Our next Scientist Spotlight is set for Saturday, February 4.
Here's what we have planned:

11 a.m. - 2 p.m.:

Corey Clemons, "TB or Not TB: That is the Question"
Seattle Biomedical Research Institute & University of Washington, School of Medicine
Discover the many factors that affect a person’s ability to fight tuberculosis (TB) and create your own strategy for defending yourself from this disease.

Mira Leslie, "Germs, Pets, and People: Sharing Diseases with Animals"
British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture
Animals are important to us in many parts of our lives, but they can sometimes pass sicknesses to people. Become a disease detective to track a disease outbreak back to its source before it spreads too far!

Rachel Mitchell, "Plant Traits: Small Differences, Big Changes"
University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
Just as people have different physical traits like hair or eye color, plants do, too! Come explore how these plant traits can change ecosystems over time.

Peter Murphy, "Discovering and Recovering Marine Debris"
NOAA, Marine Debris Program
Trash and debris in the ocean is a growing problem in Puget Sound and across the world. Find out where marine debris comes from and help find a solution to get rid of it.

Tyler Robinson & Jake VanderPlas, "Finding Other Earths"
University of Washington, Department of Astronomy
Are there other planets just like Earth? Discover how it is possible to study the atmospheres of planets orbiting distant stars.

Carl Wigren, "Autopsy Answers"
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, Dept. of Clinical Medicine
When people die, it's up to a forensic pathologist to figure out why. Can you put together the clues left behind to determine their cause of death?

In the Portal to Current Research:
Eve Perara, "Chemical Catalysts"
Center for Enabling New Technologies through Catalysis, University of Washington
Come discover how catalysts make chemical reactions faster and more efficient, helping us make things like cell phones and renewable energy.

2 - 5 p.m.:

Lara Backman, "Build a Fly with Dr. Osophila"
University of Washington, Molecular and Cellular Biology Program
How can studying the genes of a fruit fly help us understand human genetics? Explore the different varieties of common mutations while building your own fruit fly.

Alie Fohner, "Evolution without the Purpose: Modern Meanings for Historical Happenstance"
University of Washington, Public Health Genetics Program
As a doctor, how do you decide which medicine to prescribe a person? How much should they take? What effects do our genes have on our bodies’ ability to process medication?

Megan Halabisky, "Critical Habitat: Washington Wetlands and Urban Forests"
University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
Use remote sensing to track seasonal wetlands as they grow and shrink throughout the year. See how the trees in our city help improve our air.

Stefanie Iverson Cabral, "Can't Catch Me: How Pathogens Evade the Immune System"
UW Medicine
Like a bank robber running from the police, how do germs try to trick your immune system? How does your body discover the germ’s “disguise?”

Carmella Vizza, "Fish out of Water: How Do Salmon Affect Spiders and Insects on Land?"
NOAA, Northwest Fisheries Science Center
How can salmon in streams make spiders and insects healthier? Find out how nutrients in salmon can affect the ecosystem on land, from bears to ants or even humans. Learn More about Carmella Vizza.

Carl Wigren, "Autopsy Answers"
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, Dept. of Clinical Medicine
When people die, it's up to a forensic pathologist to figure out why. Can you put together the clues left behind to determine their cause of death?