Arizona Science Lecture Series | 2021
“Join us virtually every Thursday in April at 6 p.m. MST for five free lectures exploring the science of water.
In the 16th annual College of Science Lecture Series, our distinguished faculty will take the audience on a journey through water, its history and its future. From the comfort of your home, you can watch the virtual premieres of lectures on the cosmic origins of water, the essential role of the Colorado River in the arid Southwestern United States today, and the next great challenges of water for future generations. We will lay the foundations for understanding the water all around us, from the ocean to the groundwater beneath the surface.
Beyond Earth
April 1 | Jessica Barnes & Pierre Haenecour
Life on Earth is comprised of water and organic molecules. In this talk, we explore the cosmic origins of these components, how they were delivered to the Earth, and how the exploration of asteroid Bennu by the OSIRIS-REx mission will help elucidate how Earth became habitable.
Within the Ocean
April 8 | Diane Thompson
The oceans play a fundamental role in year-to-year patterns of temperature and water availability, as seen in studies of the world’s largest ocean and its evolution of patterns in response to the Earth’s changing climate. In this talk, we will discuss how we harness this historical information to develop and test innovative solutions for increasing the resilience of coral reef ecosystems at the Biosphere 2.
The Colorado River
April 15 | Connie Woodhouse
The Colorado River is a vital surface water supply for the arid Southwestern US, where the demand for water from the river now exceeds the supply. In this talk, I will discuss how this arid lands river, one of the most highly developed in the world, is subject to natural climate variability and, increasingly, the impacts of a warming climate.
Beneath our Feet
April 22 | Laura Condon
Groundwater is by far the largest un-frozen freshwater resource on the planet. Yet, it is often overlooked, overused, or misunderstood. In this talk, we will explore how the water beneath our feet supports ecosystems and human systems alike and the role that it has to play in our future.
Society and A Changing Climate
April 29 | Kevin Anchukaitis
Our society’s most significant challenges from climate change will be those involving water – both too much causing flooding and too little causing droughts. What can lessons from past civilizations tell us about the dangers we face and how we might adapt? In this talk, we take a tour around the globe to explore how climate change alters the planet’s water cycle, how societies past and present have responded, and the challenges we face in the future.”
https://science.arizona.edu/community-engagement/public/arizona-science-lecture-series
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Reminder, this College of Science water lecture series starts tomorrow, April 1st. Not a joke to learn about our precious and finite system of water/evaporation/rain & snow melt/oceans. 6 p.m. for 5 weeks virtually. Won’t have to drive and fight for parking around Centennial Hall this 2nd year of the pandemic.