Science celebration underway in Sisters

A slate of events are underway in Sisters, all planned in support of the national March for Science on April 22, in Washington, D.C. and sponsored locally by the Sisters Science Club.

"We are grateful to the Sisters community for its support for science in the schools," said Dr. Robert Collins, co-founder and president of the Sisters Science Club. "This celebration is a great opportunity to thank the community through these special events in support of science education and the research that impacts all aspects of our lives."

Science lovers will meet to discuss "The Gene," by Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer." The Wednesday, April 19 event will be at Paulina Springs Books at 6:30 p.m .; on Thursday, April 20, discussion of "The Gene" will be at Roundabout Books in Bend at 7 p.m. Both discussions will be facilitated by Barbara Pettersen, a nationally certified genetic counselor.

On April 20-21, the Deschutes Land Trust will host two hikes at Whychus Canyon Preserve to explore the recent Whychus Creek restoration. Hikers will tour the restoration site and explore the role science plays in modern restoration and management of private lands. Hike leaders will include Martha Lussenhop of Sisters and Jen Zalewski, land steward for the Deschutes Land Trust.

On Friday, April 21, Boeing test pilot Capt. Michael Carriker will visit local schools to talk about the science and history of aviation. An aeronautical engineer, Capt. Carriker was the chief test pilot for Boeing's "Dreamliner" and was at the controls for the 787's first flight. Now Boeing's Chief Engineering Project Pilot for New Airplane Product Development, Carriker is a former Navy fighter pilot and the recipient of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots 2010 award for outstanding professional accomplishment in the conduct of flight testing.

To round out the week's celebration, community members are invited to join the Sisters Science Club at the traditional Earth Day Fair and Parade in downtown Bend sponsored by The Environmental Center on Saturday, April 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/groups/marchforsciencesisters, http://sistersscienceclub.org/science_celebration.html, or email [email protected]