Events of Interest—June 2008

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Note: Some events may require advance reservation, admission fees and/or a minimum age (for example, for events where alcohol is served).

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Featured Events in June

Monday, June 2, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
Paul “PZ” Myers, evolutionary biologist and rabble-rousing blogger, gives a talk titled “On Science, Blogs and Intelligent Debates.” Myers is persona non grata at the Discovery Institute. He was recently booted out of a screening of the film “Expelled” - an irony certainly not lost on him. And now he’s coming to Seattle for one night only. He’ll be talking about the evolution of creationism and other oxymoronic topics with the same zeal and wit that have made him one of the fittest survivors on the science blog circuit. The talk is presented by NSWA and FoSEP. Venue: Pacific Science Center, Laser Dome.
Information: http://www.nwscience.org

Tuesday, June 3, 7:30 p.m.:
Science writer Carl Zimmer reads from Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life. E. coli, known to most for its deadly outbreaks, has actually played a pivotal role in the history of biology. The germ continues to influence the search for life-saving drugs, clean fuel and a deeper understanding of our own genetic makeup. Part of the Seattle Science Lecture series. Tickets are $5 at the door only. NSWA members are invited to meet Zimmer informally at a late-night gathering after the event. We’ll meet up after Zimmer’s talk at Town Hall Seattle and figure out where to go.
Information: http://townhallseattle.org

Monday, June 9, 6:30 p.m.:
NSWA monthly board meeting. Contact Michael Bradbury at mikeb@seanet.com to RSVP and get venue information.

Friday, June 27, 5 to 7 p.m.:
NSWA Freelance Friday Happy Hour at the Japanese Restaurant Wann (http://wann-izakaya.com/) in downtown Seattle. Please RSVP to Lisa Farino (LisaFarino@gmail.com) by 2 p.m. on the day of the event so she can reserve enough table space for all of us. You don’t need to be a freelancer to attend. Everyone is welcome.

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Monday, June 2, 3:30 p.m.:
Miranda Wecker from the UW Olympic Natural Resources Center’s Marine Program gives a talk titled “Lessons Learned from the Spartina Battle in Willapa Bay, Washington.” The talk is part of the Wildlife Science Seminar series hosted by the UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences series. Venue: UW Physics and Astronomy Building, A118.
Information: Chris Grue, cgrue@u.washington.edu

Monday, June 2, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
Paul “PZ” Myers, evolutionary biologist and rabble-rousing blogger, gives a talk titled “On Science, Blogs and Intelligent Debates.” Details above

Monday, June 2, 7:30 p.m.:
Jeffrey Bland, well-known nutritional biochemist, gives a talk titled “Healthcare Reform 2008: Creating a True Health Care System.” Bland, a co-founder of Bastyr University and chief science officer for Metagenics, believes that true healthcare reform in this country will require a shift from a population-based focus on the treatment of symptoms to a patient-centered focus on biochemical individuality derived from genetic and environmental differences. Presented as part of the Future of Health Lectures with Bastyr University and PCC Natural Markets. Tickets are $5 at the door only. Venue: Town Hall Seattle.
Information: http://townhallseattle.org

Tuesday, June 3, 3:30 to 5 p.m.:
The UW Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health presents “Nanoscience: Toxicology, Regulatory Gaps and Industry Secrets,” part of its “Uncorking Ethics” series. This quarterly discussion series focuses on gene-environment interactions. Among the speakers are Dave Eaton, director of the Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health; and UW professors Terry Kavanagh, Andrew Light, Francois Baneyx and Mike Yost. The event is free, but please RSVP to https://catalysttools.washington.edu/webq/survey/jsharpe/54514. Venue: Mary Gates Hall 389, UW Seattle Campus.

Tuesday, June 3, 7 p.m.:
William Gibson reads from Spook Country, a novel set in the very near future about a shipping container with no destination and a mysterious origin. A former rock star turned journalist finds that her freelance assignment to study virtual art is a front for a much more dangerous look into the world of espionage. Venue: University Book Store.
Information: http://www.bookstore.washington.edu
Author William Gibson talks to Nancy Pearl, Seattle author/librarian on June 20. Details below.

Tuesday, June 3, 7:30 p.m.:
Carl Zimmer, award-winning science writer for The New York Times and Scientific American, reads from “Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life.” Details above

Friday, June 6, 4 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.:
Rebecca Richards-Kortum, professor of bioengineering at Rice University, delivers the UW Department of Bioengineering’s 20th Annual Robert F. Rushmer Lecture. Richards-Kortum’s talk is titled “Integrating Bioengineering, Education and Policy Research to Create Sustainable Innovations to Prevent Disease.” Venue: UW Turner Auditorium (HSB D-209).
Information: Contact Shirley Nollette at peters2@u.washington.edu or download a pdf flyer.

Friday, June 6, 7 p.m.:
James Green, UW professor of anthropology, reads from Beyond the Good Death: The Anthropology of Modern Dying. The book examines the political controversies and the social structures that frame the contemporary American death. Venue: University Book Store.
Information: http://www.bookstore.washington.edu

Monday, June 9: 7:30 p.m.:
Richard Preston, science writer for the New Yorker, reads from Panic in Level 4: Cannibals, Killer Viruses, and Other Journeys to the Edge of Science. In his most recent book, Preston has assembled true stories of cannibals, killer viruses, and the search for the hidden order in the number pi, among other “tales of intrigue.” Part of the Seattle Science Lecture series. Admission is $5 at the door. Venue: Town Hall Seattle.
Information: http://www.townhallseattle.org

