Science Café - Blood Suckers - Oct. 29, 2012

News item published on: 2012-10-17 10:09:00

The University of Southern Mississippi Libraries Science Café will be held Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, at 6 p.m. in the Cook Library Art Gallery (LIB 105A), located next to Starbucks.

This Science Café will feature the work of Dr. Shahid Karim, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, who is conducting research with disease-transmitting agents present in ticks and other blood-feeding organisms. Understanding the interactions between organisms like ticks and the disease-causing agents they carry might help in the development of strategies to combat some diseases. Dr. Karim will also show a short film on Lyme disease, “Hidden in the Leaves.”

A Science Café's casual meeting place, plain language, and inclusive conversation create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere for people whose primary background may not be science. Each meeting is organized around an interesting scientific topic, with a presenter (usually a scientist) giving a brief overview and showing a short video to kick off the discussion. Science Cafés are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tracy Englert at 601.266.6396 or .

Find out more about Science Café at http://www.sciencecafes.org/ and ticks and the “Hidden in the Leaves” documentary at the TickEncounter Resource Center http://www.tickencounter.org/.