials, dating back to Soviet intelligence operations in the 1920’s. With the added support of interviews from leading experts on information warfare, counterterrorism, and political extremism, McIntyre lays out the path that has led to our current moment of polarization. In response to the crisis McIntyre presents, he outlines steps that political leaders can take to push back against the spread of disinformation. He also makes a case for the power of collective action, encouraging ordinary citizens to place pressure on Congress to regulate social media sites like Facebook and YouTube. Join Lee McIntyre in his return to Town Hall Seattle, where he will speak truth to the crisis of disinformation, and suggest how we can pursue a more hopeful future. Lee McIntyre is a Research Fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University. He is the author of Dark Ages: The Case for a Science of Human Behavior, Post-Truth, and The Scientific Attitude: Defending Science from Denial, Fraud, and Pseudoscience, all published by the MIT Press. Buy the Book On Disinformation: How to Fight for Truth and Protect Democracy
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230. Emily Calandrelli with Zeta Strickland: Unleash Your Inner Scientist
04/22/2024
230. Emily Calandrelli with Zeta Strickland: Unleash Your Inner Scientist
Have you ever made coins float in water? Or created a geode from an egg? If not, Emmy-nominated science TV host Emily Calandrelli can show you how. Calandrelli, MIT-trained engineer turned internet STEAM star, demonstrates science experiments you can do at home with common household products as the host of Netflix’s Emily’s Wonder Lab and through her popular social media channels. Following the success of her first book, Calandrelli has developed 50 new science experiments for the whole family to do together in Stay Curious and Keep Exploring: Next Level. Calandrelli is passionate about exploring science with families. She is open about her own parents’ lack of science background and how that led her to hone her skill of explaining scientific concepts in ways that are understandable and accessible. By offering opportunities to explore STEAM in your everyday life, Calandrelli will invite you to get your hands in some real, fun science. Emily Calandrelli is an MIT engineer turned science TV host. She’s the host of Emily’s Wonder Lab on Netflix, the Emmy-nominated host of Xploration Outer Space on FOX, and the author of the Ada Lace Adventures and Reach for the Stars. Emily has worked with Bill Nye, Will Smith, and Cardi B to promote STEAM and has been featured on The Today Show and The Drew Barrymore Show. She enjoys sharing her love of science with her followers at @TheSpaceGal on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok and on her . Zeta Strickland has over 20 years experience in formal and informal learning settings. Her teaching experience includes high school science, outreach with PacSci’s Science On Wheels program and as an onboard educator on the Around the Americas expedition sailing from Barrow, Alaska to Charleston, South Carolina. Her learning audiences span grades k-12 and adults, including conducting initial use trainings to teachers using the Astro Adventures instructional materials. She’s also created numerous inquiry-based activities related to geology, astronomy, physics, and engineering, as well as environmental science, climate literacy and ocean health. At Pacific Science Center Zeta has experience in staff management, budgets and grant planning and administration, and collaborations and partnership with area organizations; her current role is Education Director. Stay Curious and Keep Exploring: Next Level
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229. Dr. Charan Ranganath with Chantel Prat: Unlocking the Mysteries of Memory
04/03/2024
229. Dr. Charan Ranganath with Chantel Prat: Unlocking the Mysteries of Memory
We all get frustrated with our inability to remember people’s names, find our keys, or recover a lost computer password. Fortunately, these experiences are not reflections of our broken brains, but the fact that the brain didn’t evolve the complex mechanisms of memory so that we could remember that guy we met at that thing. In fact, human memory is so much more than a personal archive or database. It’s a powerful and pervasive force that runs through all human experience and to a shocking degree makes us who we are – not just a record of the past, but as a determinative force in the present. Dr. Charan Ranganath, a leading memory researcher, unveils the surprising aspects of human memory in his new book Why We Remember revealing how memory shapes our lives, impacts our decisions, and holds the key to understanding our past and planning for the future. This science narrative explores the unseen influence of memory on emotions, choices, and well-being, offering valuable insights for a broad audience, including those interested in staying mentally sharp, individuals dealing with trauma, parents, educators, and anyone seeking to make more mindful decisions. Drawing on over two decades of research, Dr. Ranganath’s book challenges common misconceptions about memory, delivering a paradigm-shifting perspective that’s both informative and life-changing. Charan Ranganath is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California at Davis. For over 25 years, Dr. Ranganath has studied the mechanisms in the brain that allow us to remember past events, using brain imaging techniques, computational modeling, and studies of patients with memory disorders. He has been recognized with a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship. Chantel Prat, author of The Neuroscience of You, is a Professor at the University of Washington with appointments in the Departments of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Linguistics, and at the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences. Her interdisciplinary research investigates how variable brain designs combine with our lifetime of experiences to shape the unique way each person understands the world and operates in it. Buy the Companion Book Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold On to What Matters
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228. Community is a Radical Act of Love: Growing Older as LGBTQ+
03/28/2024
228. Community is a Radical Act of Love: Growing Older as LGBTQ+
Join Judy Kinney, Executive Director of GenPride, and members of the LGBTQ+ community for a lively discussion about how to stay proud and engaged as they age. GenPride advocates for Seattle/King County older LGBTQIA+ adults’ unique needs through programs and services that cultivate well-being and belonging. Judy Kinney (she/they) is an experienced non-profit leader and community builder who has devoted 20 years of her career to protecting, supporting, and advancing the well-being of older adults, including promoting the equality, safety, and health of older LGBTQIA+ people. Judy is deeply committed to centering the intersections of age, race, and LGBTQ+ identities in GenPride’s work. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Northwest Center for Creative Aging.
