Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

Teen Science Cafe | Science Trivia
2025-09-19 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
Please join us at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for the first Teen Science Cafe of the school year! On Friday, September 19, we’ll preview this season’s topics with an exciting game of science trivia. Open to teens ages 13-18, our monthly cafes include exciting activities, engaging talks from expert speakers, and even free food! Plus, we cover a variety of different topics, ranging from cell biology to deep space galaxies, making it a one-of-a-kind spot for high school students to explore new ideas, interact with each other, and have fun!Doors will open at 6:00 pm for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:30 pm and wrap up around 7:30 pm.

Learn more about Teen Science Cafe

Program Schedule

6:00 pm: Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

6:00 – 6:30 pm: Pizza social. The pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Discussion & activities. Trivia will take place in the Science Stage.

Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

Skywatching: International Observe the Moon Night | Observación del cielo: Noche Internacional de Observación de la Luna
2025-10-04 19:30 - 21:30 | Peach Road Cultural Center, 911 Ileagnes Rd, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27603, United States
Join Morehead Planetarium, Raleigh Parks, Raleigh Astronomy Club, and Consulado General de Mexico for a special skywatching event on International Observe the Moon Night! Learn about the Moon, constellations, and the planets in our Solar System through telescopes and other fun activities.

Skywatching will take place at Peach Road Park in Raleigh. This is an informal session, so you can arrive and leave at any time during the program. However, if you plan to attend, we suggest bringing a blanket or chairs and some snacks so you can relax under the stars.

We ask that you leave all pets at home, even those on a leash. Darkness, lots of people, expensive telescopes, and pets are a bad combination. Pets will not be permitted near the telescopes.

Please note that this event is weather-dependent. In the event of a cancellation, we will provide updates on our website and social media.

Learn more about skywatching events

Únase al Planetario Morehead, Parques de Raleigh, el Club de Astronomía de Raleigh y Consulado General de México para un evento especial de observación del cielo en la Noche Internacional de Observación de la Luna. Aprende sobre la Luna, las constelaciones y los planetas de nuestro Sistema Solar a través de telescopios y otras actividades divertidas.

La observación del cielo se llevará a cabo en Peach Road Park en Raleigh. Esta es una sesión informal, por lo que puede llegar y salir en cualquier momento durante el programa. Sin embargo, si planea asistir, te sugerimos traer una manta o sillas y algunos bocadillos para que puedas relajarte bajo las estrellas.

Le pedimos que deje a todas las mascotas en casa, incluso a las que llevan correa. La oscuridad, mucha gente, los telescopios caros y las mascotas son una mala combinación. No se permitirán mascotas cerca de los telescopios.

Tenga en cuenta que este evento depende del clima. En caso de cancelación, proporcionaremos actualizaciones en nuestro sitio web y redes sociales.

Aprende más sobre observaciones del cielo

Carolina Science Cafe: Stellar Evolution, Interrupted
2025-10-07 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Stellar Evolution, Interrupted

(Credit: Stocktrek Images/Getty Images)

Open up any introductory astronomy textbook, and you can read about how stars like the Sun evolve from one stage of stellar evolution to the next. However, these textbook descriptions often overlook one important fact: most stars are in binary systems with other stellar or substellar companions, and their presence can greatly impact how the story of stellar evolution plays out.

In October’s Carolina Science Cafe, Dr. Brad Barlow, an Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy at UNC-Chapel Hill, will discuss how his research group uses data from ground- and space-based observatories to discover and characterize special types of stars called hot subdwarfs that are the products of binary interactions. The broader impacts of this work touch on gravitational wave physics, Type Ia supernovae, the impact of late-stage stellar evolution on exoplanets, and more.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Dr. Brad Barlow (he/him) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before that, he spent 11 years working as an Associate Professor of Astrophysics and Director of the Culp Planetarium at High Point University. Dr. Barlow received a B.S. in physics from Mississippi State University in 2006, a Ph.D. in physics (astronomy concentration) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2011, and he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Pennsylvania State University from 2011-2013.

His research primarily focuses on pulsating stars, late stellar evolution, and binary star systems. While at UNC-Chapel Hill, he helped develop software for the Goodman spectrograph on the 4.1-m SOAR telescope on Cerro Pachon in Chile. Originally from Biloxi, Mississippi, Brad did his undergraduate studies at Mississippi State University. His other interests include playing the piano, writing music, cycling, and public outreach.

