Videos and Livestreams - Lunchtime Lecture Series Archive 2020
The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs hosts a guest lecture series called the Lunchtime Discovery Series. Professionals from a wide range of environmental backgrounds come and give presentations about their work and offer an opportunity for attendees to learn about a variety of subjects during the lunch hour. Topics range from spider diversity in North Carolina to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to how to incorporate music in environmental education programming.
The are several taped presentations on a wide variety of environmental topics that can be used in the classroom to supplement existing lessons on ecosystems, natural resources, and North Carolina history.
You can sign up for weekly email notifications about upcoming lectures! Contact an office staff member if you have trouble subscribing.
Colleen Olfenbuttel, Certified Wildlife Biologist; Black Bear and Furbearer Biologist, Surveys and Research Program, Wildlife Management Division,
NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Black bears are a wildlife success story, having been successfully restored by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission in much of their historic range. As a result, black bear sightings have increased in all 100 North Carolina counties and people are discovering that bears can live near and in their neighborhoods. You never know where you may see a bear, which is why whether you are at home or on vacation, it is important to be BearWise. Learn about our adaptive bears, including how to live responsibly with them and efforts to create BearWise Communities.
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
December 16, 2020 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
WATCH THIS TALK
Diquan Edmonds, Triangle Land Conservancy
Outdoor experiences should be provided with equitable access for all. However, we often see disparities in activities and programs participated in by people of color. Diquan will examine the history of and barriers to outdoor experiences for African Americans and discuss ways the "great outdoors" is different for all members of our communities. He will also provide suggestions on how to make the outdoors more equitable.
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
WATCH THIS TALK
Join us on YouTube!
John Henry Harrelson, District 4 Wildlife Biologist, NC Wildlife Resources Commission
The recovery of the wild turkey has been touted as one of North Carolina’s greatest wildlife success stories. But it was a long road to get the state’s wild turkey population back to its current level from a low of 2,000 birds in 1970. Join North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission District Four biologist John Henry Harrelson to learn more about the habits and habitats of this popular bird as well as the innovative management efforts that led to its rebound.
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday, November 18 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
Join John Gerwin, the Museum’s Research Curator of Ornithology, as he talks animal migration and how technology is unlocking some of its mysteries. Autumn brings cooler temperatures and a variety of animals on the move. Butterflies, bats and birds are some of the many animals that take a short, medium or long-range trip. John will discuss various ways animals migrate, and some of the technologies used to study the phenomenon. He will showcase data from projects with which he is involved.
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
Join Jessie Rassau and previous showcase panelists to learn more about the STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities hosted by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. This year's showcase will be an entirely virtual experience that will feature remarks from the keynote speaker and the opportunity for students to connect with role models with disabilities who have thriving careers in STEM. Panelists will share how their lived experiences and diverse perspectives shaped their unique approaches to navigating and pushing boundaries in their fields. The 8th Annual STEM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities is on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 from 1:00PM until 3:00PM (EST).
Ed Summers, Director of Accessibility, SAS
Tia Holmes, Software Engineer at Microsoft
Jessie Rassau, Coordinator of Accessibility and Inclusion at NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Jessica Andreasen, Head of Volunteer and Intern Programs at NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
The Virginia Opossum is North America's only marsupial. Learn about the awesome opossum and the amazing adaptations that make it one of our most interesting mammals.
You’ll also witness some of their secretive behaviors through the lens of a trail camera.
Jerry Reynolds, Head of Outreach, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday, October 21 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
The greatest crisis in the history of life on Earth occurred around 252 million years ago, at the boundary between the Permian and Triassic periods. This talk will discuss new research on the underlying mechanisms and effects of the End-Permian Mass Extinction, its importance in shaping subsequent animal history, and its implications for our current environmental prospects.
Christian Kammerer, Research Curator, Paleontology, NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday, October 14 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
Dr. Anne A. Madden--Scientist, TED Speaker, and President of The Microbe Institute
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday, October 7 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
WATCH THIS TALK: Join on YouTube!
Join our expert panel as they discuss the innovative ways 3-D printing and models are making “intangible things tangible” for environmental education and STEM learning.