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227. Jeffrey McKinnon: Our Ancient Lakes
02/27/2024
227. Jeffrey McKinnon: Our Ancient Lakes
Discover the unexpected diversity, beauty, and strangeness of life in ancient lakes — some millions of years old — and the remarkable insights they yield about the causes of biodiversity. Most lakes are less than 10,000 years old and short-lived, but there is a much smaller number of ancient lakes, tectonic in origin and often millions of years old, that are scattered across every continent but Antarctica: Baikal, Tanganyika, Victoria, Titicaca, and Biwa, to name a few. Often these lakes are filled with a diversity of fish, crustaceans, snails, and other creatures found nowhere else in the world. In Our Ancient Lakes, biology professor Jeffrey McKinnon introduces the remarkable living diversity of these aquatic bodies to the general reader and explains the surprising, often controversial, findings that the study of their faunas yield about the formation and persistence of species. Shining a light on a class of biodiversity hot spot equivalent to coral reefs in the ocean or tropical rainforests on land, Our Ancient Lakes chronicles the often singular wonders of these venerable water bodies. Jeffrey McKinnon grew up reading Gerald Durrell and Farley Mowat, absorbing Jacques Cousteau and Marlin Perkins’ teachings from the TV, and watching animals in the ditches, farmyards, forests, and tidepools of Western Canada. He received his BSc from the University of British Columbia and his Ph.D. from Harvard University. A Professor of Biology at East Carolina University, his research has taken him to every continent but Antarctica and has appeared in journals including Nature and the American Naturalist. Third Place Books
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226. Dr. Linda Eckert with Diane Mapes: Empowering Change in Cervical Cancer Prevention
02/25/2024
226. Dr. Linda Eckert with Diane Mapes: Empowering Change in Cervical Cancer Prevention
Delve into the urgent and critical issue of cervical cancer prevention with Dr. Linda Eckert. Cervical cancer claims the lives of almost 350,000 women each year, a staggering toll that is compounded by the fact that the disease is nearly 100% preventable. Dr. Linda Eckert, a leading expert in cervical cancer prevention, brings her wealth of experience to the forefront in her book, Enough. Dr. Eckert intertwines evidence-based information with the poignant narratives of women who have battled cervical cancer, using their experiences to advocate for change. The book provides a compelling exploration of the barriers — cultural, gender-related, and political — that hinder women’s access to healthcare and contribute to the devastating consequences of this preventable cancer. Dr. Eckert addresses the issues with clarity and compassion, making for a talk that’s accessible to everyone from the general public to those passionate about global health, women’s stories, and the pressing need for health equity. Be part of a conversation that goes beyond statistics and aims to break down barriers, address systemic inequities in healthcare, and create meaningful change that could greatly reduce cervical cancer’s unnecessary death toll. Linda O. Eckert is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology with an Infectious Disease Fellowship at the University of Washington and an internationally recognized expert in immunizations and cervical cancer prevention. For over thirty years, Dr. Eckert has worked at Seattle’s Harborview Hospital, treating people from all around the world. Frequently in the spotlight for her expertise in HPV vaccinations and cervical cancer screenings, Dr. Eckert is passionate in her drive to eliminate this deadly disease. Former freelance journalist Diane Mapes writes about public health, scientific research and the cancer experience for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, she went from covering dating, lifestyle and singles issues to science, “cancer whispering” and patient advocacy. A former humor columnist for the Seattle P-I and the author of hundreds of essays and articles for NBC News, CNN, MSN, Seattle Times, etc., she also writes fiction (and music!) and is currently hawking a funny novel about the cancer industrial complex. Third Place Books
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225. Practicing the Art of the Heart: Promoting Personal Healing and Greater Peace in Challenging Times
02/20/2024
225. Practicing the Art of the Heart: Promoting Personal Healing and Greater Peace in Challenging Times
Join Rebecca Crichton in conversation with Andrea Cohen, a long-time facilitator of Compassionate Listening practices. Andrea will share personal stories of how these practices have transformed conflicts – with families, friends, and within challenged communities – into relationships based on greater understanding, caring, and connection. Andrea Cohen, MSW, is a certified Compassionate Listening facilitator. She is the author of Practicing the Art of Compassionate Listening and director of the Compassionate Listening film Children of Abraham. She also co-directed the Compassionate Listening-based Jewish-German Reconciliation Project for several years. Rebecca Crichton started her “Encore Career” as Executive Director of NWCCA in 2012 after 21 years with The Boeing Company. She refashioned her skills and knowledge as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach to offer Creative Aging programs at many Seattle area venues. An active participant in the local aging community, she writes regularly for 3rd Act Magazine. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Northwest Center for Creative Aging.
