The 2014/2015 Cafe Scientifique series in Morris starts today! Come on out to the Common Cup Coffeehouse at 6pm to hear Michael Ceballos of the biology discipline talk about Malaysia: Intersections between Modern Science and Traditional Indigenous Knowledge. All the cool people will be here.

The next Café Scientifique will take place on Tuesday, September 30, at 6 p.m., at the Common Cup Coffeehouse (501 Atlantic Avenue, Morris, MN 56267). Michael Ceballos, assistant professor of biology, will lead the discussion, “Malaysia: Intersections between Modern Science and Traditional Indigenous Knowledge.” All are welcome to attend. Audience participation is encouraged.

The indigenous people of Borneo, or bumi putra, enjoy a rich history of utilizing natural resources to produce food, shelter, clothing, medicines, weaponry, and artesania. This traditional ecological knowledge and the flora, fauna, and microbiota of Borneo have more recently been explored by modern-day scientists. This discussion will focus on current research efforts underway on the island—some of which are being conducted by University of Minnesota, Morris students and faculty with funding from the National Science Foundation.

Café Scientifique is an ongoing series that offers a space where anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology for the price of a cup of coffee. Meetings take place outside of a traditional academic context and are committed to promoting public engagement with science. Interested audiences can look forward to additional discussions, typically held on the last Tuesday of selected months.

Café Scientifique is supported in part by a grant to the University of Minnesota, Morris from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute through the Precollege and Undergraduate Science Education Program. Additional information is available at morris.umn.edu/hhmi.

It’s going to be good. If you don’t show up, Michael is going to hunt you down with that blowgun.