View Dr. Barlow’s Work

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Carolina Science Cafe: Balancing Act
2025-11-04 18:00 - 19:00 | NC
Balancing Act: The Science of Pain, Fatigue, and Falls in Aging

Now is the time for innovation in our efforts to engineer solutions to help people age gracefully – from preserving independence and enhancing community accessibility to preventing falls. In this talk, Dr. Jason Franz, a professor of biomedical engineering, will summarize the latest in the UNC Applied Biomechanics Laboratory’s use of principles from neural control, biomechanics, wearable sensing, and rehabilitation robotics to solve one of our society’s grand challenges.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines and offers the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Dr. Jason Franz (he/him) received his B.S. (2004) and M.S. (2006) degrees in Engineering Mechanics from Virginia Tech and, after serving as a staff scientist in PM&R at the University of Virginia, received his Ph.D. (2012) in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He then completed an NIH Post-Doctoral Fellowship in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2015, Dr. Franz joined the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University and is now a Full Professor and Director of the UNC Applied Biomechanics Laboratory.

Dr. Franz’s research takes a mechanisms-based approach in rehabilitation engineering to develop solutions to help people age gracefully. He is the author of over 150 publications and currently serves as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH-funded research projects, all predominantly focused on rehabilitation engineering strategies to mitigate age- and disease-related mobility impairment and falls risk. He also serves as Faculty Director for Postdoctoral Success, where he supports the success, recruitment, and workforce development of postdoctoral trainees across the UNC School of Medicine.

View Dr. Franz’s Work

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Teen Science Cafe: Exoplanet Watch
2025-11-21 18:00 - 19:30 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
Exoplanet Watch with Yashasree Gadipalli

Please join us at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for November’s Teen Science Cafe! This month, we welcome Yashasree Gadipalli, who will be sharing her work as a citizen scientist with NASA’s Exoplanet Watch project, which uses telescope data to scan for planets outside our solar system.

Open to teens ages 13-18, our monthly cafes include exciting activities, engaging talks from expert speakers, and even free food! Plus, we cover a variety of different topics, ranging from cell biology to deep space galaxies, making it a one-of-a-kind spot for high school students to explore new ideas, interact with each other, and have fun!

Doors will open at 6:00 pm for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:30 pm and wrap up around 7:30 pm.

Learn more about Teen Science Cafe

About Yashasree

Yashasree Gadipalli is a first-year student at UNC-Chapel Hill studying Astronomy and Data Science. As a participant in Exoplanet Watch, she uses NASA’s EXOTIC software to research the exoplanet TrES-3b and is developing a citizen science program to help students explore and contribute to ongoing astronomy research. As an intern for Cisco, she explored the intersection of AI and data science, which she now applies to her astronomy work. As an affiliate of the World Children’s Parliament, Yashasree is dedicated to making science more accessible to young minds.

Program Schedule

6:00 pm: Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

6:00 – 6:30 pm: Pizza social. The pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Discussion & activities. Trivia will take place in the Science Stage.

Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

Skywatching at the Morehead Sundial
2025-11-23 17:45 - 18:45 | Morehead Planetarium Sundial, 220 E Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, United States
Join Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for free pop-up skywatching at the Morehead Sundial! On this night, we’ll be focusing on Saturn’s nearly edge-on rings.

This is an informal session, so you can arrive and leave at any time during the program. We ask that you leave all pets at home, even those on a leash. Darkness, lots of people, expensive telescopes, and pets are a bad combination. Pets will not be permitted near the telescopes.

Please note that this event is weather-dependent. In the event of a cancellation, we will provide updates on our website and social media.

Have more questions about skywatching? Visit our FAQs page!

Skywatching FAQs

Skywatching at Stagville — Geminid Meteor Shower
2025-12-13 20:00 - 22:00 | Horton Grove – Historic Stagville State Historic Site, 5925 Jock Road, Bahama, North Carolina, 27503, United States
Join staff and volunteers from Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society (CHAOS), and Historic Stagville for the peak night of the Geminid meteor shower!

To view meteors, all you need are your eyes. However, we’ll offer telescopes for you to catch Saturn, Jupiter, and other celestial sights. Please note that this event is weather-dependent. In the event of a cancellation, we will provide updates on our website and social media.

To attend and receive updates about this free event, please register using the link below. We hope to see you there!

