Jeff Klawson of fermentation science explains the intricacies of beer during the first Science Pub Corvallis held in March at Old World Deli. The event drew a standing-room only crowd. (photo: Theresa Hogue)

This month’s topic is “Eat Smart, Get Active, Age Well,” and features OSU’s own Kathy Gunter and Emily Ho.
If you want to age healthfully, eating right and exercising are half the battle for prevention and management of the chronic diseases that often come with getting older. Despite popular perceptions that the science is “always changing” regarding what foods and activities promote good health, the truth is the body of scientific evidence points convincingly toward multiple steps that most people can take with solid expectations for success.

Kathy Gunter, a researcher in OSU’s Center for Health Aging Research and an assistant professor in Health and Human Sciences will focus on exercise as medicine. Gunter’s NIH-backed research has documented health benefits of some remarkably simple exercises, including physical activity that can help slow the loss of bone mass in older adults.

Emily Ho, a principal investigator at Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute and an associate professor in the College of Health and Human Sciences, will share practical tips on good food choices for disease prevention, including what foods have strong cancer-fighting properties. Her work has included studies of green tea and soy, as well as broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, and has been sponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute.

Learn about cutting-edge topics in science and technology from leading researchers and scientists, all while enjoying food and drinks. Don’t expect a remote speaker behind a distant podium. Instead, experience an informal atmosphere where you can interact with experts and where there are no silly questions.

No scientific background is required; just bring your curiosity, sense of humor, and appetite for food, drinks, and knowledge. Science Pub is open to anyone and everyone, no admission fee or RSVP required. The first Science Pub Corvallis was standing-room only, so come early in order to get a seat, and make sure to get dinner and a drink before the discussion begins.

For more information or to sign up for our mailing list, please contact sciencepub@omsi.edu. You can also join the Science Pub Corvallis Facebook group or call 503-797-4517.

Science Pub Corvallis begins at 6 p.m. April 13 at Old World Deli, 341 S.W. Second St., Corvallis.

~ Todd Simmons

But a new collaboration between Oregon State University, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and the Downtown Corvallis Association aims to present fascinating findings from leading researchers in an unexpected forum: the local pub.
“Science Pub Corvallis” premieres on Monday, March 9, with, appropriately enough, “Beer: A Tasty Blend of Art, History and Science,” a presentation by Jeff Clawson of the highly regarded Fermentation Sciences program at OSU.

In addition to his involvement with research and instruction in that program, Clawson manages the campus Pilot Brewery, part of OSU’s nationally ranked College of Agricultural Sciences.
Clawson will discuss the history of beer making around the world and how the art and science of perfecting a brew have culminated in an Oregon microbrew industry that leads the United States.

The OSU Fermentation Science program has played a key role in that industry, helping to develop many of Oregon’s most popular small-label brands.

OSU is one of only two universities in the United States to offer a Fermentation degree program and is home to an internationally recognized hops research initiative supported by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

The event begins at 6 p.m. at Old World Deli & Café, 341 S.W. Second St. Subsequent Corvallis Science Pub presentations will be served up on the second Monday of each month, same time and location. While Science Pub Corvallis is free and open to the public, organizers encourage early arrivals, so that patrons can place food and drink orders and settle in before the talks begin.

This is the third Science Pub that OMSI has helped launch in Oregon. Science Pub Portland was the first, and regularly draws hundreds of patrons to the Mission Theater and Pub in northwest Portland. Science Pub Eugene is newer, but still commands a faithful audience at Cozmic Pizza.

Science pubs are part of a global, grassroots “science café” movement that began in the United Kingdom with a goal of creating a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere for people with no science background to learn.
About 75 science cafés now meet regularly around the United States, and hundreds convene consistently around the world.
The second Science Pub Corvallis presentation is set for Monday, April 13, with OSU Health and Human Sciences researchers Emily Ho, who is also a principal investigator at the OSU Linus Pauling Institute, and Kathy Gunter focusing on healthy eating choices and physical activity that give individuals a better shot at long, healthy lives.

For more information on Science Pub Corvallis, visit http://www.omsi.edu/sciencepubcorvallis, call 541-754-6624 or search for Corvallis Science Pub on Facebook.

~ Todd Simmons