Wednesday, June 11, 12:15 p.m.:
Seattle CityClub presents a panel discussion with linguistics scholar George Lakoff, author of the book The Political Mind. Lakoff looks at the framing of political issues in light of cognitive science. Venue: Seattle Sheraton Hotel.
Information: http://www.seattlecityclub.org or 206-682-7395.
Lakoff also will speak at Town Hall Seattle at 7:30 p.m.
Information: http://www.townhallseattle.org

Wednesday, June 11, 7 p.m.:
Lincoln Hall reads from Dead Lucky: Life After Death on Mount Everest. After he collapsed from altitude sickness, Hall was pronounced dead on Mount Everest. The two Sherpas accompanying him on his climb were even told, after they were unable to revive him, to leave him there and save themselves. Imagine everyone’s surprise, then, when Hall was found awake, alive, and sitting cross-legged the next morning. Venue: The Mountaineers, 300 Third Ave. W.
Information: http://www.bookstore.washington.edu

Thursday, June 12, 7:30 p.m.:
Julie Salamon reads from Hospital: Man, Woman, Birth, Death, Infinity, Plus Red Tape, Bad Behavior, Money, God and Diversity on Steroids. Julie Salamon follows one day in the life of New York’s Maimonides Medical Center. From an insider perspective she both rakes muck and provides a basis for analyzing how hospitals provide care to increasingly multicultural American patients. Part of the Future of Health series. Tickets are $5 at the door only. Venue: Town Hall Seattle.
Information: http://www.townhallseattle.org

Saturday, June 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
The Museum of Flight hosts the “American Heroes Air Show.” Learn how helicopters play an important role in law enforcement, fire service, public safety, communications, national defense and homeland security. See helicopters like the U.S. Border Patrol’s Blackhawk as well as those flown by Airlift Northwest, KING 5 TV, Northwest Helicopters, the U.S. Army, U.S Navy, Snohomish County Sheriff and others. The helicopters will arrive between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. in the Museum Parking Lot. Visitors can get a bird’s-eye view of the action with helicopter rides that will be offered throughout the day. This outdoor event is free to the public. Venue: Museum of Flight parking lot.
Information: http://www.museumofflight.org

Monday, June 16, 7 p.m.:
Kathleen O’Brien reads from The Northwest Green Home Primer. The book focuses on the Cascadia region-so it is a resource that focuses on building green locally. A green building tour of UW Botanic Garden’s Merrill Hall will follow the reading. Admission is $12. Register in advance to guarantee a seat by calling (206) 685-8033. Venue: NHS Hall at the UW Botanic Gardens.
Information: http://www.bookstore.washington.edu

Tuesday, June 17, 7 p.m.:
Experience Music Project / Science Fiction Museum screens the animated science-fiction film “Terra” as part of its “Exposed: Inside Film” series. The film, voiced by Evan Rachel Wood and Luke Wilson, tells the tale of extraterrestrial conflict - and friendship. A conversation with director and animator Aristomenis Tsirbas follows the screening. Venue: EMPSFM’s JBL Theater.
Information: http://www.empsfm.org

Thursday, June 19, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
Enjoy an exhilarating happy hour while exploring Pacific Science Center’s fastest exhibit ever, “Speed!” Learn about acceleration, horsepower and friction, all over cocktails. The event is part of the center’s “Science with a Twist” series. Tickets are $20; $17 for Pacific Science Center members. Venue: Pacific Science Center.
Information and tickets: http://www.pacsci.org/twist or (206) 443-3611.

Thursday, June 19, 7:30 p.m.:
Paul Roberts, journalist and Washington native, gives a talk on his new book, The End of Food. Roberts’ latest work is a study of the modern food system of production, marketing and consumption. His conclusion is that the present system is no longer compatible or safe for the billions of consumers it was built to serve. Presented as part of the Future of Health Lectures with Kim Ricketts Book Events. Tickets are $5 at the door only. Venue: Town Hall Seattle.
Information: http://townhallseattle.org

Friday, June 20, 7:30 p.m.:
Author William Gibson talks to Nancy Pearl, Seattle author/librarian. Our favorite librarian and our favorite author of “cyber-tinged near-future fiction” on the same stage? Venue: UW Kane Hall, Room 120, Seattle.
Information: http://www.bookstore.washington.edu
William Gibson reads from Spook Country on June 3. Details above.

Saturday, June 21, 7:30 p.m.:
Harvard psychologist Susan Linn discusses her new book The Case for Make-Believe: Saving Play in Our Commercialized World. The book argues that make-believe plays a role in healthy child development and that there is a linkage between play and creativity and health. (Linn is also Nancy Pearl’s sister.) Venue: Elliott Bay Book Co.
Information: http://www.elliottbaybook.com/events/jun08/linn.jsp

Saturday, June 21, 8 p.m.:
The Experience Music Project / Science Fiction Museum presents its 2008 Science Fiction Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Among this year’s inductees are Betty and Ian Ballantine, William Gibson and Rod Serling. Venue: EMPSFM’s Sky Church.
Information: http://www.empsfm.org/

Friday, June 27, 5 to 7 p.m.:
NSWA Freelance Friday Happy Hour at the Japanese Restaurant Wann. Details above.

Saturday, June 28, 2 p.m.:
Rusty Schweickart, former Apollo 9 astronaut, discusses the problem of tracking near-Earth objects that might someday strike our planet, and how spacecraft might be used to prevent such a disaster. The event marks the 100th anniversary of the “Tunguska impact event” in June 1908, when a very small asteroid or comet nucleus exploded over central Siberia, leveling 2,000 square kilometers of forest. Venue: Museum of Flight, Willam M. Allen Theater.
Information: http://www.museumofflight.org

Monday, June 30, 7 p.m.:
Science on Tap will host a talk, topic to be arranged. Venue: Ravenna Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave. N.E.
Information: http://www.scienceontap.org/upcoming.htm