Have an event, group, or organization that would like to host a VCE staff member for a particular topic?
Living in Meerkat Society: Grief, Lies and Social Behavior in Animals with VCE Community Science Coordinator Dana Williams.
Suds & Science talks are free, fun, and for all ages!
Two engaging, back-to-back presentations on the insects living right outside our doors with VCE bee biologist Spencer Hardy and Bernie Paquette. Come discover how much nature is hiding in plain sight—right here in Jericho.
Backyard Insect Finds: Great Discoveries in Nature: (45 minutes) Naturalist Bernie Paquette presents an image-rich look at backyard insects, highlighting surprising behaviors and overlooked species found in local yards, gardens, and trails.
New Vermont Bee Checklist and Conservation Rankings Published: (45 minutes) Spencer Hardy (Vermont Center for Ecostudies biologist and co-owner of Farm Upstream) shares highlights from a new decade-long study documenting 352 wild bee species in Vermont. The research shows 60% may need conservation action, marking a critical step toward protecting pollinators.
Free, all ages, and open to the public.
Historical Genomics: Insights from Ancient DNA to the Study of the Historic Period
Raquel Fleskes is an Assistant Professor at Dartmouth her research uses ancient DNA to understand histories of historic period archaeological populations in North America. She is specifically interested in understanding the lived histories of European and African descended individuals by co-interpreting ancient DNA data with archaeological, osteological, archival and oral history sources. (Entry for this event will be 6:45 p.m.)
Suds & Science talks are free, fun, and for all ages!
In this talk, Desirée Narango will share research that evaluates how different native plant species and characteristics influence interactions with pollinators and songbirds. Hosted by Wild Seed Project and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardners. A registration is required. Tickets are on a sliding scale.
“Wired for Flight: Technology and Triumphs in Bird Conservation”
VCE Data Scientist Mike Hallworth will present at this year’s Birders Meeting which will explore the intersection of birding, technology, and conservation—and how each of us can help birds thrive in a changing world.
Join VCE bee biologist Spencer Hardy for an enlightening introduction to the 350+ species of wild bees that call Vermont home. Learn about their remarkable natural history, the challenges they face, and the simple yet powerful ways we can all help protect them. This talk is a part of the St. Johnsbury OLLI Spring Program.
Registration Fee for single OLLI talk: $10
Not Easy Being Green: How Urbanization Impacts Amphibian Communities
Brian is a conservation ecologist whose research explores the impact of human-mediated environmental change on wildlife. From 2020-2024, he developed a project to study how urbanization affects frogs and toads in Northwest Ohio, and how we can use those beloved amphibians to protect habitat for dozens of other species. Brian will share stories and sound bites from the fascinating study of our imperiled amphibian friends, while discussing research on how to protect frogs in your own backyard.
Firelight and the origins of storytelling
This talk will explore mounting evidence on the importance of firelight during human evolution, especially the origins of spoken language. Nate is an anthropologist and evolutionary biologist studying the behavior, ecology, and functional morphology of humans and nonhuman primates.
Are you a science educator? Then join us for VCE’s Community Science Teacher Education Workshop!
In this four-day program, you’ll engage in inquiry-based exercises that incorporate both data collection and analysis, gain confidence incorporating field methods into your curriculum, work with open-access data, discuss both planning and conducting community science, and receive a primer on the ecology of Connecticut River’s Upper Valley.