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224. Dr. Jen Gunter with Amy Bhatt: Decoding Menstruation
02/09/2024
224. Dr. Jen Gunter with Amy Bhatt: Decoding Menstruation
Delve into the insightful world of reproductive health with Dr. Jen Gunter. In her latest book, Blood, Dr. Gunter dispells myths and misinformation about menstruation with a foundation of scientific facts and medical expertise. Known for her evidence-based approach, Dr. Gunter addresses questions you may have never thought to ask about menstrual bleeding and offers a clear and informative guide to reproductive anatomy. Covering topics from the endometrium’s intriguing connection to the immune system, to discussions on period pain, endometriosis, and hormonal contraception, Blood provides a nuanced perspective that fosters understanding without judgment. Join us for an event that encourages open conversations and promotes knowledge about a natural bodily process that has often been shrouded in mystery and societal taboos. Dr. Jen Gunter, internationally bestselling author and expert gynecologist, known as “the world’s most famous gynecologist” (The Guardian), brings over three decades of expertise in vulvar and vaginal diseases. Her bestselling books, The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto, translated into 25 languages, have solidified her position as a leading voice in women’s health. With accolades including the 2020 NAMS Media Award and a TED Talk with 2M+ views, Dr. Gunter hosts the CBC/Amazon Prime series Jensplaining and shares insights on her popular podcast, Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter. Based in Northern California, she continues to impact the conversation on women’s health globally at . Amy Bhatt is a writer, museum curator, and former Associate Professor. She has a Ph.D. in Feminist Studies from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, is the author of High-Tech Housewives, and is the co-author of Roots and Reflections: South Asians in the Pacific Northwest. She has written for and appeared in news outlets such as NPR, Ms. Magazine, The Conversation, Indian Express, Quartz, and The Seattle Times. She founded The Brohatt Group in 2020 and consults as a ghostwriter and development editor. University Book Store is our community partner for this event. (Towers of Tampons & Pyramids of Pads) is a menstrual product donation collective committed to disrupting period poverty throughout Seattle and beyond. They believe that to create a more equitable society, we must make period products accessible to all. Period. You can help! Town Hall is hosting a period product drive for T2P2 during this event. Bring your donations of packaged or individually wrapped pads, tampons, panty liners, wipes, and hand sanitizer to the event to contribute to Seattle T2P2’s mission.
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223. Britney Daniels: The Cost of Caregiving
01/24/2024
223. Britney Daniels: The Cost of Caregiving
Have you ever wondered what your nurses’ lives are like outside of the hospital? In a new memoir, Journal of a Black Queer Nurse, Nurse Britney Daniels divulges the details of her day-to-day life. From braving the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic to giving her own clothes to a patient who was unhoused to transporting bodies to overflowing morgues (and experiencing her own physical ailments as a result), to advocating for patients of color in the face of systemic racism and more, these unseen moments as a marginalized nurse inform her authorship while helping to illuminate just some of what goes on behind the scenes. Nurse Daniels identifies as a Black, masculine-presenting, tattooed lesbian from a working-class background. For the last five years, she has worked as an emergency room nurse. What began as a personal diary also became an instrument of healing from perpetual trauma wrought not only by what she witnessed in her career but stemming from how much she dared to care. The book may make you feel sadness, humor, anger, a sense of injustice, or all of the above in this candid account that exposes some unflattering truths about health care in the United States. Journal of a Black Queer Nurse strives to reveal how true care goes beyond treating the physical body. Daniels asserts that it involves listening to and understanding patients and it demands that nurses — especially nurses of color — also be warriors. Britney Daniels, RN, MSN is a Black queer travel nurse and social advocate who has worked in hospital emergency rooms all over the US. Daniels holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing with a concentration in nursing leadership. She is currently working on her Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree. Britney lives in Chicago with her wife, Saria, and their two dogs, Batman and Momo. Journal of a Black Queer Nurse is her first book. Third Place Books
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222. Understanding Your Pelvic Floor With Dr. Peg Maas, DPT
01/16/2024
222. Understanding Your Pelvic Floor With Dr. Peg Maas, DPT
Take a moment to appreciate the humble but essential set of muscles we call the pelvic floor. When the pelvic floor is working well, our bladder, bowels, and sexual functioning are more likely to be trouble-free. If they aren’t working well, people can experience incontinence, constipation, pain, and a host of other troubles. Out of embarrassment or discomfort with the topic, people often turn to unreliable sources for information and help. Dr. Peg Maas, DPT, is a Board Certified Pelvic and Women’s Health Physical Therapist who has worked and taught in the field for over 30 years. She works with people of all genders and ages, bringing useful pelvic health information to those who are ready to learn — no matter their comfort level with the topic. Dr. Maas’s down-to-earth approach and humor will provide attendees with practical health-changing information for people to begin implementing before they even leave the building! Dr. Peg Maas, DPT, works at Swedish Medical Center and is a Clinical Faculty Member at the University of Washington, and a clinical lecturer at University of Puget Sound. In her clinical work, she treats patients of all ages and genders with a broad spectrum of pelvic floor diagnoses. She tries to set everyone she sees at ease so they feel comfortable asking the questions they hope to ask and can learn what they need to learn to reach their goals. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Northwest Center for Creative Aging.
