May has already got off to a flying start with events for New Zealand Archaeology Week, and looking ahead, we still have exciting expert talks, tours, new planetarium shows and more on offer this month!
Friday 11 May: Looking South to the Future: A Dark Sky Vision for Otago
Come along to hear Dr John Barentine, Director of Conservation for the International Dark-Sky Association in Tucson, Arizona making a case for the community of Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula to seek status as an International Dark Sky Community.
Hutton Theatre, 4pm, free
Sunday 13 May: Go Girl – Meet the Author and Special Go Girl Guests
Dunedin Readers & Writers Festival is presenting this special event. Kanoa Lloyd (ex-Queen's High School student, now co-host of Three's The Project) will talk to Barbara Else (award-winning author of Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women), Phoebe Morris (uber-talented illustrator), and one of Go Girl's subjects, Ingrid Visser (orca-loving marine biologist) about girls, goals and grit.
Hutton Theatre, 1pm, $10, book tickets at the University Book Shop or online at www.unibooks.co.nz
Wednesday 23 May: Electric Vehicles: Clean and Green Computers on Wheels?
Get the latest local science lowdown on electric vehicles. Emeritus Professor Henrik Moller (University of Otago, Centre for Sustainability) will discuss recent findings from Flip the Fleet, a citizen science coalition of electric vehicle owners.
Barclay Theatre, 1pm, free
Saturday 26 May: Behind the Scenes at the Planetarium
To celebrate Techweek'18 (19–27 May), join us on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Perpetual Guardian Planetarium and learn how we make and project shows onto the dome, and try a Virtual Reality experience. A few people may even get to drive the universe in our dome!
Limited numbers; book at www.otagomuseum.nz/planetarium or the Info Desk.
Perpetual Guardian Planetarium, 4.30pm, paid admission
Sunday 27 May: Jenny Mitchell Live @ OM
New Zealand Gold Guitar winner, Jenny Mitchell, brings her folk/country goodness to the Otago Museum for an hour of stories and songs.
Atrium Level 1, 1pm, free
Tuesday 29 May Thirst For Knowledge – Nanomaterials for Dental Applications
Find out about nanomaterials and what they have to do with your teeth. All your nanotechnology questions will be answered by the 2017 Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist, Dr Carla Meledandri, from the Department of Chemistry.
Ombrellos Kitchen and Bar, 5.30pm
As well as these exciting special events we have stunning photography on show in the 2018 Otago Wildlife Photography Exhibition. Check out the winners and selected entries on display, browse through all the entries on the touchscreens, and vote for the People’s Choice Award.
And if you haven’t yet seen our stunning new science engagement development Tūhura Otago Community Trust Science Centre, you must come along! Tūhura has over 45 hands-on interactives, including a giant DNA-inspired helical slide, and the revamped three-tier tropical butterfly enclosure. The gorgeous 28°C tropical warmth makes the Tūhura’s Tropical Forest the perfect place to be on a cool Autumn May day. See you there!