Register

Know Before You Go

This outdoor event will take place in the open field at the Horton Grove entrance of Historic Stagville State Historic Site. Due to the high volume of people and limited parking, please carpool if possible.

This is an informal session, so you can arrive and leave at any time during the program. However, if you plan to attend, we suggest bringing a blanket or chairs and some snacks so you can relax under the stars.

We ask that you leave all pets at home, even those on a leash. Darkness, lots of people, expensive telescopes, and pets are a bad combination. Pets will not be permitted near the telescopes.

Have more questions about skywatching? Visit our FAQs page!

Skywatching FAQs

Teen Science Cafe: Neuronal Resilience
2025-12-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
Neuronal Resilience with Dr. Mohanish Deshmukh

Please join us at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for December’s Teen Science Cafe! This month, we welcome Dr. Mohanish Deshmukh, Ph.D, who will be sharing his work on how different types of cells control apoptosis (regulated cell death) and how this relates to the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Open to teens ages 13-18, our monthly cafes include exciting activities, engaging talks from expert speakers, and even free food! Plus, we cover a variety of different topics, ranging from cell biology to deep space galaxies, making it a one-of-a-kind spot for high school students to explore new ideas, interact with each other, and have fun!Doors will open at 6:00 pm for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:30 pm and wrap up around 7:30 pm.

Learn more about Teen Science Cafe

About Dr. Deshmukh

Mohanish Deshmukh, Ph.D. is a William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Cell Biology & Physiology and the Neuroscience Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Mohanish received his PhD from Carnegie Mellon University, conducted his postdoctoral research at Washington University and joined UNC as an Assistant Professor in 2000.

Mohanish’s lab studies the programmed mechanisms by which neurons survive and die. His lab also focuses on understanding neurodevelopmental disorders as well as developing therapeutic strategies for preventing neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.

Mohanish received the Burroughs-Wellcome New Investigator Award in 2001. At UNC, Mohanish was recognized with the Teaching Excellence Award (2004) and the Mentor of the Year Award (2012). He is currently the Co-Director of the UNC MD/PhD program. His lab’s research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Program Schedule

6:00 pm: Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

6:00 – 6:30 pm: Pizza social. The pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Discussion & activities. Trivia will take place in the Science Stage.

Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

Carolina Science Cafe: Are We Alone?
2026-01-06 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Are We Alone? Thoughts on the Fermi Paradox

Does the Cosmos teem with intelligence, or are we alone? This existential issue eats at our souls. In this talk, Dr. Brand Fortner will share how we use the Fermi Paradox, the Drake equation, the Rare Earth hypothesis, the Weak Anthropic principle, the Doomsday calculation, and the Great Filter to answer this most important of all questions.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Brand Fortner is a teaching professor at North Carolina State University, where he teaches astronomy, astrophysics, and physics, and is an adjunct professor of physics at UNC-Chapel Hill. Previously holding positions at NASA and Johns Hopkins University, Brand earned a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in high-energy astrophysics and founded two scientific software companies. Additionally, he has written books on color vision and technical data and is in high demand for his public lectures on all things astronomical.

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Teen Science Cafe: Food & Microbiomes
2026-01-30 18:00 - 19:30 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
Food & Microbiomes with Dr. Erin McKenney

Please join us at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for January’s Teen Science Cafe! This month, we welcome Dr. Erin McKenney, who will be sharing her work on food and gut microbiomes in both animals and humans.

Open to teens ages 13-18, our monthly cafes include exciting activities, engaging talks from expert speakers, and even free food! Plus, we cover a variety of different topics, ranging from cell biology to deep space galaxies, making it a one-of-a-kind spot for high school students to explore new ideas, interact with each other, and have fun!Doors will open at 6:00 pm for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:30 pm and wrap up around 7:30 pm.

Learn more about Teen Science Cafe

About Dr. McKenney

Dr. Erin McKenney is an assistant professor and Director of Undergraduate Programs at North Carolina State University. She studies how microbial communities form over time and how they adapt to their environments. Her research incorporates microbial ecology, nutrition, and comparative gut morphology to learn how gut microbes affect health – and how humans can leverage or upset that balance. For over a decade, Dr. McKenney has investigated evolutionary adaptation across different scales and species, between non-human primates and carnivores and their gut microbes. More recently, she has expanded her research to sourdough and other fermented foods that can be studied without laboratory equipment, using citizen science research to empower students of all ages and all over the world.