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221. Cat Bohannon with Bonnie Garmus: The Evolution of the Female Sex
11/27/2023
221. Cat Bohannon with Bonnie Garmus: The Evolution of the Female Sex
Why do women live longer than men? Why do women have menopause? Why do girls score better at every academic subject than boys until puberty, when suddenly their scores plummet? And does the female brain really exist? Considering the science and data collection methods we currently have, it is somewhat of a wonder that there is so little known about biology as it relates to sex, as well as our behavior. Author and Researcher, Cat Bohannon, argues that these questions should have been investigated decades ago, with a level of thoroughness and care that is still lacking in mainstream science. Bohannon points to the fact that societal attention has been on the male body for so long, that even natural occurrences like menopause, are considered a medical mystery. In her debut publication, Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution, Bohannon examines the evolution of the female sex. From the development of breastmilk, initially in mammals no larger than a field mouse, to the first placental mammals, to the way C-sections in the industrialized world are altering women’s pelvic shape, Bohannon brings hard science and a passionate curiosity to the subject of female biology. Please join us as Town Hall as Cat Bohannan makes the case for a greater understanding of the female body. Cat Bohannon is a researcher and author with a Ph.D. from Columbia University in the evolution of narrative and cognition. Her essays and poems have appeared in Scientific American, Mind, Science Magazine, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, The Georgia Review, The Story Collider, and Poets Against the War. She lives with her family in Seattle. Bonnie Garmus is a copywriter and creative director who has worked widely in the fields of technology, medicine, and education. She’s an open-water swimmer, a rower, and mother to two pretty amazing daughters. Born in California and most recently from Seattle, she currently lives in London with her husband and her dog, 99. Third Place Books
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220. Jim Al-Khalili: The Joy of Thinking and Living Scientifically
11/17/2023
220. Jim Al-Khalili: The Joy of Thinking and Living Scientifically
Today’s information (and misinformation) overload is difficult and confusing to navigate. Post-truth politics and conspiracy theories abound. Science and scientists are under growing suspicion, causing even more confusion and unrest. At the same time, we need science to survive today’s biggest threats like pandemics and climate change. To bridge this gap, acclaimed physicist and New York Times bestselling author Jim Al-Khalili wants us all to start thinking like scientists. Al-Khalili believes that the practice of science can offer us a way of thinking and understanding our complex world. He’s created a guide to leading a more rational life, inviting people to engage with the world as scientists have been trained to do. He defines the “how” and “why” behind science, as well as what science is (and what it’s not). With today’s scrutiny over science, Al-Khalili admits that scientists need to do more to communicate how they work to build trust and credibility in the public eye. One way to do that is for everyone to adopt the scientific method in our daily lives. Science may not only solve today’s biggest problems, but it can be a way for everyone to make everyday decisions for themselves and their loved ones. Jim Al-Khalili is an Iraqi-born theoretical physicist at the University of Surrey, where he holds a Distinguished Chair in physics as well as a university chair in public engagement in science. He has written 14 books on popular science and the history of science, between them translated into twenty-six languages. His latest books include The Joy of Science and The World According to Physics, which was shortlisted for the Royal Society Book Prize. He is a regular presenter of TV science documentaries, such as the Bafta-nominated Chemistry: A Volatile History and he hosts the long-running weekly BBC Radio 4 program, The Life Scientific. Third Place Books
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219. Salmon, Cedar, Rock & Rain: Exploring Olympic National Park
10/24/2023
219. Salmon, Cedar, Rock & Rain: Exploring Olympic National Park
In the Pacific Northwest, many of us delight in Olympic National Park, a UNESCO natural World Heritage Site, located right in Seattle’s backyard. Yet the famed park is just the center of a much larger ecosystem including rivers that encompass old-growth forests, coastal expanses, and alpine peaks, all rich with biodiversity. For tens of thousands of years, humans have thrived and strived alongside this area. To tell the story of this place, award-winning poet and nature writer Tim McNulty and contributors such as Fawn Sharpe, president of the National Congress of American Indians, David Guterson, author of bestselling novel Snow Falling on Cedars, Wendy Sampson, and Seattle Times environmental reporter Lynda V. Mapes, collaborated with Braided River in a project called Salmon, Cedar, Rock & Rain. Braided River, the same organization that created the award-winning book and multimedia exhibit We are Puget Sound, is bringing awareness to the Olympic Peninsula through art and stories––stories of development, conservation, restoration, and cultural heritage, while writers from the Lower Elwha Klallam, Jamestown S’Klallam, Port Gamble S’Klallam, Makah Tribe, and Quinault Indian Nation share some of their own history and perspectives. The project, in partnership with The Mountaineers, Olympic Parks Associates, National Parks Conservation Foundation, and many more, is a diverse exploration of Olympic National Park and its surrounding peninsula. Tim McNulty is a poet, essayist, and nature writer and recipient of the Washington State Book Award and National Outdoor Book Award. David Guterson is a novelist, short story writer, poet, essayist, and journalist. He is best known for his award-winning debut novel, Snow Falling on Cedars, which won both the PEN/Faulkner Award and the American Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award. It has sold more than four million copies and was adapted as a major motion picture. He lives on Bainbridge Island near Seattle with his wife Robin and five children. Wendy Sampson is a member of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe (LEKT); she lives on the reservation with her family. She has been a Klallam language teacher for twenty years. Wendy has provided cultural outreach in the schools, taught after-school programs and community adult classes, and worked under various grant projects with the goals of creating tribal history and language lessons and developing tools for language learning. She is now a teacher for the Port Angeles School District offering courses in the Klallam language as well as history classes from a tribal perspective. Lynda V. Mapes is an award-winning journalist, author, and close observer of the natural world. She is the author of six books, including Orca: Shared Waters, Shared Home; Witness Tree: Seasons of Change in a Century Old Oak; and Elwha: A River Reborn. Lynda lives in Seattle where she covers nature, the environment, and tribes as a staff reporter for The Seattle Times. The Elliott Bay Book Company
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218. Michèle Lamont: How We See Others
10/23/2023
218. Michèle Lamont: How We See Others
Why does it seem like some people matter more than others? Why are some given higher status or more recognition? And how do we broaden the circle of those who belong in society? Harvard sociologist Michèle Lamont examines these questions and unpacks the power of recognition—how we perceive others as visible and valued. She draws from her new book, Seeing Others, and nearly forty years of research and interviews to show how we need new narratives for everyone to feel respect and assert their dignity. For decades now, more people have become marginalized and divided. Lamont believes this is related to the fact that we’ve prioritized material and professional success, we have judged ourselves and others in terms of self-reliance, competition, and diplomas. At the same time, Lamont points out, we’re living in a moment where many marginalized social groups, including workers, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and minorities, want to be seen and heard––to fully belong in society. How do we heal such a deeply divided world? Join us at Town Hall for a riveting evening as Lamont looks at the heart of our modern struggles and offers an inclusive path forward with new ways of understanding our world while recognizing the diverse ways one can live a life. Michèle Lamont is a Professor of Sociology and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, where she is also the Robert I. Goldman Professor of European studies. She served as the 108th President of the American Sociological Association and her research has received numerous awards, including honorary doctorates from six countries. The author or co-author of over a dozen books, she can be found on . Third Place Books
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217. Tanmeet Sethi, M.D. with Rebekah Borucki - Reclaiming Our Power: Using Joy and Imagination to Disrupt Oppressive Systems
10/20/2023
217. Tanmeet Sethi, M.D. with Rebekah Borucki - Reclaiming Our Power: Using Joy and Imagination to Disrupt Oppressive Systems
The concept of finding joy has gone mainstream. Its benefits are well known: joy can improve overall well-being, strengthen relationships, and even extend lives. Yet for many, especially folks in marginalized communities, joy is elusive. Seattle-based Integrative Medicine Physician and activist Tanmeet Sethi wants to prove that joy really can be for everyone. In her book, Joy Is My Justice, she claims that the nervous system can shift its biochemistry into joy at the cellular level. She believes that people can find joy as they reclaim their personal power, strength, and purpose — despite living in an unjust world, past personal traumas, and a whitewashed wellness world. Sethi invites everyone who has felt like the wellness industry has left them behind to rediscover joy, not just the buzzword, but as a profound practice for healing. Even though joy has become a cultural mainstay, Sethi argues that it can also be a radical act of justice. Tanmeet Sethi, M.D. is an Integrative Medicine physician who has devoted her career to caring for the most vulnerable and teaching physicians how to care for these communities in the most humane and skillful way possible. She has spent the last 25 years on the frontlines practicing primary care, global trauma, and community activism. Dr. Sethi lectures nationally and has spoken on three TEDx stages about using gratitude as medicine. She lives in Seattle with her family. Rebekah “Bex” Borucki, founder of BexLife and Row House Publishing, is a mother of five, a meditation guide, a birth doula, a mentor for creative healers, and an author and publisher of books for big and little readers. Third Place Books
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216. Denise Malm: Personal Safety Nets – The Next Generation
10/11/2023
216. Denise Malm: Personal Safety Nets – The Next Generation
Join Denise Malm, Social Worker and Geriatric Mental Health specialist, as she dives into the fascinating world of Personal Safety Nets (PSN) and their role in combating the growing issue of loneliness and isolation in our society. Discover how this concept, born in 2007 thanks to Judy Pigott and Dr. John Gibson, offers creative ways to build meaningful relationships. Malm will uncover the potential of PSN to enhance connections and boost health and well-being as we age. Denise Malm, LSWAIC, GMHS serves as a social worker at the Wallingford Community Center. As a geriatric mental health specialist, Denise is trained to holistically assess and incorporate the complex physical and behavioral health conditions faced by each individual in her care. She also works with the University of Washington Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences AIMS Center as a clinical researcher supporting a study evaluating older adult participants engaged in a short-term behavioral activities intervention. Denise provides a multitude of services in a non-profit community setting including assessing dementia and delirium, evidence-based interventions for depression, facilitating discussions of end-of-life wishes, and working with adult children to plan and create a safety net for their aging parents. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Northwest Center for Creative Aging
