Dr. Shaun Fallat, guest lecturer at the March Science Pub, is an accomplished mathematician. Photo by Tim Jones.
by Tim Jones
Bushwakker Brew Pub has been brewing up more than good beer lately.
Recently the Regina eatery has also been producing great food for thought with its science pub nights. Partnered with the University of Regina’s faculties of science, engineering and applied science, Bushwakker has made its Arizona banquet room available to those looking to fill their minds while they fill their bellies.
On the third Thursday of every month, Bushwakker plays host to a research-minded professor. The featured professor gives a talk on a science-related subject and then opens the floor to a discussion period.
On March 15 at 7 p.m. Dr. Shaun Fallat will be presenting a unique and timely topic in mathematics. “March 14 which is the numeric day 314 is broadly known as pi day,” said Fallat. It’s called pi day because the number pi starts with the digits 3.14. So in honour of pi day Fallat will present a lecture entitled A Mathematician’s Love for Pi.
The science pub series began last September, with a talk by Dr. David Gerhard of the U of R’s computer science department. The talk was called The DIY Robot Revolution. As the first of the many lectures to come, it was a resounding success. “It was amazing. People were very very excited about it. It was full … standing room only,” said Gerhard.
For those who think that the content might be at too advanced a level, there is no need to worry. “It’s a different lecture than I would give in an academic setting … You can’t assume that people know C++ code or what a resistor is or any of the kind of things I would assume a student in my class would know,” said Gerhard.
He was just the first of many professors to participate. Dr. Mark Brigham discussed the science surrounding bats. Most recently Dr. Scott Murphy lectured on the strange nature of photoresponsive materials. The breadth of topics discussed at the science pub nights is wide ranging.
If you plan to attend this month’s science pub be sure to arrive early, Bushwakker's is located at 2206 Dewdney Avenue. According to Grant Frew, promotions manager at the Bushwakker, on science pub nights “the (Arizona) room is generally full an hour before the lecture.”
