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Past Events

Past Events

PLANTS IN SPACE – starring Tim DeLisle from the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

GET READY FOR BLAST OFF!
August 10, 2021 at 5:30 to 6:30 P.M. via Zoom

Here is the ZOOM LINK

Tim DeLisle will look at all the roles plants have and will serve in space exploration. From providing food, oxygen, and removing contaminants from the air to providing needed compounds and building materials, and even  providing humans with purpose and well-being.  

Welcome Aboard!

Our presenter is Timothy DeLisle and is PARI’s Director of Software Engineering.  He has been part of the leadership for PARI’s camp programs for eight years and sees the outreach, education, and experiences PARI offers as the true primary role of his job.  He has served as an Astrophysics instructor for the Duke University’s summer camps.  He has tutored Computer Science at Wake Forest University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  He has been writing curriculum for STEM education since 1999.  His focus in software development is creating vibrant, dynamic, intuitive user interfaces for complex instruments, and data visualization that helps to highlight the story a researcher seeks to tell with their data.

Past Events

TREE ID on August 10th

Sunny skies greeted a full complement of 15 members participating in our August Tree ID Walk at Shope Creek.  It was ably led by Dave Ellum, Dean of Land Resources and Professor of Forestry at Warren Wilson College.  In addition to covering identification tips for about 30 species of trees, Dave also shared a great deal of information about forest management, silviculture, and medicinal understory plants.  The group witnessed first hand the impact of badly managed clear cutting and the impact on the forest decades later.  Dave also shared provocative views regarding the management of exotic invasive plants and the efforts to save our chestnuts and hemlocks.  It was an interesting and entertaining outing for those of us lucky enough to participate.


Past Events

Dragons & Damsels Walk

 Tiger Spiketail and photo at top is a Widow Skimmer
Photos by R. Richardson

Sunny and hot weather greeted this year’s dragonfly and damselfly hunters on two consecutive Wednesdays at Owen Park in Swannanoa.  Despite a number of late cancellations, we still had 18 members total participating across both days.  The July 21st group observed 11 species of damselflies, 8 species of dragonflies, and 8 butterfly species.  The July 28th group managed 11 of each, including 7 dragonfly and 5 butterfly species not seen a week earlier. 

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