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PODCAST
Welcome to the Southern Utah Science Café!
Welcome! You can find information on the Cafés and Podcasts below, with
links to the audio recordings of podcasts where available.
Please join our mailing list, and let us know if you would like to participate in
upcoming cafés or podcasts, or would like to host a café!
Please fill out the Science Cafe Utah Climate Survey here!!
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The Science Café provides open discussions
with the regional community –
a science background is not needed!!
Live Events
Utah's HerpSearch - Utilizing iNaturalist for Herpetological Species Monitoring in Southern Utah
SCIENTISTS:
Megen Kepas
Professor, Utah Tech University
Geoff Smith
Professor, Utah Tech University
Alyssa Hoekstra
Utah Native Herpetology Coordinator, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
INFO:
Join us for an informal conversation about herpetology and the “creeping animals” of southern Utah, including reptiles, and amphibians.
The Science Café program provides a venue for open and accessible science discussions with the regional community – a science background is not necessary to attend and participate!
DATE: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
TIME: 5:00-6:00pm
LOCATION: Sandtown Pizza, 195 S. Bluff St., St. George
Additional resources:
Wildfire and Urban Fire - Risks to Southern Utah
SCIENTISTS:
Jennifer Bringhurst
Utah Tech University, Population Health
Brad Washa
Utah State University Extension – Wildland Fire Science
Jake Powell
Utah State University Extension – Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning
INFO:
Join us for an informal conversation about the risks of wildfires and urban fires to our region, including effects on communities and on health when exposed to smoke and ash.
The Science Café program provides a venue for open and accessible science discussions with the regional community – a science background is not necessary to attend and participate!
DATE: Wednesday, March 5, 2025
TIME: 5:30-6:30pm
LOCATION: Sandtown Pizza, 195 S. Bluff St., St. George
Additional resources:
USU Article on Utah’s Wildfire-Urban Fire Risks
NASEM Webinar and Report on Urban Fires
Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland-Urban Interface
(photo: KSL)
Oppenheimer, Nuclear Processes, Downwinders
SCIENTISTS:
Derrick Haslem
Senior Medical Director of Oncology
Intermountain Health
Emma Prendergast
Utah Tech University Philosophy and Ethics
Matthias Schmitt
Astrophysicist
NPS Dark Sky Coordinator
Rico Del Sesto
Utah Tech University Chemistry
INFO:
Join us for an informal conversation about topics highlighted in the recently released movie “Oppenheimer”; the role of nuclear processes in weapons, energy, and medicine; and the health impacts or nuclear weapons testing on “downwinders” in Utah, New Mexico, and Nevada.
The Science Café program provides a venue for open and accessible science discussions with the regional community – a science background is not necessary to attend and participate!
DATE: Wednesday, October 25, 2023
TIME: 5:00-6:30pm
LOCATION: Caffe Elevato, 1664 S. Dixie Dr, St. George
(photo: Nevada Test Site Museum)
Why did the rock cross the road?
SCIENTISTS:
Feather Robinson
Utah Tech University
Archaeoastronomy
Native American History
Matthias Schmitt
NPS Dark Sky Coordinator
Solar Eclipse Chaser
INFO:
Join us for an informal conversation on the importance of protecting our dark skies in southern Utah, and the darkening of our daytime sky during the upcoming October solar eclipse!
The Science Café provides a venue for open and accessible science discussions with the regional community – a science background is not necessary to attend and participate!
DATE: Wednesday, August 30, 2023
TIME: 5:00-6:30pm
LOCATION: Caffe Elevato, 1664 S. Dixie Dr, St. George
(photo: thedyrt.com)
VIDEO LINK (CAFFE ELEVATO)
Journey Into Utah’s Dark Skies: Past, Present, Future
SCIENTISTS:
Feather Robinson
Utah Tech University
Archaeoastronomy
Native American History
Matthias Schmitt
NPS Dark Sky Coordinator
Solar Eclipse Chaser
INFO:
Join us for an informal conversation on the importance of protecting our dark skies in southern Utah, and the darkening of our daytime sky during the upcoming October solar eclipse!
The Science Café provides a venue for open and accessible science discussions with the regional community – a science background is not necessary to attend and participate!
DATE: Wednesday, August 30, 2023
TIME: 5:00-6:30pm
LOCATION: Caffe Elevato, 1664 S. Dixie Dr, St. George
(photo: thedyrt.com)
VIDEO LINK (CAFFE ELEVATO)
Sustainable Approaches to Food Resources in Southern Utah
SCIENTISTS:
Marzieh Ghasemi
Utah Tech University
Lori Nigh
Director, Harmon’s Santa Clara
Kevin Kunz
Manager, Washington County Landfill
INFO:
Join us for an informal conversation about the challenges in maximizing efficiency and landfill diversion of food resources in the southern Utah regions!
