Science and Beer - what's not to love
Almost wish I was living in Seattle again.
From the
Seattle Post-Intellegencer:
To get adults buzzed about learning science, just add beer
Getting kids to learn science can take blackboards and story problems, wood blocks and three-ring binders. The occasional number-munching monster doesn't hurt either.
For adults, just take the science and add beer.
At least that's the theory organizers of Science on Tap wanted to experiment with when they started hosting the monthly science gatherings at Ravenna Third Place Books three years ago.
The beer-fueled forums have since garnered a growing following that often fills every seat at the Ravenna neighborhood bar, in the basement of the bookstore.
The idea was imported from Leeds, England, in 1998, said Gretchen Meller, an organizer for Seattle's Science on Tap. Meller said the evening lectures create a mellow space for the exchange of scientific ideas.
"People always have questions about science," the Swedish Medical Center research scientist said. "You can read a lot of really great science writing, but there isn't really a place to ask the questions."
A Science on Tap evening usually starts with a brief lecture by the night's presenter, who then takes questions from the crowd. The topics are wide-ranging across fields. Past speakers have discussed fuel cells, nanotechnology and stem cells.
Very cool!
Posted by DaveH at May 21, 2007 11:18 AM