All posts by newtonstem

Blue Hill Observatory Online: Southern New England Weather Conference, Nov. 13

The 2021 Southern New England Weather Conference will be held online on November 13, 10AM-1:30PM. This free, public event is sponsored by the Blue Hill Observatory, the National Weather Service Norton MA, the UMass Lowell and Northern Vermont University-Lyndon College chapters of the American Meteorological Society. Register here. Speakers include:

  • Dr. Louis Uccellini, NOAA Assistant Administrator for Weather Services and Director of the National Weather Service, will discuss northeast winter storms and NOAA’s “WeatherReady Nation” initiative to mitigate impacts of destructive weather.
  • 30th Anniversary of Hurricane Bob
  • Impacts of “Ida” on the northeast U.S.
  • National Weather Service webinars, storybook, and videos
  • Weather Observational Integrity through Major Renovations at Blue Hill Observatory
  • Winter Outlook for the Region
  • Panel of professional meteorologists and climate scientists discussing their career choices and impacts.

Science Club for Girls & National Grid: Weekly Episodes Celebrating Black Energy Awareness Month

Science Club for Girls offers SCFGLive! — free weekly online science shows to engage Grades K-5 in STEM learning. They’re broadcast live on Fridays at 4PM on the SCFG Facebook pageYouTube channel, and website. Previous broadcasts are available on-demand on the SCFG YouTube channel and website, as well as on Comcast Xfinity and several community-access CATV stations. Throughout October, SCFGLive! will celebrate Black Energy Awareness Month the SCFG Facebook page, YouTube channel, and website. Previous broadcasts are available on-demand on the SCFG YouTube channel and website, as well as on Comcast Xfinity and several community-access CATV stations (BEAM) with these episodes (all available online):

  • October 1: What is a Grid?
  • October 8: Renewable Energy and Nonrenewable Energy
  • October 15: Careers in Energy
  • October 22:  Electric Vehicles
  • October 29: Climate Change & Supporting Our Environment

Audubon / Belmont Library Online Talk: The Lives of Native Owls, Oct. 14

The Belmont Public Library will host an online talk by Barbara Bates of Mass. Audubon’s Habitat Sanctuary:  The Lives of Native Owls, on October 14, 6:30PM-7:30PM. The talk will focus on four species — Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Screech Owl, and Saw-whet Owl — and their adaptations and nesting habits, where to look for them, and how they manage to survive in our western suburbs. Register here.

FSU Planetarium Celebrating the Launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, Oct. 15

The Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University will celebrate NASA’s launch of the James Webb Space Telescope with an in-person event at McAuliffe Center (also livestreamed):  The James Webb Space Telescope: We Can See the Beginning, on October 15 at 7PM. Dr. Kathryn Flanagan, Astronomer Emerita at the Space Telescope Science Institute and former Webb mission head, will speak about the largest astrophysics mission in NASA’s history and the science it will return. Before her keynote there will be a short multimedia presentation about the science goals and questions that will be explored by the Webb Telescope.

MSEN Online Panel about Jobs and Careers in Life Sciences, Oct. 18

The MetroWest STEM Education Network will host a free panel discussion, Life Sciences Jobs: Demystifying Career Paths 101, for high-school and college students, educators, and parents, on October 18 at 1PM. Moderated by Alira Health CEO Gabriele Brambilla, the panel will include: Jason Krantz (CEO and Founder of Definitive Healthcare), Amir Handzel (Global Head of Science and Research Engagement at MathWorks), Kenneth Turner (President and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center), and Maria Wendt (Head of Biologics Research US & Global Head Digital Biologics Platform at Sanofi). Register here.

MSEN Online Talk about Jobs Related to the Environment , Oct. 21

The MetroWest STEM Education Network will host an online talk, Green Jobs Everywhere: Turning Your Passion for the Environment into an Impactful Career, on October 21 at 4:30PM, for middle-school and high-school students. Brian Coyle of the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, will speak about ways to have enriching careers in science, finance, and education and make positive impacts on the environment. Register here.

Broad Institute Science for All Seasons: More than Just a Powerhouse: Your Mitochondria, Oxygen, and You, Oct. 25

The Broad Institute will host a public, virtual event in its Science for All Seasons series, More than Just a Powerhouse: Your Mitochondria, Oxygen, and You, on October 25, 5PM-6PM. Molecular biologist Vamsi Mootha will describe a new understanding of mitochondrias’ fundamental purpose and discuss what that means for human health. Register here.

K-12 Cool Science Artwork Competition, Submissions Due Dec. 10

Cool Science — a free, public art competition for K-12 students — is now in its 10th year and hosted by UMass Lowell, UMass Boston, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, University of Kansas, and Kansas City Art Institute. Students are asked to create a visual work of art, following these guidelines and rules, in response to one of these challenge questions:

  1. What did you learn about extreme weather and climate that you want to teach adults?
  2. Why is a weakening Polar Vortex causing wild ups and downs in winter temperatures?
  3. How will our lives change as weather becomes more severe?

Submissions are due December 10. Winning art, in three divisions (Grades K-5,  6-8, and 9-12) will be displayed on public busses next fall.