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215. Ben Goldfarb with Brooke Jarvis - Life is a Highway: Protecting Wildlife through Road Ecology
10/02/2023
215. Ben Goldfarb with Brooke Jarvis - Life is a Highway: Protecting Wildlife through Road Ecology
Did you know that there are 40 million miles of roadways on earth? While roads are practically invisible to humans, wild animals experience them entirely differently. Conservation journalist Ben Goldfarb has explored the environmental effects of this ubiquitous part of the modern world. In his book, Crossings, Goldfarb explains how creatures from antelope to salmon are losing their ability to migrate in search of food and mates; invasive plants hitch rides in tire treads; road salt contaminates lakes and rivers; and the very noise of traffic chases songbirds from their habitat. These effects on nature are everywhere, all because of human activity. Yet there is human activity that is working to combat these effects as well. Goldfarb describes conservation work such as highway wildlife bridges, similar to the I-90 wildlife corridor in Washington state. He explains how tunnels for toads and deconstructing old logging roads can make a difference. These projects and other research in road ecology are working toward lessening the hazards of roadways. While they may take up millions of miles of the planet, roads can leave a smaller impact in the future. Ben Goldfarb is an award-winning environmental journalist who covers wildlife conservation, marine science, and public lands management, as well as an accomplished fiction writer. His work has been featured in Science, Mother Jones, The Guardian, High Country News, VICE, Audubon Magazine, Modern Farmer, Orion, World Wildlife Magazine, Scientific American, Yale Environment 360, and many other publications. He is the author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter. Brooke Jarvis is an independent journalist based in Seattle. She’s a contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine and a winner of the Livingston Award and the Whiting Award. Third Place Books
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214. Stephen M. Gardiner: Climate Justice: Past, Present, and Future
07/07/2023
214. Stephen M. Gardiner: Climate Justice: Past, Present, and Future
As awareness of the current climate crisis grows, we can’t help but wonder how the decisions of the past will affect our future. In Stephen M. Gardiner’s Dialogues on Climate Justice (co-written by Arthur R. Obst), we follow a cast of fictional characters as they experience the very real consequences of climate change. Spanning from the election of Donald Trump in 2016 until the 2060s, Gardiner’s protagonist, aptly named Hope, spurs conversations exploring the many aspects of the climate justice discussion. She engages with climate skepticism, explores her own climate responsibilities, and finally, as an older woman, to reflects with her granddaughter on what one generation owes another. Gardiner’s book allows us to explore all aspects of the tricky topic through the eyes of a reliable and relatable narrator. Through Hope’s story, we can better understand the philosophy and science of the current climate crisis. Gardiner joins us at Town Hall to continue the conversation. Stephen M. Gardiner is a professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington. He is the author of A Perfect Moral Storm: The Ethical Tragedy of Climate Change (2011), and co-author of Debating Climate Ethics (2016). His edited books include The Ethics of “Geoengineering” the Global Climate (2020), The Oxford Handbook of Environmental Ethics (2016), and The Oxford Handbook of Intergenerational Ethics (2022).
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213. Peter Gleick: The History of Water
07/05/2023
213. Peter Gleick: The History of Water
From the very creation of the planet to the present day, water has always been central to life on Earth. And while the amount of water on our planet has not changed, it has, in fact, changed the world. It has shaped our very existence. Renowned scientist Peter Gleick sheds light on water’s long history in his book, The Three Ages of Water. Gleick recounts how water has developed civilizations and empires, and driven centuries of advances in science and technology — from agriculture to aqueducts, steam power to space exploration — and progress in health and medicine. But the achievements that have propelled humanity forward also brought consequences like unsustainable water use, ecological destruction, and global climate change, that now threaten to send us into a new dark age. In Gleick’s research, he has found that billions of people today do not have access to clean water or sanitation. The scarcity of this fixed resource, Gleick believes, is directly linked to the growing violence and conflicts around the globe. Gleick says that we must change our ways, and quickly, to usher in a new age of water for the benefit of everyone. Drawing from the lessons of our past, Gleick charts a path toward a sustainable future for water and the planet. While water may be a fixed resource, Gleick believes we have the power to change the trajectory of the planet’s future by understanding its role in today’s current climate. Peter Gleick is perhaps the world’s most widely known and cited water expert. Educated at Yale and Berkeley, he went on to cofound the Pacific Institute, the leading independent research group devoted to reimagining water for a changing world. He is a scientist by training, winner of a MacArthur Foundation “Genius” award, and an elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. In 2018 he was awarded the Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization. He lives in Berkeley, California. Third Place Books
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212. Leroy Hood and Nathan Price with Jim Heath: Can Data Stop Disease?
