By Sean Nealon, OSU release – CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State University’s Science Pub events return in October with two talks, one in Corvallis focused on the secret lives of sharks and a second talk in Lebanon about the annular solar eclipse that will be visible in Oregon on Oct. 14. The Corvallis talk will take place at 6 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Old World Deli. The Lebanon event is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 11 at Tallman Brewing. Both can be attended in person or viewed online and are free. James Sulikowski, a professor and director of Oregon State’s Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station in Newport, and Taylor Chapple, an assistant professor, will talk about their research and adventures tracking and studying sharks, including on the Oregon Coast, on Oct. 4 in Corvallis. They lead the Big Fish Lab and have been featured on the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week and National Geographic’s Shark Fest programs. Sulikowski and Chapple are focused on understanding the critical roles sharks play in maintaining vibrant marine ecosystems in Oregon and around the world. As part of this mission, they are initiating new scientific paradigms including developing technologies to study sharks as moms to shift the narrative of sharks as mindless killers and protect shark moms and shark babies from the myriad assaults they face including climate change, urbanization of coastal areas and illegal harvesting, Sulikowski said. Randall Milstein, a senior instructor in the physics department at Oregon State, will discuss the annular solar eclipse, or ring of fire eclipse, Oct. 11 in Lebanon. On Oct. 14, portions of western North America will experience an annular solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon, at its farthest distance from Earth, passes between the sun and Earth, and partially blocks the sun resulting in a ring of fire eclipse. The ring of fire eclipse will pass over about one third of Oregon and cover a north-south span on the coast between Lincoln City and just south of Bandon and then move in a southeast direction and be visible from cities including Corvallis, Eugene, Roseburg, Medford and Klamath Falls. The eclipse transitions will begin about 8 a.m. and end about 10:40 a.m. in Oregon. The ring of fire portion will begin about 9:15 a.m. and last between one to four minutes depending on the location. Eclipse glasses must be continuously worn to view the eclipse for eye protection and to avoid risk of blindness. Registration is required to attend Science Pubs. Here are links to register for the Corvallis event in person or online. Here are links to register for the Lebanon event in person or online. The Old World Deli is located at 341 SW 2nd St., Corvallis. Tallman Brewing is at 2055 Primrose St., Lebanon. Sponsors of Science Pub include the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Old World Deli, Oregon State’s Research Office and Oregon State University.
