The 32-year-old moved to Moab 10 years undergoing extreme change and people are KZMU Community Radio also partners with Moab ago to work for the U.S. Geological Survey as a fighting over water. Scientists talked about the Science by broadcasting recorded interviews science technician. “I got to work on the coolest overlap between the film’s storyline and the in the station’s studio each Friday at 11:30 a.m. science here, trying to understand the ecosys- increasing aridity in the Southwest. The present- Science Moab was founded in 2017 after Young tem of southeast Utah,” while collaborating with ers offered solutions and recommended actions approached the radio station about recording other scientists, she recalls. “We were doing this to take. Although Science Moab on Tap gather- interviews with local and visiting scientists. Young no longer works for the USGS, work and I came to realize that people instead, she volunteers her time develin town did not know about the amazoping and growing Science Moab, with ing science going on here.” So, she “SCIENCE CAN BE USED TO the help of multiple volunteers. “We got founded Science Moab. a lot of positive feedback,” regarding the In the past, people packed Woody’s DIVERSIFY THE ECONOMY AND HELP radio interviews, says Young, who has a Tavern for Science Moab on Tap events US UNDERSTAND THE WORLD Master’s degree in ecology and is curwhere attendees could enjoy a beer rently working on a Ph.D. on ecology and while listening to local scientists give WE LIVE IN.” evolutionary biology through the Univerlight-hearted, non-jargon-laced presity of Texas El Paso. “It’s important that sentations about the research they — Kristina Young, people have access to this knowledge. were doing in the region. The popular Science Moab Executive Director The majority of scientists in town are Tap events took place during the winter coming here to do research.” months of 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. Carrie Schwartz learned about Science Moab At the last Tap event in March — titled Mad ings at Woody’s are on hold for now due to the Max Meets Science Moab, a group of dryland pandemic, Science Moab organizers hope to cre- from listening to the KZMU interviews. She says she then started “religiously attending” the Sciscientists talked about dust and erosion and ate safe, outdoor Tap events this winter. how deserts are being transformed. The presenPeople can still keep up with scientific news, ence Moab on Tap events at Woody’s. One of tation included clips from the movie Mad Max, however, by reading the Moab Sun News, which her favorite presentations was by a scientist a post-apocalyptic film in which the climate is publishes a Moab Science column each week. who studies the region’s unique cryptobiotic
Opposite page: Canyon in Cedar Mesa. [Photo by Michael Remke] Top: Science Moab’s Natalie Day (left) and Dr. Daniel Winkler (seated lower right) engage with a full house during a “Science on Tap” Q&A at Woody’s Tavern in 2019. [Photo by John Caldwell] MOAB AREA REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE November–December 2020
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