Program Schedule

6:00 pm: Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

6:00 – 6:30 pm: Pizza social. The pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Discussion & activities. Trivia will take place in the Science Stage.

Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

Carolina Science Cafe: The Big Bang
2026-02-03 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Reaching back to the Big Bang from one of the highest places on Earth

Scientists are pushing to the most extreme observing sites in the world to study the universe’s most ancient light. New telescopes and cameras harness cryogenic cooling power to deploy pixels chilled to near absolute zero to study the remnants of the Big Bang. During February’s Carolina Science Cafe, Dr. Eve Vavagiakis will introduce the cosmic microwave background and shine some light on how we use the universe as a laboratory for fundamental physics. In addition, she will discuss exciting new telescopes and what it’s like to deploy cutting-edge technologies on ancient stratovolcanoes in the Chilean Atacama Desert.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Dr. Eve Vavagiakis (she/her) is an Assistant Professor at Duke University and a previous postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University. In her spare time, she enjoys anything active and outdoors, especially climbing mountains, even when there aren’t telescopes on top.

See the speaker’s work

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Science for All Summit
2026-02-19 08:00 - 2026-02-20 15:00 | Friday Conference Center, 100 Friday Center Dr, Chapel Hill, NC, 27517, United States
Turn Motivation into Action

Are you a student, educator, or other change agent? The fourth annual Science for All Summit returns this year on February 19 and 20! Produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, this two-day Summit offers engaging conversations, workshops, and sessions focused on access and opportunity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

At the Summit, we will provide opportunities to share new research findings, exchange resources, discuss strategies, and demonstrate effective practices and interventions. The 2026 program will include keynote addresses by Dr. Connie Locklear, Dr. Jessica Hernandez, and Dr. Sarina Saturn.

Learn more about the Summit

Teen Science Cafe: AI Applications
2026-02-20 18:00 - 19:30 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
Please join us at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for February’s Teen Science Cafe! In this session, we’ll be discussing AI applications. Stay tuned for more information on this month’s speaker!Open to teens ages 13-18, our monthly cafes include exciting activities, engaging talks from expert speakers, and even free food! Plus, we cover a variety of different topics, ranging from cell biology to deep space galaxies, making it a one-of-a-kind spot for high school students to explore new ideas, interact with each other, and have fun!Doors will open at 6:00 pm for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:30 pm and wrap up around 7:30 pm.

Learn more about Teen Science Cafe

Program Schedule

6:00 pm: Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

6:00 – 6:30 pm: Pizza social. The pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Discussion & activities. Trivia will take place in the Science Stage.

Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

Carolina Science Cafe: Songbirds
2026-03-03 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Access to mates biased by parental favoritism in songbirds

In songbirds, the morphology of the vocal tract predicts song performance, and song performance affects access to mates. This, in turn, raises the question as to what causes this vocal-tract morphological variation. In March’s Carolina Science Cafe, Dr. Keith Sockman will discuss the recent analyses from his laboratory’s 20-year dataset on wild, free-ranging Lincoln’s sparrows at their montane field site in Colorado, which have revealed developmental constraints on the vocal tract, driven in part by parental favoritism toward some nestlings over their sibling nestmates.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Dr. Keith Sockman earned a PhD in Zoology in 2000 at Washington State University, studying reproductive flexibility in American kestrels. His postdoctoral work at The Johns Hopkins University focused on the neurobiology of mate choice and reproductive timing in songbirds. His initial appointment in the Department of Biology at UNC Chapel Hill was in 2004, at which point he started a long-term study on the behavioral ecology and reproductive decisions of wild songbirds. He enjoys cycling, camping, and spending time with his two teenagers.

See Dr. Sockman’s work

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Teen Science Cafe: Visualizing Space
2026-03-20 18:00 - 19:30 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
Please join us at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for March’s Teen Science Cafe! More details on this month’s speaker will be available at a later date.

Open to teens ages 13-18, our monthly cafes include exciting activities, engaging talks from expert speakers, and even free food! Plus, we cover a variety of different topics, ranging from cell biology to deep space galaxies, making it a one-of-a-kind spot for high school students to explore new ideas, interact with each other, and have fun!Doors will open at 6:00 pm for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:30 pm and wrap up around 7:30 pm.

