Science Café

Wind down from the workday by learning something new over drinks! Join Overton Park Conservancy at the Golf Clubhouse for a happy hour with guest speakers who will share unique perspectives from their corners of the scientific world. All are welcome; no previous scientific knowledge required

Science Café is scheduled for 5:30 pm the first Tuesday of each month February-May.

• February 6th | Dr. Stephen Brewer | Department of Biology, University of Mississippi | Disturbance ecology of plants
• March 5th | Sarah Houston & Dr. Scott Schoefernacker | Protect Our Aquifer | Hydrogeology of the Memphis Sands Aquifer
• April 2nd | Dr. Shawn Brown | Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis | Microbial communities
• May 7th | Dr. Malle Carrasco-Harris | Overton Park Conservancy | Copperheads in Overton Park

Coming up…

Cozy in the City: The Spatial Ecology and Genetics of Overton Park Copperhead Snakes

Tucked away in midtown’s Old Forest are creatures that fly, hop, creep, and crawl. One of those native inhabitants in our urban oasis is the copperhead snake. This venomous pit viper is a common feature of eastern forests and woodlands. Due to its subtle behavior and camouflaging pattern, this and other urban reptiles are frequently under-detected, and there are many unanswered questions as to how they cope with human-altered landscapes and disturbance. This Science Café, we’ll take a look at the effects of urbanization on our scaled friends. Come ready to see this misunderstood animal in a new light.

Dr. Malle Carrasco-Harris moved to Memphis to teach high school biology, and she and her dog frequented the trails in the Old Forest. She started wondering about the challenges animals face living in urban environments and pursued those questions by studying copperheads in Overton Park. She received a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Memphis and joined the Overton Park Conservancy as Programs Manager to develop experiences that promote curiosity, whole-health, and self-expression in the heart of Memphis.

Registration required

Registration for the May 7th Science Café opens April 23rd on this webpage.

Questions? Send us an email 

Please review our cancellation policy here.

Overton Park Conservancy is the nonprofit organization that has been caring for Memphis’s central green space since 2012. With the generous support of our community, we work each day to make the park a beautiful and welcoming place for all Memphians, as well as a valuable source of urban habitat for wildlife.

The Conservancy must raise roughly 85% of our budget each year from people like you who care about the many things Overton Park has to offer. A gift of any amount helps us maintain and improve the park.

Thanks to ServiceMaster by Stratos for sponsoring this program!