Science on Tap

Join us in the Bierhall for a Science on Tap Presentation!

6:30pm – Gather
7:00pm – Presentation Begins

Science On Tap is a monthly series of informal talks led by scientists that explore current research topics and the importance of science in our daily life. Each talk takes place in a relaxed pub atmosphere where communication flows freely between scientists and the public. Co-presented by Skidmore’s Environmental Studies and Sciences Program and Sustainable Saratoga, these monthly opportunities for discussion reflect the unique intellectual culture of the greater Capital Region and promote scientific literacy.

Admission is free and all ages are welcome. The talk will start promptly at 7:00pm.

Speaker: Professor Chris Vecsey, Ph.D.

Talk title:  Don’t Sleep on the Fly! What Studies of Fruit Flies Can Teach Us about Sleep

Talk description: We spend almost 1/3 of our life sleeping, and yet we know very little about this mysterious behavioral state. An answer to even the seemingly simplest question continues to elude us: Why do we get sleepy? In the last 20 years, many advances in our understanding of this topic have come from studies of an unlikely subject – the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. In this talk, I will discuss some of the broad benefits of studying sleep in fruit flies and will share some of the projects from my lab in which we examine how sleep is regulated by internal and environmental factors.

Brief bio: Chris Vecsey, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and Director of the Neuroscience Program at Skidmore College. He has been at Skidmore for 10 years, but before that was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Swarthmore College, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Brandeis University, a Ph.D. student at the University of Pennsylvania, and an undergraduate at Amherst College. His research examines the neurobiological mechanisms of sleep regulation in fruit flies, and he teaches courses on Neurophysiology, Mechanisms of Memory, and the Neurobiology of Sleep.

Please Note: Beer will be flowing, but the Bierhall kitchen will not be open. Come early to get a bite to eat in the Taproom across the street!