Schedule:

10:00am-11:00am - Dr. Matthew Niemiller - Cave Life
Location: Alabama Center for the Arts - Visual Arts Building - Room 118

Dr. Niemiller is the head of the Cave Bio Lab at UAH, which employs field, laboratory, and computational approaches to study the ecology, evolution, and conservation of life in caves and other subterranean habitats. Current research includes population surveys and status assessments of state and federally-listed cave and groundwater species throughout the United States and Alaska, developing environmental DNA approaches for population monitoring and community studies of groundwater life, and genetic and genomic studies of cave and groundwater fauna, among others.

10:00am-11:00am - Wings to Soar
Location: Princess Theatre: Center for Performing Arts

Wings to Soar's mission is to create awareness about the vital role birds of prey play in the natural world. In this interactive outreach program, environmental education reaches new heights! In this free-flying raptor program, the
audience has a unique opportunity to view birds of prey up close.

10:30am-11:30am - Vicky Smith - The Bat Lady
Location: Alabama Center for the Arts - Performing Arts Building - Recital Hall

BATTY ABOUT BATS presented by Vicky Beckham Smith of A-Z ANIMALS consists of a power point presentation that covers myths about bats, their adaptations, their feeding strategies along with the eco-services they provide to us, the various food they eat, prey and predator relationships, and various places they live and roost.  It also covers the difference between micro and mega bats. There are various mounted bats, life size silhouettes as well as live bats that will be used during the presentation. Vicky holds USDA, USFWS and state permits that allow her to house and use the bats for educational purposes

11:30am-12:30pm - Robyn Bailey - Nestwatch

Robyn will discuss how ordinary people around the world contribute important bird observations to long-term databases. These contributions help scientists understand how environmental changes affect bird populations. Specifically focusing on North America's nesting birds over the past six decades, Robyn will highlight the pivotal role of citizen scientists in this research. She also offers practical tips on how everyone can make a difference in supporting bird conservation in their daily lives.

11:30pm-12:30pm - Dr. Jon Armbruster - Fish Under Alabama
Location: Alabama Center for the Arts - Visual Arts Building - Room 118

Fish Under Alabama: How Fish Came to Live in Caves

Some of the most inhospitable environments are caves. With no light, any cave organism relies on food that comes from the outside. Despite these conditions, fish have moved into caves many times all over the world. For a long time, we believed that cave organisms had to have small distributions because their lack of eyes and pigments would mean that they would not be able to survive outside of their dark environments. However, one of Alabama’s two cavefishes, the Southern Cavefish, is distributed across Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. Turns out that the underground world is a lot more complex than we had thought.

12:00pm-1:00pm - Jimmy Stiles - Reptiles
Location: Alabama Center for the Arts - Performing Arts Building - Recital Hall

Jimmy Stiles Herpetologist and Nature Lover:  Mr.  Stiles will share information about the reptiles and amphibians of Alabama.  This hands-on experience is always a hit!

12:00pm-4:00pm - Kids Activities in the Library
Location: Decatur Public Library

assorted crafts/activities
photo opportunity
scavenger hunt
goodie bags for kids 12 & under (while supplies last!)

1:00pm-2:00pm - Brian “Fox” Ellis
Location: Princess Theatre: Center for Performing Arts

Storyteller Brian “Fox” Ellis portrays Audubon in a dynamic performance that engages listeners in scientific inquiry and natural history, art appreciation, and ornithology. Come spend an hour in the studio of one of America’s greatest naturalists and wildlife artists. Listen to tales of his adventures in the wilds of America.

1:00pm-2:00pm - Dr. James McClintock - Diving Under Antarctic Ice
Location: Alabama Center for the Arts - Visual Arts Building - Room 118

Through his spectacular images, Dr. McClintock takes you SCUBA diving in sub-freezing waters and introduces you to the bountiful sea life in the most fascinating and challenging seas in the world.

2:00pm-4:00pm - Tracy Roberts McCann - Art Painting Class
Location: Alabama Center for the Arts - Visual Arts Building (Room 113)

3:00pm-4:00pm - Wings to Soar
Location: Princess Theatre: Center for Performing Arts

Wings to Soar's mission is to create awareness about the vital role birds of prey play in the natural world. In this interactive outreach program, environmental education reaches new heights! In this free-flying raptor program, the
audience has a unique opportunity to view birds of prey up close.

3:00pm-4:00pm - Meriwether Lewis’ Scientific Discoveries
Location: Decatur Public Library

Imagine an evening in Philadelphia with some of the greatest scientific minds in Early American history where Merewether Lewis reveals many of the scientific discoveries of the Corps of Discovery for the first time. Encountering grizzly bears and collecting soil samples, capturing prairie dogs and hunting for antelope, Lewis catalogued 122 new animal species and 178 new plants. In this original performance Lewis sings the praises of the geology, diverse flora and fauna, and the web of life that binds us to the land. The expedition was first and foremost a scientific expedition and this program brings the scientific process to life.

3:00pm-4:00pm - Jimmy Stiles - Reptiles
Location: Alabama Center for the Arts - Performing Arts Building

Jimmy Stiles Herpetologist and Nature Lover:  Mr.  Stiles will share information about the reptiles and amphibians of Alabama.  This hands-on experience is always a hit!

4:30pm-6:00pm - Thank You, Rachel
Location: Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Arts

"Thank you, Rachel" is a new play by Carol Cook Puckett about Rachel Carson. Rachel Carson was a biologist, spirited idealist, and the author of "Silent Spring."