Panel Members:
Cindy Lincoln, Naturalist Center Coordinator, NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Bronwyn Williams, Research Curator, Non-molluscan Invertebrates, NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Melissa Ramirez, Teaching Assistant Professor, NC State University Department of Biological Sciences
Claire Gordy, Teaching Assistant Professor, NC State University Department of Biological Sciences
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
WATCH THIS TALK
Jason Whitman, Exhibit Designer, NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday, September 23 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
WATCH THIS TALK:
https://youtu.be/zjchAF2pXeY
Perry Hurt, Art Conservator, North Carolina Museum of Art
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
WATCH THIS TALK
https://youtu.be/iLMuix8pMYU
Amy Stidham, Therapeutic Horticulture Program Manager, Cape Fear Botanical Garden
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday, September 2 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
WATCH THIS TALK: https://youtu.be/h-uCLH38s3w
You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE
Join us to learn how the Cape Fear Botanical Garden is helping the local community through its Urban Agriculture Resilience Program. The current pandemic has created an opportunity for the botanical garden to take an overgrown vegetable garden and turn it into a productive community garden. By blending techniques of their existing therapeutic horticulture program with the resilience program, the garden is now able to provide food to the community along with educational and health benefits for all ages and abilities.
Dr. David Bond, Head of Geology, Department of Geography, Geology and Environment at the University of Hull, Hull England
WATCH THIS TALK: https://youtu.be/uJYehXbrg7k
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and
the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday, August 26 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE
Ian Grace, Graduate Student Research Assistant, Aurora Myers, Undergraduate Student Research Assistant and Leslie Smith, Undergraduate Student Research Assistant, NC State University
WATCH THIS TALK: https://youtu.be/UrgbJxMeouI
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday, August 19 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
Join us on August 19 as three NC State students share their personal experiences with conducting deep-sea biological research at sea. Learn how they live and work aboard a research ship and what it’s like to dive thousands of feet to the seafloor. Find out what scientific discoveries are motivating them to study such a remote, unique ecosystem and the challenges they face in doing so.
Dr. Patrick Treuthardt, Assistant Head, Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Lab, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
WATCH THIS TALK:https://youtu.be/SD9jNcN5-cc
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday, August 12 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
Spiral Graph is an online citizen science project dedicated to determining the winding of spiral arms in galaxies. The degree of arm winding has been linked to other parameters that are more time consuming and difficult to measure, such as the mass of the black hole found in a galaxy's nucleus. It is currently not clear how a galaxy's central black hole can grow to be millions to billions of times the mass of the Sun. The results of Spiral Graph may shed some light on this along with other aspects of galaxy evolution. Data collection on the first sample of 6222 galaxies was completed in July, 2020. The second phase of data collection is now underway on 14027 separate galaxies with the help of over 2700 registered volunteers.
You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE
Tatiana Height, Doctoral Candidate in Agricultural and Extension Education at North Carolina State University
Watch this Talk https://youtu.be/hnqh_2R8eX4
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and
the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday, August 5 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
You can post questions in the livestream comments and you can also tweet questions to #LunchTimeDiscovery and mention @NorthCarolinaEE
Traditionally, environmental injustice has been thought of as pollution and inequitable distribution of environmental burdens in marginalized communities. However, in recent years, the environmental justice movement has incorporated a number of "spin-offs" related to land use and environment in marginalized communities. This session will describe the presenter's research and experience related to one of those spin-offs; namely, parks and greenspace inequity.
Unlike us, butterflies can see ultraviolet light. What do butterflies look like to other butterflies?
Do they have patterns invisible to us hidden in their ultraviolet colors? Join us on Wednesday, July 29 as Dr. Eric Butler takes us into the mysterious world of butterflies.
Dr. Eric Butler, Associate Professor of Biology, Shaw University
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and
the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
July 29, 2020 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
WATCH THIS TALK
The Museum’s “Backyard”: Nature and Science at Prairie Ridge Ecostation
Learn about Prairie Ridge Ecostation, the “backyard” of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Located in West Raleigh, Prairie Ridge contains fields, forest, steam and ponds to support a wide biodiversity. Bonnie Eamick, Head of Prairie Ridge Ecostation, will discuss ways Prairie Ridge is involved in research, citizen science and nature education.
Bonnie Eamick, Head of Prairie Ridge Ecostation, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and
the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday July 22, 2020 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
WATCH THIS TALK
Jeremy Markovich is a Digital Manager, Writer, and Podcast Host at Our State.
Jeremy Markovich, the creator and host of Our State’s award-winning podcast, Away Message, describes what it’s like to hike across North Carolina on the Mountains to Sea Trail and follows hikers as they set out on a 12-hundred mile journey across the state. In the first three seasons of Away Message, Jeremy traveled all over North Carolina to find its most remote places, interesting people, and forgotten stories. In Jeremy’s words, “ we had no idea when recording this 4th season how the world would change, and how there’d be a new emphasis on getting outdoors.”
