Wind Engineering and Vultures!
Friday, May 6, 2016 – 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU)
Life Gallery – Naturalist Lab
As an alternative to burning fossil fuels, wind power is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, and produces no greenhouse gas emissions during operation. Join U Mechanical Engineering Assistant Professor, Wind Energy Expert Marc Calaf to discover how wind turbines work, how they interact with the surrounding atmosphere, and what can be done to optimize wind power output. Then, try your hand at wind engineering. Design your own wind farm by arranging tiny wind turbines downstream of each other or side-by-side to see how wind patterns evolve.
Vultures are bizarre, fascinating birds. Join Conservation Biologist Evan Buechley to learn about the surprising differences among vulture species, the reasons why they are the most endangered group of birds in the world, and the vital role they play in their ecosystems. Use a field scope to spot vultures and fly along, in real time, with live vultures that are being tracked with exciting new technology in Africa and the Middle East.
Scientist in the Spotlight is held on the first and third Friday of each month from 2-4 p.m. The program allows Museum guests to meet real scientists and discuss their research. See link for original story and for additional scientists in the series.