Join us for our Science Under the Dome monthly live talk series. Talks in this series are presented by graduate student and postdoc researchers at CU Boulder.

These are a part of our regular talks and normal ticket prices apply. Groupons can be used. CU Boulder students are admitted FREE with valid Buff card. Tickets must be picked up in person and only one ticket per student.

Science of Sci-Fi talk series

Science of SciFi image from filmFrom warp drives to artificial intelligence to living on Mars, this series is to explore a variety of scientific ideas that surface in science fiction books, movies, and video games. Where have popular sci-fi movies portrayed science correctly, and where has Hollywood gone off the deep end? What technologies were once ‘sci-fi’ but are now rapidly becoming a reality? 

UPCOMING Talks

Navigating on Mars: Learning from Ancient Mariners - January 29 & 30 at 7pm

Imagine you are an astronaut stuck on Mars. You have no maps, no compass, no GPS, and no internet to google directions. Your only chance of survival is to drive across the planet to be rescued. Would you survive? In Andy Weir’s book, The Martian, Astronaut Mark Watney does just this using a form of celestial navigation adapted to the red planet. Does the science behind his navigation technique hold up? Could real NASA astronauts actually survive using these methods if they were in a similarly dire situation? In this talk we will discuss navigating in space and on other planets, and what astronauts could learn from ancient navigational techniques.

Nick Dragone is a second year PhD student in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Before coming to the University of Colorado to study soil microorganisms living in Antarctica and other challenging environments, Nick spent four years working and living on a sailboat teaching undergraduate students marine science and navigation. When he is not working on his research, Nick spends his time in Boulder outside, biking, hiking, and skiing.

Galactic Navigation: A Tourist's Guide to Traveling the Milky Way - February 27 at 7pm

Once we have ‘boldly gone where no man has gone before’ we must ask, where are we? In order to travel the galaxy, we will need to know where we are going. How do you develop a map of the galaxy? How do you know where you are so you can get back to Earth? Humans have been asking for thousands of years. I will discuss the history of navigation and mapping, how we will navigate in the future, and finally how realistic the fictional technologies invented for SciFi tv shows and moves are for space travel.

Angela Collier completed her PhD at the University of Kentucky. She recently moved from the Appalachian mountains and into the Rockies to start a postdoc at JILA/CU Boulder. She works on all things dynamics, from asteroid belts to star clusters to galaxies.  In her spare time she enjoys going to the gym and watching the Great British Bake Off.

Science and Society talk series

Astronaut with solar panels and earth in backgroundScience and technology don’t exist in a vacuum - there are countless ways that research and innovation play a significant role in society at large. What are some of the ways in which they overlap? This series explores the intersection of science and society, addressing topics such as light pollution, GMOs, and mining asteroids, and the talks invite the audience to consider ways in which they have been impacted by this intersection.

UPCOMING Talks

Black Marble: Exploring the Earth's Dark Side - March 19 at 4pm & 7pm

The Earth is a blue marble shining in the sun's glow... but that's only half the story. The Earth's dark side -- the Black Marble -- is growing brighter every year thanks to humanity. The lights on our planet's night side may be beautiful to some, ugly to others, but they reveal far more about our world and our species than you might think.  We will explore the latest images taken in the Earth's shadow by satellites and astronauts. What can they tell us about politics, conflict, human movement, and our impact on the environment?

Will Holsclaw recently graduated from CU as a double major in History and Classics with a Space Minor. He is continuing at CU as a PhD student in History, and his research focuses on the political and diplomatic dynamics of the Space Age. He is a lifelong space nerd and planetarium buff.

Climate Change in Our Backyard talk series

Isabelle Glacier, Colorado at SunriseOur climate is changing and we must adapt to a world that is transforming right before our eyes. Early warning signs of climate change were seen in far away places like the Arctic, Antarctica, and Greenland. Now these impacts are affecting us here at home and changing the way we live our lives. Join us as we explore the local and global impacts of climate change and ways in which we can contribute to a solution.

PAST Talks

The Water Towers of the West - October 9 & 10 at 7pm

Mountains: The calling, the climb, the view, the conquering, the highs, the lows, the navigation, the holy ground, the power, the unknown, the beauty, the intensity… the greatest water resource in the west? Yes, the mountains that we call our backyard serve as our greatest water towers, holding the vast majority of all water in the region. This water comes to us in the form of snow, and its availability and seasonal patterns are changing. On this topographically rich journey, we will explore the history and role of snow in the mountainous west, its relationship to weather, climate, elevation, and its effects on downstream humans, our infamous wildflower season, and the local elk and pika. We will look into downstream water rights, the culture and politics of the ski industry in response to snow, and the current and publicly-sourced conservation initiatives meant to halt the changing snowpack. We will come together over gained insight and adoration for our mountains and our seasonal snow; more than just a force of life, but a source of life.

Kate Hale is a midwesterner at heart, hailing from Wisconsin, currently exploring professional and personal interests in a land of intensified topography. She is a PhD student in Geography, studying snow science and the relationship between rain, snow, snowmelt and streamflow. She cares greatly about local water resources, and when hydrologic modeling becomes tedious, she explores her backyard recreationally. Movement is her M.O., particularly on foot, and she loves adventures that start or end in the dark.