Virtual Shark Talk

Great White Shark.\Photo courtesy of NOAA.

The Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC in Newport hosts a Science on Tap series.  These are casual talks on scientific subjects, held at the nearby Rogue Brewery, combining food, beer, and entertaining explorations of research topics.  They are fun, educational…and, unfortunately, impossible to hold during the coronavirus era.

Undaunted, the HMSC is moving the science pub concept online.  The audience will be viewing from home, and responsible for its own food and drink, but on the upside, the talks can be viewed by everyone, not just those within reach of the Rogue. 

The first outing will be a talk by Taylor Chapple, a professor based at the HMSC, speaking on “Who Is Jaws?  Separating Fact from Fiction.”  The online event begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19.

Dr. Chapple, a professor in Oregon State University’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, is new to Newport, but an old hand at shark research.  He has spent the last 20 years studying the creatures around the world—notably in California, Massachusetts, and South Africa—and seeking to change our understanding of sharks.  He will speak on the gap between perception and reality where sharks are concerned.

To join the “pub talk,” pour your own, and then go to https://oregonstate.zoom.us/j/96584127641.