Learn more about Teen Science Cafe

Program Schedule

6:00 pm: Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

6:00 – 6:30 pm: Pizza social. The pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Discussion & activities. Trivia will take place in the Science Stage.

Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

Artemis II Viewing Event
2026-04-01 18:00 - 20:30 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
(Photo credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)

To the Moon with NASA’s Artemis II

Astronauts are preparing to return to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years! As part of the Artemis II mission, crewmembers Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Jeremy Hansen, and North Carolina-raised Christina Koch are set to embark on a 10-day journey around the Moon with a target launch date of April 1, 2026.

To celebrate, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center will host a special Artemis II launch viewing event before Starry Nights: Spring Skies, our special planetarium show for teen and adult learners. Exclusive to Starry Nights ticketholders, this special event is available at no additional charge and is subject to change due to weather and safety at the launch site.

Get Starry Nights tickets

Know Before You Go

NASA may postpone the Artemis II launch due to adverse weather conditions and safety concerns, which could result in the cancellation of the Morehead viewing event. The launch window opens on April 1, 2026, at 6:24 p.m. EDT, at which the launch can occur anytime within the next two hours. Learn more about NASA’s April mission availability.

In the event that the launch overlaps with the start of Starry Nights: Spring Skies (scheduled for 7 to 8:30 p.m. on April 1, 2026), we will finish cheering on the Artemis II before heading to the fulldome theater for the planetarium show.

The Artemis II viewing event at Morehead Planetarium is subject to change based on updates to the official launch schedule. In the event of a postponed launch, Starry Nights: Spring Skies will proceed as scheduled at 7 p.m.

Enjoy this video of Artemis II’s Christina Koch from Morehead’s 75th anniversary (2024).

Carolina Science Cafe: Science Under Pressure
2026-04-07 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
(Megan Mendenhall / Office of Research Communications)

Science Under Pressure: What’s at Stake for Research at Carolina

UNC-Chapel Hill generates over $1 billion in research annually with discoveries that shape medicine, technology, and public health across North Carolina and beyond. However, the federal landscape that funds this work is shifting fast. Join UNC’s Vice Chancellor for Research, Dr. Penny Gordon-Larsen, for an inside look at what Carolina scientists are building, what’s at stake in Washington, and why it matters to all of us.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Penny Gordon-Larsen, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Research and William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor in Nutrition

(Megan Mendenhall / Office of Research Communications)

As vice chancellor for research, Gordon-Larsen develops, sets strategic direction, and provides support for UNC’s $1.5 billion research enterprise. She is responsible for research infrastructure, operations, and regulatory compliance, research development, translation, and communications, as well as strategic research partnerships. In addition, she oversees 13 pan-campus, interdisciplinary research centers and institutes. She works across campus with the University’s research deans, center/ institute directors, and key institutional leaders to strategically advance Carolina’s research enterprise. She is an obesity researcher and has served as principal investigator on research projects totaling over $23.6 million and has served as a co-investigator on an additional $49.1M interdisciplinary research team projects with collaborators. Her NIH-funded research portfolio ranges from molecular and genetic to environmental and societal-level factors that influence health and obesity and its cardiometabolic consequences.

Gordon-Larsen served as president of The Obesity Society in 2015 and a member of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Advisory Council from 2020 to 2023. She also served on the 2020–2030 Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research Thought Leaders Panel, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Strategic Plan Working Group, and the NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Integration Working Group. She is on the Executive Committees for Research of the Association of American Universities and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities and is currently serving on the Joint Associations Group (JAG) on Indirect Costs, a coalition of national organizations representing academic, medical, and independent research institutions.

More about UNC Research

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Teen Science Cafe: Hollywood Science
2026-04-24 18:00 - 19:30 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
Hollywood Science with Dr. Alper Bozkurt

Please join us at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for April’s Teen Science Cafe! In this interactive session, Dr. Alper Bozkurt will share his firsthand experiences at the intersection of science and storytelling. From consulting on Disney films to collaborating with creatives behind movies, documentaries, and games, he has seen how science inspires Hollywood and how Hollywood, in turn, inspires real scientific breakthroughs.

This talk will take you behind the scenes of:

Interactions with studios like The Walt Disney Company and Pixar

Collaborations with Oscar-winning or nominated actors and filmmakers

Visits to Hollywood studios and creative environments

How ideas from science shape Xbox and PlayStation games

If you are curious about the future of technology, storytelling, and imagination, this is your chance to see how your interests can come together in unexpected ways.

