Have you ever wondered what has been lost when bards and storytellers were replaced by modern media? Or how your gut microbiome can change the way you act?
Then join Public Works at 7pm on August 2nd at The Downstairs for a double does of science talks!
How to tell Epic Stories and Save the Planet at the Same Time
by Jay Leeming Performance Storyteller
Before the industrial revolution every healthy community on the planet included numerous storytellers, individuals trained in poetry, music and the dream-logic of mythology who would regularly dazzle their listeners with mind-opening tales of love, death and other worlds. Over the last century we have surrendered this power to multinational corporations, and the consequences have not been good. Performance storyteller Jay Leeming has spent years telling stories in theaters, schools, and National Parks, and in this talk he will not only illuminate his own process of learning to tell both the Odyssey and the Mahabharata epic of India but will also offer guidance in how we can turn off Netflix, awaken the visionary mythteller within each of us, and save the planet through story.
Awash in Wee Beasties: How microbial diversity shapes the animal world (and your own behavior)
by Dr. Daniel Sprockett Postdoctoral Associate in the Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University
The gut microbiome, or the complex community of microbes that colonize the intestinal tract, can have a wide range of effects on their host’s physiology, metabolism, and behavior. In humans, much has been discovered about how these microbes impact a person’s health and wellbeing, but much less is known about how they influence the fitness of other animals. In this talk, Dr. Sprockett will explore the ways that the gut microbiome impacts their animals hosts ranging from rodents to birds and even primates, with a focus on how we know what we know. Topics will span from short-term responses to long-term evolutionary consequences, and even how microbes might be affecting everyday decisions. The presentation will conclude with a (hopeful!) look at the future of microbiome-based interventions.
August 2nd, 7 PM. The Downstairs
121 W. State Street Ithaca, NY
Are you interested in giving a talk? We want to hear from you! Come talk to us (Zach Ulibarri, zulibarri@cornell.
We don't just want to hear talks from academics! Come talk to us about whatever you are passionate about, what you know, or anything else that is intellectually stimulating.
Public Works is free event in the style of Nerd Nite but designed just for Ithaca! We’re bringing a variety of intellectually-stimulating presentations right to you for your entertainment and educational pleasure at The Downstairs. Come hear talks given by Cornell and IC graduate students, professors, community experts, and everything in between! Each session will feature one to three accessible talks, followed by a Q&A session where audience participation is highly encouraged but not required!
Bring a friend, make a friend, ask an expert, and drink a beer!
Go to https://publicworks.info/ for program info!