The topic for December's Café is Science on Ice: Ice Sheets, Sea Level and Global Climate Change, presented by Julie M. Palais, Ph.D., Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation. Sandy’s recent media attention has focused public interest on sea level rise. Research by polar glaciologists funded by the National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs is providing insight into many of these issues for the public. As manager of the Antarctic Glaciology program at NSF, Dr. Palais will share the history and dynamics of all naturally occurring forms of snow and ice, including floating ice shelves, glaciers and continental and marine ice sheets. She will highlight paleoclimate studies of ice cores, ice dynamics, numerical modeling, glacial geology and the remote sensing of ice sheets.

The goal of Café Scientifique is to make science more accessible and accountable by featuring speakers whose expertise spans the sciences and who can talk in plain English. Please come early to order table service and socialize. Special half-price burgers start at 5:30 p.m. Presentation begins at 6:15 p.m. followed by Q&A. No science background required! Café Scientifique is free and open to the public but advanced registration is requested.