Open to teens ages 13-18, our monthly cafes include exciting activities, engaging talks from expert speakers, and even free food! Plus, we cover a variety of different topics, ranging from cell biology to deep space galaxies, making it a one-of-a-kind spot for high school students to explore new ideas, interact with each other, and have fun!

Doors will open at 6:00 pm for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:30 pm and wrap up around 7:30 pm.

Learn more about Teen Science Cafe

About Dr. Bozkurt

Prof. Alper Bozkurt joins us from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NC State University where he holds an associated appointment at UNC-NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering. He is the director of the Integrated Bionic MicroSystem (iBionicS) Lab and co-director for National Science Foundation Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST) and NC State Institute of Connected Sensor Systems (IConS).

Alper Bozkurt is the McPherson Family Distinguished Professor in Engineering Entrepreneurship at NC State University. At iBionicS Lab, he builds technologies that connect electronics with living systems, from insects to plants, from animals to humans. He received his PhD in electrical engineering from Cornell University and his MSc in biomedical engineering from Drexel University. His work has been featured by major media outlets and earned him a spot on Popular Science’s “Brilliant 10” list. His research achievements on the Internet of Bionic Things have been covered by several media agencies, including BBC, CNN, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Science Channel, Newsweek, and Reuters.

Program Schedule

6:00 pm: Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

6:00 – 6:30 pm: Pizza social. The pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Discussion & activities. Trivia will take place in the Science Stage.

Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

Carolina Science Cafe: US Vaccination Programs
2026-05-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
US Vaccination Programs: Reasons for Optimism and Action

What unites Americans? Being vaccinated! More of us get vaccines than use smartphones, own cars, or watch reality TV. In May’s installation, Professor of Health Behavior Dr. Melissa B. Gilkey will share research on the parent advocates and clinical champions who make US vaccination programs possible. In addition, we will discuss ways to support these programs to ensure that we all have the opportunity to protect our families from measles, human papillomavirus (HPV) cancers, and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Melissa B. Gilkey, PhD, (she/her) is a Professor of Health Behavior in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. With research interests in cancer prevention and adolescent health, she studies ways to help healthcare providers communicate about vaccines, often with a focus on the HPV vaccine.

Learn more about Dr. Gilkey

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Teen Science Cafe: The Social Impacts of AI
2026-05-15 18:00 - 19:30 | Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States
The Social Impacts of AI with Dr. Francesca Tripodi

Please join us at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center for the last Teen Science Cafe of the school year! In this session, we’ll be discussing the social impacts of AI with Dr. Francesca Tripodi.

Open to teens ages 13-18, our monthly cafes include exciting activities, engaging talks from expert speakers, and even free food! Plus, we cover a variety of different topics, ranging from cell biology to deep space galaxies, making it a one-of-a-kind spot for high school students to explore new ideas, interact with each other, and have fun!

Doors will open at 6:00 pm for pizza and conversation. The cafe will start at 6:30 pm and wrap up around 7:30 pm.

Learn more about Teen Science Cafe

About Dr. Tripodi

Dr. Tripodi is a sociologist and information scholar whose research examines the relationship between technology and society. She is an Associate Professor at the School of Information and Library Science at UNC-Chapel Hill and the Founder of the Search Prompt Integrity and Learning Lab. She has twice testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (April 10, 2019 and July 16, 2019), to explain how search engines are gamed to spread conspiratorial logic and sow political polarization.

Along with her Co-PIs at MIT and Stanford, Dr. Tripodi received a National Science Foundation Accelerator Award in 2021 to study how people find information and build tools to enhance and enable search literacy. In recognition of her impact, Dr. Tripodi received the Award for Impact and Excellence in 2023 from the Center for the Informed Public at the University of Washington. In December 2023, Dr. Tripodi was a featured guest on an episode of Meet the Press to discuss the dangers of online education tools like PragerU. Her work has also been highlighted on All Things Considered (NPR), the Financial Times, and the Associated Press. She has also written about her work in Wired, Slate, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. In addition to these featured segments, Dr. Tripodi’s research is regularly cited by esteemed publications like The Washington Post, The New York Times, TIME, and The Guardian. In recognition of her impact, Dr. Tripodi received the Award for Impact and Excellence in 2023 from the Center for the Informed Public at the University of Washington.

