GRCC Science Talks continue today with ‘Gene Modifications’

Gene Modifications: CRISPR

• Monday, March 25, 2019, at 3:45 p.m.
• Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Have you heard of CRISPR? It stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. Promises of cured disease, designer organisms, and dangerous consequences all surround this fascinating topic. The background and origin of the CRISPR technique will be presented along with a brief description of applications and potential difficulties.

Bill Faber is a GRCC chemistry professor who has researched physical and biochemical applications focused on identifying and characterizing larger bio-molecules using spectroscopy.

Grand Rapids Community College Science Talks are open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Please email timothyperiard@grcc.edu with any questions.

Recap: first Math, Science, & Engineering Academic Pathway Advising Luncheon a success

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The first Math, Science, & Engineering Academic Pathway Advising Luncheon was held on March 19, 2019, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Students were able to sit down and eat lunch with faculty from the Math, Physical Sciences, and Biological Sciences departments, while they discussed their courses, careers, course transfer equivalencies, and even where to find things such as research opportunities and scholarships.

Students should look forward to the Pathway Advising Luncheon each year and keep an eye out for advertisements in the future.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this event a success!

GRCC Science Talks continue Monday with “Gene Modifications”

Gene Modifications: CRISPR

• Monday, March 25, 2019, at 3:45 p.m.
• Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Have you heard of CRISPR? It stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats. Promises of cured disease, designer organisms, and dangerous consequences all surround this fascinating topic. The background and origin of the CRISPR technique will be presented along with a brief description of applications and potential difficulties.

Bill Faber is a GRCC chemistry professor who has researched physical and biochemical applications focused on identifying and characterizing larger bio-molecules using spectroscopy.

Grand Rapids Community College Science Talks are open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Please email timothyperiard@grcc.edu with any questions.

Please tell students: Math, Science, and Engineering lunch next week in Calkins

Please encourage any students interested in the Math, Science, and Engineering Academic Pathway to attend.

GRCC Science Talks Continue Today with “Epigenetics”

Epigenetics and Colon Cancer: A tale of mice, microbes, and methyl groups

• TODAY, February 21, 2019, at 4 p.m.
• Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Have you ever wondered how there can be numerous cell types in your body (skin, muscle, etc.) even though they share the same DNA code? This is explained by epigenetics, the branch of science that studies how chemical modifications on or near DNA influence how genes are expressed. We’ll learn about epigenetics and its important role in maintaining healthy cells.

Nicole Vander Schaaf is a doctoral candidate at the Van Andel Institute Graduate School.

Future GRCC Science Talks will include:

• 03/25/2019: “Gene Modifications: CRISPR” – 3:45 p.m., Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Grand Rapids Community College Science Talks are open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Please email timothyperiard@grcc.edu with any questions.

Third Annual ‘Fall in Love With STEM’ this Saturday in Calkins

The third annual “Fall in Love with STEM” event takes place this weekend at GRCC!

GRCC faculty and students will lead sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders in “exploration stations,” with activities designed to strengthen science, technology, engineering, and math skills. It’s one of several events organized by the West Michigan chapter of the Association of Women in Science. No advance signup is needed for “Fall in Love with STEM.”

WHEN: Saturday, February 23, from 1-4 p.m.

WHERE: Calkins Science Center, 226 Bostwick Ave. NE

GRCC Science Talks Continue Next Thursday with “Epigenetics”

Epigenetics and Colon Cancer: A tale of mice, microbes, and methyl groups

• Thursday, February 21, 2019, at 4 p.m.
• Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Have you ever wondered how there can be numerous cell types in your body (skin, muscle, etc.) even though they share the same DNA code? This is explained by epigenetics, the branch of science that studies how chemical modifications on or near DNA influence how genes are expressed. We’ll learn about epigenetics and its important role in maintaining healthy cells.

Nicole Vander Schaaf is a doctoral candidate at the Van Andel Institute Graduate School.

Future GRCC Science Talks will include:

• 03/25/2019: “Gene Modifications: CRISPR” – 3:45 p.m., Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Grand Rapids Community College Science Talks are open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Please email timothyperiard@grcc.edu with any questions.

