The Story of the Honeybees ~ April TACNY Jr. Cafe Scientifique

April TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique

 

"The Story of Honeybees"

Saturday, April 21, 9:30-11:00am

Milton J Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology, Syracuse NY

Peter W. Plumley, PhD, exhibits project manager at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology, will present The Story of Honeybees, a talk about honeybees, as part of TACNY’s 2011-2012 Junior Cafe Scientifique lecture series.

People interested in learning more about honeybees are invited to attend the free Junior Cafe presentation on Saturday, April 21, 2012, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) in Syracuse’s Armory Square. Walk-ins are welcome, but we ask that people RSVP by emailing jrcafe@tacny.org by April 19, 2012.

Plumley is an earth scientist with an extensive background in computers and technology, and he is a research associate professor in civil and environmental engineering at Syracuse University. His research has been in the areas of plate tectonics and application of paleomagnetic techniques to regional tectonics. His most recent research is focused on motivating high school students to learn, and he developed and implemented a K-12 outreach program for the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University. Plumley has raised honeybees since he was 10 years old and currently manages a small bee farm, called Plumley Farms, in LaFayette. He was named TACNY’s 2003 College Educator of the Year and honored as a recipient of the 2011 Post-Standard Achievement Award.

Honeybees are one of the most important insects on the planet, yet frequently maligned. This talk introduces participants to gentle honeybees, their life as a social insect, their contribution to our food, and how they differ from the other bees in the world. The talk will examine the current parasites and maladies affecting them in Upstate New York and around the world, and how the distressed colonies are an indication of the health of our environment.

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique, a program for middle-school students, features discussions between scientists and students about topics in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an informal atmosphere and seeks to encourage students to consider careers in these areas. Students must be accompanied by an adult and can explore the MOST at no cost after the event.

For more information about TACNY, visit www.tacny.org