Please join us at 7:30pm this month at
Our Lady of Lourdes High School, 131 Boardman Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
7:30pm (Doors open at 7pm)
Science In Your Life Series Sponsored by:
Seating at Science In Your Life series is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis.
Kathryn Ferrusi of Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union helped to kick off the 2012 Science in Your Life Series on Wednesday, January 25th with words of support for the program.
Kathryn A. Ferrusi of Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union with President of V.B.I. Maung S. Htoo, Ph.D.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
MARINE TURTLES AND CORAL REEF SYSTEMS AT PALMYRA IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN
Speaker: Dr. Eleanor Sterling
American Museum of Natural History
New York, NY
Palmyra Atoll is a low lying, extremely remote coral atoll located halfway between Hawaii and Fiji, near the equator in the central Pacific Ocean. It serves as a baseline for studies of healthy reef systems, helping us to understand coral reef resilience, global climate change and its potential effects on coral reefs, and invasive species. Several threatened and endangered species, such as sea turtles, live on or visit the atoll. Much remains to be learned about sea turtle population size and behavior in remote foraging areas in the Central Pacific, hindering comprehensive management and conservation efforts. A team of scientists is undertaking research at the atoll to gather information required for the effective management of sea turtles and their ecosystems and to contribute significantly to knowledge of regional population distribution throughout the Pacific Ocean.
Dr. Eleanor Sterling is Director of the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation at the American Museum of Natural History and Director of Graduate Studies at the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology at Columbia University. She leads the development and coordination of the Center’s national and international field projects and the development of curricula for undergraduate and graduate level education. Since 2006, she has served as the chair of the Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium and is directing collaborative work to document biodiversity at the remote Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife refuge in the Central Pacific.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
MAN AND WOMAN: AN INSIDE STORY OF NEUROBIOLOGY AND SEX DIFFERENCES
Speaker: Dr. Donald W. Pfaff
Rockefeller University
New York, NY
Certain sex differences in the brain, important for behaviors tightly linked to reproduction, are very well understood. Mechanisms have been revealed, from hormones to gene transcription in specific nerve cells governing such behavior. These will be presented. On the other hand, historically, sex differences were thought to have much broader applications in human societies than is really justified. A new view will be discussed, one that avoids previous oversimplification.
Dr. Donald W. Pfaff is professor and head of the Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior at Rockefeller University, is a brain scientist who uses neuroanatomical, neurochemical and neurophysiological methods to study the cellular mechanisms by which the brain controls behavior. He graduated from Harvard College magna cum laude and received his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1965. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also is a member of several scientific organizations related to studies of the central nervous system. The author of several books on the brain and behavior, he received the 2005 Award for Excellence in Professional and Scholarly Publishing (medical science category) of the Association of American Publishers for his recent book, Brain Arousal and Information Theory. He is the recipient of a share of the 2010 Ipsen Foundation Prize in Neuronal Plasticity.
Please join us at 7:30pm this month at
Poughkeepsie High School Auditorium, 70 Forbus Street, Poughkeepsie, NY
7:30pm (Doors open at 6:45pm)
February 15, 2012
Marlin Darrah
Northern Europe
Experience this delicious sampler of fjords, fish markets, art museums, cathedrals, lively pedestrian streets, great canals and bridges, palaces and parks, and meetings with fascinating Northern Europeans. All this and more in locations in and around Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Prague, Copenhagen, Kiel, Bergen, Amsterdam, Antwerp, London and Paris.
February 22, 2012
Stan Walsh
On the Road to Oberammergau
Join Stan on this scenic trek thru Northern Italy ending up in the quaint, Bavarian town of Oberammergau, home of the world-famous passion play. Enjoy Stan’s ability to capture the essence of each place whether the old town centers in the Italian cities, or the Bavarian wood carver bringing out the beautiful, hidden figures in pieces of wood.
February 29, 2012
Rick Ray
East African Safari
Savannahs, lions, migrating wildebeests, jeeps crossing vast landscapes. Go on an adventure of a lifetime with Rick, visiting Nairobi, Masai Mara, Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro, the Serengeti Plains to name just a few highlights in Kenya and Tanzania. Top it off with a trek to visit the mountain gorillas of Rwanda.
Announcing 2012-2013 Travelogue Programs
Programs for the 2012-2013 have just been announced. CLICK HERE to download the brochure for the next season. You may renew your dues at the membership table starting at the February 22nd travelogue presentation.