06/29/2023
212. Leroy Hood and Nathan Price with Jim Heath: Can Data Stop Disease?
Taking us to the cutting edge of the new frontier of medicine, a visionary biotechnologist and a pathbreaking researcher show how we can optimize our health in ways that were previously unimaginable. We are on the cusp of a major transformation in healthcare—yet few people know it. At top hospitals and a few innovative health-tech startups, scientists are working closely with patients to dramatically extend their “healthspan”—the number of healthy years before disease sets in. In The Age of Scientific Wellness, two visionary leaders of this revolution in health take us on a thrilling journey to this new frontier of medicine. Today, most doctors wait for clinical symptoms to appear before they act, and the ten most commonly prescribed medications confer little or no benefit to most people taking them. Leroy Hood and Nathan Price argue that we must move beyond this reactive, hit-or-miss approach to usher in real precision health—a form of highly personalized care they call “scientific wellness.” Using information gleaned from our blood and genes and tapping into the data revolution made possible by AI, doctors can catch the onset of disease years before symptoms arise, revolutionizing prevention. Current applications have shown startling results: diabetes reversed, cancers eliminated, Alzheimer’s avoided, and autoimmune conditions kept at bay. This is not a future fantasy: it is already happening, but only for a few patients and at a high cost. It’s time to make this gold standard of care more widely available. Inspiring in its possibilities, and radical in its conclusions, The Age of Scientific Wellness shares actionable insights to help you chart a course to a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life. Dr. Leroy Hood is a world-renowned scientist and recipient of the National Medal of Science in 2011. Dr. Hood co-founded the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) in 2000, served as its first President from 2000-2017 and is a Professor and Chief Strategy Officer. In 2022, Dr. Hood started Phenome Health, a non-profit dedicated to delivering value through health innovation. Dr. Nathan Price is CEO of Onegevity, a division of Thorne HealthTech. He is also an (on leave) Professor at the Institute for Systems Biology, where he and Lee Hood co-direct the Hood-Price Lab for Systems Biomedicine. Additionally, Dr. Price is an affiliate faculty at the University of Washington in the Departments of Bioengineering, Computer Science & Engineering, and Molecular & Cellular Biology. In 2019, he was selected by the National Academy of Medicine as one of their 10 Emerging Leaders in Health and Medicine. Dr. Jim Heath is President and Professor at Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle. Heath also has the position of Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at UCLA. Formerly, he directed the National Cancer Institute-funded NSB Cancer Center, was the Elizabeth W. Gilloon Professor of Chemistry at Caltech, and served as co-director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at UCLA until 2017. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and the Institute of Systems Biology. Third Place Books
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211. Rachel Nuwer with Dr. Sunil Kumar Aggarwal: The Ecstasy of Potential
06/27/2023
211. Rachel Nuwer with Dr. Sunil Kumar Aggarwal: The Ecstasy of Potential
How did the psychedelic drug MDMA emerge from the shadows to the forefront of a medical revolution? What potential does it hold to help us? What do you think of when you hear the abbreviation MDMA? Often seen as a party drug and vilified as a Schedule I substance that would supposedly eat holes in users’ brains, MDMA (also known as Molly or Ecstasy) has remained controversial. However, the substance is now being hailed as a therapeutic agent that could transform the field of mental health, becoming the first psychedelic approved for widespread clinical use. In I Feel Love, science journalist Rachel Nuwer presents evidence from scientific trials which suggest that MDMA, when properly administered, may be effective at relieving the effects of trauma. Results from other studies point to its usefulness for treating depression, alcohol addiction, eating disorders, and more. It has also been shown to dismantle psychological defenses and induce feelings of empathy, self-compassion, and love. Yet even as more is revealed about MDMA, there is still much that remains unknown that scientists are diligently working to figure out; the drug may answer as many questions as it asks. Nuwer guides readers through a cultural and scientific upheaval that separates fact and fiction, seeking to reshape our understanding of our brains, ourselves, and the space between. Rachel Nuwer is an award-winning science journalist who regularly contributes to the New York Times, National Geographic, Scientific American, and many other publications. Her reporting for the New York Times broke the news globally about the MDMA Phase III clinical trial and was highlighted by Michael Pollan, Ezra Klein, and Tim Ferriss, among other thought leaders. In 2022, Nuwer was among the inaugural recipients of the Ferriss–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship. She holds master’s degrees in applied ecology and in science journalism. Her first book, Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking, took her to a dozen countries to investigate the multibillion-dollar illegal wildlife trade. She lives in Brooklyn. Dr. Sunil Kumar Aggarwal is a physician and medical geographer. He is a Board-Certified Fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, where he was named a Top 20 Emerging Leader. He is the Past Chair of the Integrative Medicine Special Interest Group and an inaugural member of the Safe Use in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Forum at the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He has been qualified as an expert in cannabis and psilocybin medical and religious use, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and MAPS MDMA-Assisted Therapy. He is the co-founder and co-director of Seattle’s AIMS Institute. Third Place Books
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210. Jennifer Levin with Rebecca Crichton: Presence within Absence – Connections with the Deceased
06/22/2023
210. Jennifer Levin with Rebecca Crichton: Presence within Absence – Connections with the Deceased
We are all in relationships with people who have died. Whether they are our friends and family members, partners or teachers, we have all had to accept their absence from our lives. How do we remember, memorialize, and communicate with them? We will share the many ways we continue to feel the presence of people significant to us. Join Rebecca Crichton, Executive Director of Northwest Center for Creative Aging and Dr. Jennifer R Levin, licensed marriage and family therapist and recognized Fellow in Thanatology. Dr. Levin will share insights from her work with adolescents, adults, and families experiencing traumatic grief, sudden death, and post-traumatic growth. Dr. Jennifer R. Levin specializes in working with adolescents, adults, and families experiencing traumatic grief, sudden death, and post-traumatic growth. In 2000 Jennifer received her doctorate from the UCLA School of Public Health and in 2014 she earned her master’s degree in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University. Jennifer is a licensed marriage and family therapist in CA and WA and is a recognized Fellow in Thanatology; the study of death, dying, and bereavement from the Association of Death Education and Counseling. Professionally, Dr. Levin has served as the executive director of Hospice of Pasadena and taught at several California universities. Jennifer provides training, consultation, and crisis support to businesses, schools, and community-based organizations experiencing bereavement and loss. Jennifer is also the host of the podcast Untethered: Healing the Pain from a Sudden Death. To learn more about Dr. Levin visit . Rebecca Crichton started her “Encore Career” as ED of NWCCA in 2012 after 21 years with The Boeing Company. She refashioned her skills and knowledge as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach to offer programs related to Creative Aging at many venues in the Seattle area. An active participant in the local aging community, she writes regularly for .
