Public Lecture Series Archive

Wednesday, November 4 , 2009, 7:00 PM
Title: Expanding the Energy Frontier
By Brenda Pierce

Over the next 20 years, U.S. demand for energy is projected to increase substantially. Learn how USGS science is providing valuable information to help America find energy for the future.

For more information on this topic, visit:

• USGS Energy Resources Program

Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 7:00 PM
Title: Out of Africa--Dust in the Wind
By Ginger Garrison

Every year, billions of tons of fine desert dust from the Saharan Desert are transported thousands of miles through the atmosphere to the Americas, Europe and the Near East. Living microorganisms and chemical contaminants such as pesticides and metals are carried along with the dust. What biological and chemical contaminants are hitch-hiking with the dust and how might downwind ecosystems such as coral reefs and human health be affected?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009, 7:00 PM
Title: Baked Alaska
What's Happening to the Glaciers in Alaska?
By Dr. Bruce F. Molnia

"Glaciers are Earth’s largest reservoir of freshwater. As they change, so does global sea level. Alaska has one of the largest accumulations of glaciers anywhere on Earth outside of the Polar regions. For most of the past half century, Alaska has experienced a significant increase in temperature that has profoundly impacted its glaciers. Join USGS scientist Dr. Bruce F. Molnia to explore the relationship between Alaska’s glaciers, climate, and sea level. Visit a number of Alaskan landscapes and examine their changes on yearly, decadal, and century time scales."

For more information on this topic, visit:

• Glaciers and Landscape Change in Response to Changing Climate
• Glaciers of North America- GLACIERS OF ALASKA
• Repeat Photography of Alaska Glaciers

Wednesday, August 5, 2009, 7:00 PM
Title: Climate Change 101
By Dr. Tom Armstrong

Climate change is an issue of increasing public concern because of its potential effects on land, water, and biological resources. In the next several years, the United States will be challenged to make management and policy decisions as well as develop adaptation and mitigation strategies that will require anticipating the effects of a changing climate and its impacts on humans and ecosystems. The USGS has a well-regarded history in studying these potential effects and understanding climate change science.

Powerpoint (28.6 MB)

For more information on this topic, visit:

• USGS Office of Global Change

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 7:00 PM
Title: Hurricanes and Our Changing Coasts
By Dr. Asbury (Abby) Sallenger

In September 2008, Hurricane Ike destroyed nearly every house in the Gulf-front community of Gilchrist, just north of Galveston Texas. In addition to storm surge and battering waves, the land on which the houses were built contributed to the disaster by changing in shape and elevation. Dr. Sallenger will explain how the coast changes during extreme storms -- such as Hurricanes Isabel, Katrina, and Ike -- and what this means for our coastal developments today and in the future.

For more information on this topic, visit:

• Coastal Change Hazards: Hurricanes and Extreme Storms
• Hurricanes and Our Changing Coasts  (Video)

Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 7:00 PM
Title: A Field Trip to the Congo--Hydroacoustic measurements in "the river that swallows all rivers."
By John M. Shelton, Associate Director-Hydrologic Data South Carolina Water Science Center

Imagine yourself in central Africa, in a dugout canoe crossing the lower Congo River's rapids and whirlpools. USGS scientist John Shelton found himself there this past summer, measuring places where the waters reached a depth of over 700 feet. His measurements indicate that the Congo River is perhaps the deepest river in the world! This discovery was made during data collection to describe the River’s conditions and understand its extraordinarily diverse richness of fish species. In this effort, Shelton worked with a team of scientists from the American Museum of Natural History.

To view the public lecture, visit the video on the USGS Multimedia Gallery site.

For more information on this topic visit:
The American Museum of Natural History
National Geographic--Monster Fish of the Congo

Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 7:00 PM
Title: "Watching Nature's Clock: A Citizen-Scientist Effort to Track Seasonal Signs of Climate Change"
By Dr. Jake Weltzin

A new USGS program, the USA National Phenology Network, is recruiting tens of thousands of volunteers to team up with scientists to help track the effects of climate on seasonal patterns of plant and animal behavior. Come learn how you can contribute to this new national effort, by getting outside, and observing and recording flowering, fruiting and other seasonal events. Scientists and resource managers will use your observations to help track effects of climate change on the Earth’s life-support systems. Watch the video

For more information on this topic visit:

USA National Phenology Network Web site
USA National Phenology Network fact sheet  (PDF)
Ways to participate

Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 7:00 PM
Title: Knee-high to Bird's Eye: Multi-scale Remote Sensing of Vegetation Dynamics
By Dr. John Jones

Combining collaborative field and modeling with various airborne and satellite sensing technologies Dr. Jones measures how land cover and terrain varies across space and through time. Dr. Jones will provide an introduction to these technologies and a sampler of his work to illustrate how this research helps address resource management issues related to climate change, water flow, and habitat condition.

To view the public lecture, visit the video on the USGS Multimedia Gallery site.

For more information on this topic visit:
Shenandoah National Park Phenology Project
Eastern Geographic Science Center
Land Surface Anaylsis of the Florida Everglades