Science Pubs are where we take science out of the laboratory and bring it to you, with food and drinks. Join us for fascinating discussions with researchers from throughout OSU and OSU-Cascades.
5:30 p.m.
Join fellow attendees to enjoy pub-style heavy appetizers and a no-host bar offering beer, wine, cider and soft drinks.
6 p.m.
Presentation and Q&A
Cost
$22 per person includes food, free parking and presentation. No-host bar available.
February Science Pub
Hit the Ground Running: How the Latest Advances in Footwear Science Can Help Runners Stay Injury-Free
JJ Hannigan, Assistant Professor, Doctor of Physical Therapy; Director, FORCE Lab; OSU-Cascades
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Edward J. Ray Hall | Charles McGrath Family Atrium | OSU-Cascades
With more running shoe options available than ever, how do you know what shoe is best for you? Whether selecting shoes for training or racing, or on the road or on trail, Dr. JJ Hannigan breaks down the latest science on how footwear affects running biomechanics and injury risk. Backed by research from the OSU-Cascades FORCE Lab, this talk reveals how the right shoes can help runners stay healthy and prevent injury.
March Science Pub
Soil. What it is and How it Works
James Cassidy, Senior Instructor, Crop and Soil Science, OSU College of Agricultural Sciences
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Edward J. Ray Hall | Charles McGrath Family Atrium | OSU-Cascades
It's ALL about SOIL! Most people only have a vague idea of what soil is and how it works. You will learn more than you ever thought possible from this lecture. What soil is, how soils form, the reason you are alive, what nutrients are, how soil stores water and nutrients, how to access published on-line soils data to improve your understanding of this critical resource! The fundamentals that ALL humans on the planet Earth should know!
April Science Pub
As I Lay Drying: What Causes Rivers to Go Dry and What Can be Done About It?
Skuyler Herzog, Assistant Professor, OSU-Cascades Natural Resources
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Edward J. Ray Hall | Charles McGrath Family Atrium | OSU-Cascades
This talk explores the science and philosophy of river restoration across Central Oregon’s diverse watersheds. Weaving lessons learned from Dr. Herzog’s research at Whychus Creek, the Upper Crooked River, and Thirtymile Creek, it examines how river restoration affects flow and water quality for salmon and steelhead. Beyond the science, it asks deeper questions: what does a successful restoration project look like, what happens when our visions for restoration diverge, and how can we find common ground?
Past 2024-2025 Science Pubs
MAY SCIENCE PUB
Metabolic Health and Healthy Aging
Sean Newsom, PhD, FACSM, Associate Professor; Co-Director, Translational Metabolism Research Laboratory, OSU College of Health
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Edward J. Ray Hall | Charles McGrath Family Atrium | OSU-Cascades
Weight gain and low physical activity are common issues in modern life, despite widespread knowledge of the advantages of movement. Sean Newsom, an integrative metabolic physiologist with the OSU College of Health, will share findings from his lab about a possible strategy to improve metabolic health and promote healthy aging.
When Worlds Collide: Highways and Wildlife Crossings
Corrinne Dombrowski, Research Analyst, OSU-Cascades Human and Ecosystem Resiliency and Sustainability Lab
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Edward J. Ray Hall | Charles McGrath Family Atrium | OSU-Cascades
As human development expands, wildlife—deer, elk, badgers, bobcats and more—need help crossing busy highways. A research analyst in OSU-Cascades’ HERS Lab, Corinne Dombrowski monitors wildlife crossing structures along US Hwy. 97 to understand how and when animals cross under or over the road. Learn how her work supports decision-making for wildlife crossing projects across Oregon.
Mapping War via Satellite
Jamon Lee Van Den Hoek, Associate Professor; Director, Conflict Ecology Lab, OSU College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Edward J. Ray Hall | Charles McGrath Family Atrium | OSU-Cascades
In war torn areas, physical damage can be immense and reporting of it inconsistent or worse, unreliable. Learn how Jamon Van Den Hoek and his team in the Conflict Ecology Lab use open satellite data to monitor damage caused by armed conflict and to develop new approaches to map refugee movements and assess environmental and climatic change in politically fragile contexts around the globe. The lab's maps and data covering the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine have been published in the New York Times, BBC, Al Jazeera and other major global news outlets.
3D Scanning for Heritage Preservation
Todd Kesterson, MFA, MS; Senior Instructor, New Media Communications, OSU College of Liberal Arts
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Edward J. Ray Hall | Charles McGrath Family Atrium | OSU-Cascades
Explore with Todd Kesterson, an award-winning OSU expert in 3D modeling, 3D animation and virtual reality applications, how 3D scanning tools can digitally preserve heritage sites throughout the world, including here in Oregon.
To be rescheduled.
The Situation in the Ukraine
Sara Henderson, Associate Professor, Political Science, OSU College of Liberal Arts
Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 | 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Edward J. Ray Hall | Charles McGrath Family Atrium | OSU-Cascades
As the war in Ukraine wages on, the toll on the Eastern European country and international political challenges increase. Join us for a discussion with OSU political science and Russia/Eastern Europe expert Sarah Henderson. You’ll explore the history and current state of the war, how it may unfold, and what might lead to peace. Science Pubs are $22 and include a light dinner, and no-host beer/wine.