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and
the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
July 15, 2020 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
WATCH THIS TALK
Marcus Gray, Monarchs in the Rough Program Manager, Audubon International
Live Virtual Presentation hosted by NC Museum of Natural Sciences Daily Planet Curator, Chris Smith, and
the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff
Wednesday July 8, 2020 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m. EDT
The monarch butterfly is a North American icon, but the butterfly’s population has declined by more than 90 percent over the last two decades. To combat this decline and the decline of other key pollinators, Audubon International and Environmental Defense Fund have teamed up to create Monarchs in the Rough, a program that partners with golf courses to restore pollinator habitat in out-of-play areas. Program manager Marcus Gray joins us to tell more about this program and the courses in North Carolina that participate. Marcus will also answer some of your own questions on how to enhance pollinator habitat your own backyard.
WATCH THIS TALK
Bronwyn Williams, Research Curator, Non-Molluscan Invertebrates, NC Museum of Natural Sciences
SECU Daily Planet Theater, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, March 11 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
What is your knee-jerk reaction to the mention of leeches? Yes, we thought so, but urge you to give it a second thought. Join Bronwyn Williams, Research Curator of Non-molluscan Invertebrates at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, to learn about these much maligned, yet fascinating and important organisms from a social and scientific perspective. Be prepared to dance…the leech dance!
Watch the Livestream Part 1 and Part 2
Transplanting Traditions – Connecting Cultures through Farming and Food
Kelly Owensby, Founder and Executive Director, Transplanting Traditions
SECU Daily Planet Theater, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, March 4 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Kelly Owensby, founder and executive director of Transplanting Traditions will discuss how a non-profit teaching farm in the heart of Chapel Hill is
supporting women farmers and small farm owners from Burma. Learn how this model creates community, income and preserves culture through the lens of farming and food.
Melody Hunter-Pillion, Ph.D. Student, Public History, Department of History, NC State University
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, February 26 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Melody Hunter-Pillion uses the oral histories of North Carolina’s African American farmers and fisherman to tell the story of how these families have shaped North Carolina and how they are dealing with heritage depletion, land loss and climate change.
Bill Kearney and Wayne Moseley
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, February 19 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Dollie Burwell, Bill Kearney and Wayne Moseley discuss their role as community members in the Warren County PCB Landfill protests which
are recognized as the beginning of the Environmental Justice Movement in the United States.
Angela Thorpe, Director, North Carolina African American Heritage Commission
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, February 12 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Angela Thorpe, director of the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission discusses Blackbeard’s flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, and its earlier life as the slave ship La Concorde.
Lunchtime Discovery Series: The Story of Sankofa Farms
Kamal Bell, Owner, Sankofa Farms
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, February 5 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Kamal Bell, owner of Sankofa farms, tells us how he turned 12 acres of land in Cedar Grove, North Carolina into a place where teens can learn to grow their own food while developing important life skills. The talk will focus on the importance of learning from our past and rich history to help solve our problems of today, and how our youth represent the change that our community needs.
Wild Ideas for Williamson Preserve – 406 Acres of Forests, Trails and Farms for You!
Sandy Sweitzer, Executive Director and Deja Smith, Community Engagement Associate, Triangle Land Conservancy
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, January 29 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Triangle Land Conservancy’s Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve is a 405-acre mosaic of fields and forests just fifteen minutes from downtown Raleigh that will open to the public on April 25th. The property will host working farmland to support our local food scene, several unique ecosystems, and hiking and mountain biking trails that will connect to the Neuse River Greenway Trail, East Coast Greenway, and Mountains to Sea Trail. Come see how TLC and our partners are working to make the Triangle a more vibrant place to live, work, play, and eat!
Searching for Intermediate Mass Black Holes in Spiral Galaxies with the Help of Citizen Scientists
Dr. Patrick Treuthardt, Assistant Head, Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Lab
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Today @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
How can you help solve the mystery behind the origins of supermassive black holes? Join us Wednesday, January 22 as North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences astrophysicist
Patrick Treuthardt explains how citizens are helping with his latest research project to find black holes by identifying spiral galaxies.
Fort Bragg - Longleaf Pines and the Saint Francis' Satyr
Brian Ball, Wildlife Biologist, Endangered Species Branch, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Bragg
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, January 15 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Fort Bragg is one of our nation’s largest and most important military installations. In addition to the thousands of troops stationed there, Fort Bragg is home to over 1,500 species of plants and animals. Over 70 species of rare plants and animals can be found on the installation. Perhaps the most unique and one of the rarest species is the Saint Francis' Satyr, a federally endangered butterfly found on Fort Bragg and nowhere else in the world.
Colleen Bockhahn, Assistant Park Manager, Lake Crabtree County Park
SECU Daily Planet Theater, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Nature Research Center, 1st Floor
Wednesday, January 8, 2020 @ Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Owls are known as symbols of wisdom and magic. Gain some wisdom about our local owl species, and discover the magic behind their unique adaptations and natural histories. Did you know that great-horned owls prey on other owls? Which North Carolina owl species is declining in northern states? Get the answers to these questions and many more!