Program Schedule

6:00 pm: Arrive and check in. We will gather inside the west, main entrance of Morehead.

6:00 – 6:30 pm: Pizza social. The pizza social will take place in our classrooms, located on the 2nd floor.

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Discussion. May’s discussion will take place in the Science Stage.

Please Note: Depending on scheduled activities, the program may end between 7:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

Carolina Science Cafe: Dementia Diagnosis and Treatment
2026-06-02 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Recent Advances in Dementia Diagnosis and Treatment

What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s? I have 2 family members with Alzheimer’s. What’s my risk like? I hear there’s a new blood test that can tell me if I have it; should I get it? How good is it? And, what’s the scoop on those new drugs to slow down Alzheimer’s? In June’s Carolina Science Cafe, Dr. Andrea Bozoki will answer these questions and more as she reviews some key concepts, explains how specialists approach the evaluation of cognitive decline, and describes the pros and cons of available treatment options.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Andrea Bozoki (she/her), Professor of Neurology

Dr. Bozoki completed her medical training at the State University of NY, Downstate followed by neurology residency and a cognitive neuroscience fellowship at the University of MI in Ann Arbor, beginning her career as an attending in 1999. She was on faculty at Michigan State University from 2001 to 2019, followed by a move to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in August of 2020 to accept a position as Chief of the Cognitive & Behavioral Neurology Division. Currently, she divides her time between clinical care of patients and her work as Co-Lead of the Outreach and Engagement Core of the Duke/UNC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and as UNC Site Principal Investigator for the Lewy Body Disease Consortium and the ALL-FTD (Frontotemporal Dementia) Study.

More about Dr. Bozoki

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Carolina Science Cafe: Philosophy of Science
2026-07-07 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Three Insights from Philosophy of Science That Really Matter Right Now

Most of us have strong opinions about whether to “trust the science” and assume the reasons why science is worth trusting are obvious. But we rarely stop to ask whether what we assume about science is actually right, and how those assumptions are shaping the way we respond to some of today’s most contentious controversies about science—from vaccine skepticism to debates about biological categories to the rise of AI in research.

In this month’s Carolina Science Cafe, Dr. Katie Deaven unpacks some common assumptions about how scientific knowledge is built, where it can go wrong, and what follows for how we engage with these contemporary critiques of science. Drawing on work in the philosophy of science, we’ll see that these assumptions are oversimplified in ways that can actually get in the way of engaging effectively in these controversies. A little philosophy of science goes a long way, though, in helping us see exactly where they fall short and the more interesting and productive discussions lying in wait.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Dr. Katie Deaven (she/her), Teaching Assistant Professor of Philosophy, UNC-Chapel Hill

Katie Deaven is a Teaching Assistant Professor in Philosophy at UNC-Chapel Hill. She received her PhD from UW-Madison and specializes in the philosophy of science and philosophy of biology. She has taught courses in these areas as well as philosophy of technology and bioethics, and she loves designing events that bring philosophy to public audiences ranging from kindergarteners to adults.

More about Dr. Deaven

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Carolina Science Cafe: GLP-1s
2026-08-04 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
What are GLP-1s?

See you at August’s Carolina Science Cafe! In this session, Dr. Jonathan Campbell of Duke University will present a brief history of the evolution of GLP-1 medications and where this field is heading.

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

About the Speaker

Dr. Jonathan Campbell is an associate professor of medicine at Duke University and a member of the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute. His group studies how incretins like GLP-1 work to regulate metabolism in the context of health, diabetes, obesity, and related diseases.

More about Dr. Campbell’s work

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!

Carolina Science Cafe
2026-09-01 18:00 - 19:00 | Haw River Tap & Table, 300 E Main St C, Carrboro, NC, 27510, United States
Carolina Science Cafe with Dr. Jared Bowden

Mark your calendars for September’s Carolina Science Cafe! While we’re still gathering all the details, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is thrilled to welcome North Carolina State Climatologist Dr. Jared Bowden. Stay tuned for more details!

Designed for adults, Carolina Science Cafe is a free program that explores science topics making national and international headlines, offering the chance to meet the experts behind the work. This special program is hosted at Haw River Tap & Table in Carrboro on the first Tuesday of every month. Light appetizers are available for all attendees.

Carolina Science Cafe is produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and sponsored by the UNC Chapter of Sigma Xi.

You do not need to register…just show up!