Third Annual ‘Fall in Love With STEM’ set for February 23

Important update: The “Fall in Love with STEM” event, originally scheduled for Feb. 9, has been postponed because of weather. It has been rescheduled for 1-4 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Calkins Science Center, 226 Bostwick Ave. NE.

GRCC faculty and students will lead sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders in “exploration stations,” with activities designed to strengthen science, technology, engineering, and math skills. It’s one of several events organized by the West Michigan chapter of the Association of Women in Science. No advance signup is needed for “Fall in Love with STEM.”

GRCC seismometer records last Friday’s Anchorage earthquake

At 8:29 a.m. this past Friday, November 30, a magnitude 7 earthquake sent Anchorage residents scurrying out of buildings and under desks. Six minutes later, GRCC’s seismometer picked up the primary waves that traveled from Alaska to Michigan at a speed of over 13,000 miles per hour. There are preliminary reports of damage in Alaska’s largest city and the surrounding communities. A Tsunami warning was issued and then canceled later in the day.

The image above shows GRMI’s seismic record of the magnitude 7 earthquake in Alaska on Friday morning, November 30, 2018. The two red arrows indicate arrival of the P-body wave and the surface waves.

Calkins Science Center at GRCC hosts a seismometer (GRMI) that is part of the MIQuakes network, a group of high schools, community colleges and universities in Michigan that host seismometers designed to record earthquake activity both locally and worldwide. The stations are sponsored by IRIS – Incorporated Research Institutes in Seismology and MESTA – the Michigan Earth Science Teachers Association.

If you are interested in or other earthquakes recorded by the GRCC seismometer, you can find them on the MIQuakes website.

GRCC Science Talks Continue Today with “Species Conservation”

Species Conservation: How we got here and what can still be done

• TODAY, November 5, 2018, at 3:45 p.m.
• Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Professor Forbes will examine some of the reasons that animal and plant species are endangered today, the current status of species worldwide, nationally and in Michigan, as well as some possible strategies to save some of these species as well as humanity.

Dr. Greg Forbes, evolutionary biologist and certified wildlife biologist.

Future GRCC Science Talks will include:

• 02/21/2019: “Epigenetics and Colon Cancer: A tale of mice, microbes, and methyl groups” – 4 p.m., Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348
• 03/25/2019: “Gene Modifications: CRISPR” – 3:45 p.m., Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Grand Rapids Community College Science Talks are open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Please email timothyperiard@grcc.edu with any questions.

GRCC Science Talks Continue Monday with ‘Species Conservation’

Species Conservation: How we got here and what can still be done

• Monday, November 5, 2018, at 3:45 p.m.
• Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Professor Forbes will examine some of the reasons that animal and plant species are endangered today, the current status of species worldwide, nationally and in Michigan, as well as some possible strategies to save some of these species as well as humanity.

Dr. Greg Forbes, evolutionary biologist and certified wildlife biologist.

Future GRCC Science Talks will include:

• 02/21/2019: “Epigenetics and Colon Cancer: A tale of mice, microbes, and methyl groups” – 4 p.m., Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348
• 03/25/2019: “Gene Modifications: CRISPR” – 3:45 p.m., Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Grand Rapids Community College Science Talks are open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Please email timothyperiard@grcc.edu with any questions.

Community Science Day on November 17

October Mind-Body Wellness Events from Counseling & Career Development

Counseling & Career Development’s Mind-Body Wellness Series continues this October with several more free events. All GRCC students, faculty, and staff are welcome. Staff can receive professional development credit for their participation. Questions? Email enisley@grcc.edu

October Classes:

Mindfulness Meditation

• Mondays in October, 12-12:30 p.m., Meditation and Prayer Room, Main Floor Library and Learning Commons

Did you know that regular practice of mindfulness meditation can reduce stress, improve attention and concentration, increase feelings of connectedness, and may strengthen the immune system and improve stress-related physical and mental health conditions? Want to check it out for yourself? Join us for any of our weekly mindfulness meditation sessions to learn how to meditate or build on any previous meditation experience you may have. GRCC counselor, Emily Nisley, will facilitate sessions using a variety of common mindfulness meditation exercises. Our practice will be secular; no particular religious or spiritual beliefs are required. Chairs and floor seating are available; you’re welcome to bring a mat, cushion, towel, and/or blanket for more comfortable floor seating if desired.

