view past presentations on YouTube
May 4th, 2023   Neuroplasticity: The Amazing Changing Brain Across the Lifespan
Bernadette Gillick, University of Wisconsin Madison
Bernadette Gillick is a Neuroscientist and Pediatric Physical Therapist. She is an associate professor at UW-Madison, Director of Research at the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, and the Director of the Waisman Center Pediatric Neuromodulation. 

Dr. Gillick will discuss the ability of the brain to change and respond to injury and stress throughout life.
April 6th, 2023   A River Otter Runs Through It
Lydai Margenau, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
​Lydia Margenau is a wildlife population dynamics and modeling research scientist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. In her career, she has monitored wildlife populations including furbearers, ungulates, and carnivores. 

Lydia will discuss the status of river otter in Wisconsin and successful river otter reintroductions throughout the Midwest.
March 2nd, 2023   Astronomy
Jim Head, Northwoods Explorers Club and NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador
After a career in computers, Jim Head has retired and now runs the Northwoods Explorers Club where he shares his passion for astronomy. Jim is also a Solar System Ambassador for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
​
Jim will discusses stars, celestial events, the space race (maybe not what you think!), and his work advancing science education.
February 2nd, 2023   Field Notes: Adventures at UW Field Stations
Scott Bowe, Director Kemp Natural Resources Station and Gretchen Gerrish, Director Trout Lake Station
Science on Tap Minocqua celebrates 10 years this month! To celebrate, we are going back to the very beginning. The first talk 10 years ago featured the then-directors of Kemp Natural Resources Station and Trout Lake Station. A lot has changed in 10 years and much has stayed the same! The current directors of Kemp and Trout Lake Stations are here to share what field stations are, some of the current research, and activities you can get involved in!
January 5th, 2023   The Clean Water Act: 50 Years of Success in Wisconsin
Bob Martini, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Retired
Bob is now retired from the Wisconsin DNR after a 32-year career working as the statewide rivers’ protection coordinator. He continues to work on many education and environmental organization boards, including Wisconsin’s Greenfire and the Oneida County Lakes and Rivers Association. Bob worked with, and against, politicians, business owners and community members to clean up rivers, mitigate groundwater contamination and removing dams. In 2014 he received a career achievement award from the North American River Management Society for a lifetime of work that he says “just seemed like fun”. 
​
​Bob will discuss the successful efforts to clean up the Wisconsin River and other waterways.
December 8, 2022   Bruins and Brews: Bear research to bridge the science-policy gap
Jen Price Tack, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Jennifer Price Tack is the large carnivore and elk research scientist and lead decision analyst in the WDNR’s Office of Applied Science. She will share some of her work with black bears in WI, including updates on research to better understand bear reproduction and effectiveness of agricultural damage abatement alternatives. She’s currently prepping for the second year of bear dens surveys and is looking for locations of occupied bear dens to include in the DNR’s bear reproduction study.

You’ll learn more about bear in Wisconsin, how the DNR uses science to inform policy, and what it is like to dive into an occupied bear den!
November 2, 2022   Building your brain Buffer: Ways to Reduce Risks of Dementia
Nathan Chin MD, Medical Director Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention
​
Dr. Nathaniel Chin serves as medical director for the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention. While completing his residency at UC San Diego, Dr. Chin’s father was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. This guided his career focused on dementia which includes both research and practice. 
Dr. Chin is also the host of the biweekly podcast “Dementia Matters”
October 4, 2022   Science: The Driving Force Behind Wildlife Conservation
Scott Craven, Professor Emeritus and Wildlife Extension Specialist, UW-Madison

Scott Craven joined the faculty at UW-Madison in 1979 and retired in 2011. He now has emeritus status and has stayed active in pursuits related to wildlife management and conservation. This includes involvement in Wildlife Society, Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame, and 40 plus years as guest on Wisconsin Public Radio! He will talk about the use and importance of science in wildlife management and conservation!
May 4, 2022   Monarch Butterflies: Conserving a flagship insect
Karen Oberhauser, UW-Madison Arboretum

SOT welcomes Karen Oberhauser, Director of the UW-Madison Arboretum and Professor of Entomology. Karen will describe the amazing biology of migratory monarchs and discuss monarch butterfly research - the use of data collected by scientists and the public to understand what is driving monarch numbers and what we can do with that information.
April 6, 2022   Wisconsin's Wild Lakes
John Bates, Author and Naturalist

Naturalist and author John Bates will discuss his newest book, Wisconsin's Wild Lakes: A Guide to the Last Undeveloped Natural Lakes. Join us to hear John describe those special lakes where “peace and beauty abounds, and where native wildlife flourishes”. We will have books for sale, and a few lucky audience members will win a copy.
March 2, 2022   The never-ending March of COVID: a Q&A
Shelby O’Connor, Associate Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
David O’Connor, UW Medical Foundation Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
UW-Madison professors and COVID researchers, Dave and Shelby O’Connor, will take questions on any and all topics. Since the start of the pandemic, they have been bridging research and public health by supporting efforts to understand how SARS-CoV-2 causes disease, developing innovative testing approaches, and tracking the sequences of SARS-CoV-2 throughout Wisconsin.
February 2, 2022   The History, Process, and Health Benefits of Wisconsin Maple Syrup
Theresa Baroun, Executive Director- Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association (WMSPA)
Theresa’s presentation will include a short history of Wisconsin maple syrup to where it is today. She will also include Maple Syrup 101 so all of us can learn how to make and bottle real Wisconsin Maple Syrup. Finally, Theresa will talk about the great health benefits and uses of WI Maple Syrup.
January 5, 2022   Aquatic Invasive Species
Michelle Nault, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Michelle Nault is the statewide lakes and reservoir ecologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Water Quality, and is responsible for providing technical guidance to a wide variety of lake management and restoration efforts.  She has previously worked as a lakes research scientist and aquatic invasive species specialist for the Wisconsin DNR, with a focus on conducting research on aquatic plant ecology and invasive species management throughout the state. Michelle is a UW-Madison alum with degrees in Biology, Zoology and Conservation Biology. When not elbow deep in a bed of aquatic plants, she enjoys gardening, cooking, hiking, and traveling the world. She lives with her fiancé Eddie in Green Bay, WI.