The Science Café provides a venue for open and accessible science discussions with the regional community – a science background is not necessary to attend and participate!
DATE: Wednesday, April 12, 2023
TIME: 5:00-6:30pm
LOCATION: Harmon’s (Santa Clara location, upstairs open space)
3520 Pioneer Pkwy, Santa Clara
(photo: risegarden.org )
Water risk management in the Santa Clara and Virgin Rivers
SCIENTISTS:
Christina Pondell
Environmental Science, Utah Tech University
Wesley Pickett
Rosenberg Associates, Utah Department of Natural Resources
Robyn Henderek
Zion National Park
INFO:
Join us for an informal conversation about the challenges in minimizing risks to – and from – our water in the Santa Clara and Virgin River watersheds! Bring your questions and curious ponderings about the impacts and opportunities to mitigate impacts of the intensifying drought-flood cycles, and how those cycles affect quality, collection and storage, and treatment of our critical water resources.
DATE: Wednesday, March 29, 2023
TIME: 5:00-6:30pm
LOCATION: Caffe Elevato
1664 S. Dixie Dr, St. George
Desert Tortoises!
SCIENTISTS:
Marshall Topham
Utah Tech University, Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan
Megen Kepas
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Mary Lane Poe
The Desert Network, The Desert Tortoise Council, and the Southern Utah Climbers Alliance
INFO:
Join us for an informal conversation about desert tortoises, habitat destruction, and conservation efforts, in the southern Utah and Mojave Desert regions! Bring your questions and curiosities about our local iconic shelled reptile to discuss with our guest scientists!
DATE: Tuesday, February 21, 2023
TIME: 5:00-6:30pm
LOCATION: Caffe Elevato
1664 S. Dixie Dr, St. George
*This event is being held in collaboration with The Desert Tortoise Council Annual Meeting being held in St George, UT, the same week!
*photo – DesertUSA
Desert Fishes*
SCIENTISTS:
Megan Bean
Native Fish Coordinator for the Chihuahuan Desert region in Texas
Ed Kluender
Research Associate, Colorado State University Larval Fish Laboratory
INFO:
Join us for an informal discussion about desert aquatic ecosystems and their associated life forms. The Science Cafés are a great way for the general community to learn about the science directly connected to our region. Science Cafés welcome people who may or may not typically get involved with scientific discussions without needing to be a scientist to learn about the science of our southern Utah region!
DATE: Thursday, November 17, 2022
TIME: 7:00-8:30pm
LOCATION: Zion Brewery Station 2
142 North Main St., St George
*This event is being held in collaboration with the Desert Fishes Council Annual Meeting being held in St George, UT, this week!
Creatures of the Night
SCIENTISTS:
Zac Warren
Bat Biologist – Zion National Park
Zach Valois
Arachnologist and Prep Lab Manager – St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site
INFO:
An open and scary discussion about the darkest nights and the creatures that lurk above, below, and around us, just out of sight that you might only see shadows. Did you hear that? ‘Tis the wind and nothing more!
Bring your questions, and concerns(!), about bats, spiders, scorpions, and other nightly creatures to discuss with our panel!
DATE: Wednesday, October 19, 2022
TIME: 5-7pm
LOCATION: Gaia’s Garden Cafe patio
695 S. 100 W., St. George, UT
Endemic species of Southern Utah
SCIENTISTS:
Erin O’Brien, PhD
Plant Ecology, DSU Department of Biological Sciences
Sarah Siefken
Biologist, Utah Division of Wildlife Services
Kevin Wheeler
Native Aquatics Biologist, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
INFO:
An open discussion on endemic species to Southern Utah, and how they survive in the harsh desert climate and surrounded by a rapidly growing population.
DATE: Tuesday, March 8, 2022
TIME: 6-8pm
LOCATION: Zion Brewery Station II
142 N Main St, St. George, UT 84770
Science of FIRE!
SCIENTISTS:
Greg Melton, PhD
DSU Department of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences
Mike Schijf
Biologist, Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan
Jason Whipple
Director, Washington County Emergency Services
INFO:
An open discussion on fire, including the impacts of wildfires on the land and its inhabitants.
DATE: Tuesday, February 8, 2022
TIME: 5-7pm
LOCATION: Zion Brewery Station II
142 N Main St, St. George, UT 84770
Red Cliffs Desert Reserve - Part 1
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PODCAST
All about the Bees - Utah's favorite insect
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PODCAST
What's up with Lizards?
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CAFÉ – LIVE
Geology of Southwestern Utah
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CAFÉ – LIVE
Biomechanics - Modeling and simulation, research, and clinical advances
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Science Café
Email: sciencecafe@utahtech.edu