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209. Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023 with Scott Montgomery: Nuclear Energy, Climate Change, and Young Women in STEM
06/20/2023
209. Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023 with Scott Montgomery: Nuclear Energy, Climate Change, and Young Women in STEM
A conversation about nuclear energy, climate change, and inspiring young women to go into STEM fields. On December 15, 2022, Grace Stanke, a senior at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, studying nuclear engineering, took home the Miss America crown along with the scholarship of the Miss America Organization. She additionally won in a talent category for her classical violin performance. As Miss America 2023, Grace is embarking on a year of service taking her on a tour across the country and she is using her national platform to continue advocating for “Clean Energy – Cleaner Future.” She believes that America needs to convert to zero-carbon energy with a focus on nuclear power and breaking down misconceptions surrounding nuclear energy. Through it all, her goal is to inspire the next generation of female scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. With increasing interest in, support for, and desire to become more informed about nuclear energy and how it can help mitigate climate change, combined with the wonderful goal of inspiring young women to enter the STEM fields, the evening promises to be interesting and inspiring. Scott Montgomery, University of Washington faculty from the Jackson School of International Studies, will be the interviewer for the event, and a Q&A will complete the evening. This special event is made possible by Friends of Fission Northwest and the generosity of the Anthropocene Institute, American Nuclear Society-Eastern Washington, Energy Northwest, Terrestrial Energy, and Town Hall Seattle. Scott L. Montgomery is an author, geoscientist, and affiliate faculty member in the Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington. He writes and lectures on a wide variety of topics related to energy (geopolitics, technology, resources, climate change), American politics, intellectual history, language and communication, and the history of science. About Friends of Fission Northwest Friends of Fission Northwest is a grassroots non-profit that, for more than six years, has brought speakers to the Puget Sound region and beyond. We strive to educate the public about the importance of nuclear energy, its value in fighting climate change, and to dispel myths and misinformation about nuclear power.
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208. UW Engage Science 2023: Violet Sorrentino & Tessa Code
06/13/2023
208. UW Engage Science 2023: Violet Sorrentino & Tessa Code
sees a future where every graduate student has access to science communication training, and therefore good science communication becomes the norm. The outcome is an increased public trust and positive attitude toward science, ultimately strengthening the connection between the public and scientists. Join us for a look at the forefront of research in our region and meet the students who are leading the latest wave of scientific discovery. Violet Sorrentino: How tiny worms can help us understand the human brain The human brain is a complex structure populated with hundreds of billions of cells. When something goes wrong and the brain gets sick, how can we pinpoint which cells are having problems? That’s why some neuroscientists use tiny worms as a model. They have similar brain cells and molecules, but everything is on a much smaller scale, so we can take knowledge more easily gained from the worm brain and apply it to humans. Brain cells called glia eat small parts of other cells, but eating too much or too little can cause diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. If we use worms to better understand the eating process, maybe we can develop treatments for these diseases. Violet Sorrentino is a cell biology graduate student at Fred Hutch, where she uses microscopic worms to study communication between two types of brain cells. The conversation between these cells helps maintain a happy and healthy brain, and she is working to define the molecular language these cells speak. Tessa Code: The threat of artificial light to young salmon in Lake Washington Juvenile sockeye salmon are not surviving their early growth phase in Lake Washington. Their main fish predator has heightened hunting efficiency due to the artificial light around the lake which brightens the water column. Artificial light at night is increasing at a rapid pace, brightening the sky more than ever before. Determining how salmon and their predators respond to the light levels in the lake would help Seattle and nearby cities to change lighting and help recover the salmon population. Tessa Code is a graduate student at the University of Washington and she works as a technician for the US Geological Survey Western Fisheries Research Center. Her research uses hydro-acoustics and light sensors to study the effect of artificial light on fish predator-prey dynamics in waterbodies around Seattle.
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