DURHAM, N.H. - This October, with recent forecasts of solar flares and a White House task force to end sexual assault on college campuses, the topics of space weather and violence prevention will spark lively discussions at the Portsmouth Science Café. Hosted by UNH faculty member Cameron Wake at the Portsmouth Brewery's Jimmy LaPanza Lounge, the Portsmouth Science Café provides a unique opportunity for Seacoast residents to feed their minds with contemporary science in the relaxed atmosphere of a pub. The discussions, which are free and open to all, run from 6-8 p.m.; doors open at 5 p.m. for food and drinks.

October 8th, 2014:  Space weather:  Radiation with a chance of solar flares
Solar storms, flares and eruptions, collectively known as space weather, create dazzling visuals in space.  However, it isn't just a harmless fireworks show for the galaxy. Each burst of energy can have a disrupting effect on systems we rely on every day, including satellites, radio blackouts, and rerouting airline flights. UNH astrophysicists Harlan Spence and Antoinette Galvin will share their expertise.

Spence is director of UNH's Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space and professor in the physics department.  His research interests include theoretical and experimental space plasma physics; cosmic rays and radiation belt processes; heliospheric, planetary, magnetospheric, lunar, and auroral physics.

Galvin is research professor in the department of physics at UNH. Her research interests include solar wind composition and solar energetic particles -- solar energetic particles that are a thousand times more energetic than the solar wind and are intermittently released from the sun during solar eruptions.

October 29th, 2014:  Superman or Clark Kent: What kind of bystander are you?
Let's talk about interpersonal violence in communities. How it can be prevented? How can we encourage community members to step in and take action? Join the conversation with UNH faculty members Sharyn Potter and Victoria Banyard as they explore the scope of this problem and what things make it easier or harder for people to get involved in helping others.

Potter is an associate professor in the department of sociology at UNH and co-director as well as the co-founder of Prevention Innovations, Research and Practices for Ending Violence Against Women on Campus, a research and development unit at the University of New Hampshire. Potter co-leads the development, dissemination and evaluation and of the Know Your Power® bystander social marketing campaign that raises awareness regarding the problems of sexual and relationship violence and stalking. She is currently the primary investigatorof a research study identified in the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.

Banyard is a professor in the department of psychology at UNH. She conducts research on the long-term mental health consequences of interpersonal violence including resilience in survivors. She also conducts research on community approaches to prevention of interpersonal violence. She is part of a research team that has received funding from the NIJ, DOJ and CDC.

The Portsmouth Science Café is sponsored by NH EPSCoR, the University of New Hampshire, the Portsmouth Brewery and WSCA 106.1 Portsmouth Community Radio. For further questions or to be added to a mailing list regarding future events, contact Evelyn Jones at (603) 862-1804 or Evelyn.Jones@unh.edu.

NH EPSCoR is a program funded by the National Science Foundation to advance New Hampshire's competitiveness in science and engineering. It's critical for the state to broaden the capacity to conduct research; to support business, industry and society with a workforce educated in science, engineering and mathematics; and to improve communication between scientists and the public.

The Portsmouth Brewery is New Hampshire's original brewpub serving award-winning beers and creative cuisine featuring locally-sourced ingredients in the heart of Market Square since 1991. We serve all types and are proud to enable folks to do good while drinking well through a number of philanthropic activities.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,300 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate students.

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