Tai Chi & Tea

• Tuesdays in October, 12-1 p.m., Student Center, Room 336

Originally developed in ancient China, tai chi is an exercise with benefits for the mind and body. Regular practice of tai chi’s slow, continuous movements with coordinated breathing and mental focus can decrease feelings of stress, improve mood, and increase strength, flexibility, and balance. The tai chi style we’ll practice was designed to be safe and gentle; it can even be done seated if needed. GRCC counselor, Emily Nisley, will lead the sessions, with about 45 minutes of tai chi, followed by time to enjoy a cup of tea together if you’d like. No experience necessary. Clothes you can move in and flat-soled shoes are recommended. Those with a health condition should consult their health care provider before beginning tai chi.

How to Feel Happier

• Wednesday, October 10, 1:30-2 p.m., Calkins Science Center, Room 201
• Thursday, October 25, 2-2:30 p.m., Cook Hall, Room 511

Some may think that happiness depends on life circumstances or on being born with a cheerful disposition, but decades of scientific research has shown that we can boost our own happiness. Using simple practices, we can increase our positive experiences and emotions, and even “rewire” our brains for greater happiness. In this 30-minute workshop, we’ll identify several of these happiness habits and share tips for practice. Light refreshments will be served.

 

All GRCC students, faculty, & staff are welcome at these FREE events. Questions? (616) 234-4130 enisley@grcc.edu grcc.edu/counseling. Those in need of accommodations, please contact DSS in advance at (616) 234-4140.

Event today: GRCC Science Talks “Unlocking the Sun”

Unlocking the Sun: Spectroscopy in the 1800s

• TODAY, September 17, 2018, at 3:45 p.m.
• Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Have you ever wondered how we know what the sun is made of, even though it’s too hot to visit?

The story of how we discovered the chemical makeup of our own star combines chemistry, physics, and astronomy in a tale of mystery, far-flung expeditions, and unexpected discoveries. After an overview of spectroscopy, assistant professor Lauren Woolsey will take us through the secrets of the sun from this turning point in science history.

Dr. Woolsey is a Harvard-trained expert in astronomy, solar physics, and exoplanets.

Future GRCC Science Talks will include:

• 11/05/2018: “Species Conservation: How we got here and what can still be done” – 3:45 p.m., Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348
• 02/21/2019: “Epigenetics and Colon Cancer: A tale of mice, microbes, and methyl groups” – 4 p.m., Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348
• 03/25/2019: “Gene Modifications: CRISPR” – 3:45 p.m., Calkins Science Center auditorium, Room 348

Grand Rapids Community College Science Talks are open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Please email timothyperiard@grcc.edu with any questions.

GRCC Science Talks to tackle the Sun, species conservation in new lecture series

A new series of presentations on a variety of scientific topics begins this academic year. This lecture series is called ‘GRCC Science Talks.’ These lectures are free and open to the public. There will also be light refreshments available. Here are the first two presentations that may be of interest to you and your students this fall 2018 semester:

Unlocking the Sun: Spectroscopy in the 1800s

• Who: Dr. Lauren Woolsey
• When: Monday, September 17, 2018, at 3:45 p.m.
• Where: Calkins Science Center (CSC) Auditorium (Room 348)
• Description: Have you ever wondered how we know what the Sun is made of, even though it is far too hot for humans to visit? The story of how we discovered the chemical makeup of our own star combines chemistry, physics, and astronomy in a tale of mystery, far-flung expeditions, and unexpected discoveries. After an overview of spectroscopy for general audiences, GRCC Assistant Professor, Dr. Lauren Woolsey will take us through the secrets of the Sun from this turning point in science history.

Species Conservation: How We Got Here and What Can Still Be Done

• Who: Dr. Greg Forbes
• When: Monday, November 5, 2018, at 3:45 p.m.
• Where: Calkins Science Center (CSC) Auditorium (Room 348)
• Description: An examination of the reasons that animal and plant species are endangered today, the current status of species worldwide, nationally and in Michigan as well as some possible strategies to save some of these species as well as humanity. Dr. Forbes is an evolutionary biologist and a certified wildlife biologist with research experience

We look forward to participating in these events with you and our students. Please email Tim Periard (timothyperiard@grcc.edu) with any questions.