giantdays

Discovery in the Age of Mammals: Building Brains and Making Minds

One hallmark of mammals is the evolution of a highly developed brain capable of orchestrating amazingly complex behaviors. What our minds do so effortlessly ** the ability to nurture and love, the ability to learn, to make decisions and to solve problems, the ability to communicate through verbal and non-verbal languages, the ability to form deep social networks, the ability to be consciously aware of the world ** arises from our highly developed brains. This theme will be explored in depth with six of the most eminent scholars, writers, and speakers on the brains and minds of mammals, including humans.

5:30pm, TOUR:
“Learning Connections” Tour in the Discovery Center:
Carl Selkin, Ph.D (Vice President, Education)

6:30pm, DISCUSSION:
“The Elephant’s Secret Sense”

Join us and take a look at aspects of elephant society that contribute to survival, including new findings on that society’s multi-modal communication, dominance, relatedness and hormone expression. New discoveries about elephant bull society will be reviewed, emphasizing the importance of bonding and mentoring. Caitlin O’Connell-Rodwell has been studying the underground communication system of wild elephant herds for 14 years – she’s convinced it’s a much richer one than previously thought. This discussion will highlight her work with elephants and the discoveries about their capacity to communicate seismic activity in a multimedia presentation and discussion.

Caitlin O’Connell-Rodwell, Ph.D.
(Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University)
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(Photo credit: Max Solomon)

Caitlin O’Connell-Rodwell is an Assistant Professor (Consulting) at Stanford University in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, where she conducts research on hearing loss and improved therapies for deaf people. She has long been intrigued by the way the hearing-impaired population feels vibrations and other animals “listen” through limbs – in Africa, began to believe that elephant herds listened to seismic vibrations through the earth. Her research on African elephant society has been published and reported in peer reviewed journals and periodicals including Science, Science News, Natural History, New Scientist, Conservation Magazine, National Geographic, The Economist, and Discover. She has just published The Elephant’s Secret Sense. O’Connell-Rodwell lives in San Diego where she and her husband direct the nonprofit organization Utopia Scientific (www.utopiascientific.org), which promotes elephant conservation and scientific understanding around the world, as well as the film company Triple Helix Productions, designed to put more science content in the media and encourage girls to get interested in physics.

Each theme will be moderated by Michael W. Quick, Ph.D. (Department of Biological Sciences and Executive Vice Dean, University of Southern California College of Letters, Arts & Sciences)
A-TRAK and Kid Sister

Michael W. Quick, Ph.D.
Michael W. Quick, First Fridays forum moderator, organized the monthly discussions for Discovery in the Age of Mammals. Dr. Quick is a professor of Biological Sciences and Executive Vice Dean of University of Southern California College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and his research uses the tools of modern molecular neurobiology to examine the processes that underlie neural communication and which are responsible for drug abuse and addiction.
7:00pm-10:00pm, MUSIC:
A-TRAKKid Sister

DJ sets in the African Mammal Hall by

Frosty and Take (dublab.com)

ADMISSION INFORMATION

• Museum admission: Adult $9, students (w. ID) $6.50, Members FREE.
• Capacity of discussion, music, and tour is limited and awarded on a first come, first served basis. Please arrive early to ensure participation.
• Dinner and drinks for sale starting at 5:00pm. Organic and handmade food by Mission Bistro.
• Public parking available on Menlo Avenue across from the Museum.
• For more information e-mail performances@nhm.org.