Author: wbarb

Jason Hason, Deputy State Historian

Beer Here! A Local History of Brewing in Colorado

The first locally brewed key of Colorado beer was tapped in Denver to rave reviews from residents at the end of 1859, and today more than 300 breweries throughout the state pour locally made libations for appreciative patrons.

Hanson explores the history of the state’s early breweries and the agricultural enterprises that supported them. Along the way, Hanson investigates what the state’s brewing industry can tell us about broader economic forces–and what exactly it means to buy local when you’re buying the next round.

In addition to his duties as Deputy State Historian at History Colorado, Hanson is a member of the research faculty at the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado Boulder. His work focuses on issues related to natural resource development, land use and Colorado history–with a beer in hand when applicable!

Dr. Kathryn Johnson, Colorado School of Mines

The Evolution of Wind Energy in Colorado and Beyond

Wind energy systems have the potential to contribute significantly to the electricity mix in Colorado and across the United States. Between 2005 and 2014, Colorado’s wind-generated electricity increased from 1.5% to 13.6% of total generation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Colorado currently ranks 10th in the U.S. for wind energy installations, with approximately 3000 MW of installed capacity.

Wind energy presents a major growth opportunity spanning 2014’s 4.4% of national electricity generation and the 20% penetration described in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 20% Wind Energy by 2030 report.

Dr. Kathryn Johnson will describe how advances in wind turbines have contributed to the rapid growth of wind energy systems and how local research has contributed to that growth. She also will describe future directions for wind energy systems that will enable more cost-efficient clean energy generation.

Dr. Kathryn Johnson is an Associate Professor at the Colorado School of Mines in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and is Jointly Appointed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s National Wind Technology Center.  Since 2002, she has studied wind energy control systems, in which she and her team work to improve the operation of wind turbines and wind farms using advanced control system methods. Recently, she was part of a successful bid for a DOE “ARPA-E” award to design and study a Segmented Ultralight Morphing Rotor to enable a 50-MW turbine.

Dr. Kenneth Gage, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Plague and Other Vector-Borne Diseases in Colorado

News coverage in recent years has highlighted cases of plague in Colorado—just one aspect of the broad expertise possessed by Dr. Kenneth Gage. Gage will discuss recent plague cases in our region, and provide useful information about how the disease is transmitted and diagnosed.

In his work with the CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD), based in Fort Collins, Gage oversees efforts to prevent and control diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and mites—including plague, West Nile virus, Lyme disease, Zika virus and Heartland virus.

As Chief of Entomology and Ecology Activity at DVBD, Gage focuses on domestic and international monitoring, prevention and control of vector-borne diseases on behalf of CDC, and as a consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO) and its affiliates. Gage is the author/co-author of more than 183 scientific publications, including 127 peer-reviewed articles, 8 invited reviews and 21 book chapters.

Bonus Material:

 

Darren Beck

Our Precious Platte River: Endangered Species Recovery and Habitat Restoration

Since 1997, a cooperative effort known as the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) has worked to improve management of the Platte River for the health of the ecosystem and the people who depend upon it—including residents of the greater Denver metro area. At the helm of this effort, Darren Beck leads this endangered species recovery and habitat restoration project, which is based on a unique partnership between the states of Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska, as well as the federal Department of Interior. The PRRIP is focused on increasing stream flows and supporting the endangered whooping crane, the threatened piping plover, interior least tern and pallid sturgeon.

Beck is a Professional Hydrologist and Director of Water Resources for the PRRIP on behalf of Headwaters Corporation.  His experience includes 12 years of water resources engineering, hydrologic analyses, water resources planning and management, river surveying and project management.

Dr. Jeffrey Bennett

An Intuitive Introduction to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and its 100th Anniversary

Einstein’s Theory of Relativity received a recent rush of media attention for its 100th anniversary, but not everyone has an opportunity to appreciate its critical importance to our modern understanding of the universe. Astrophysicist and educator Dr. Jeffrey Bennett will celebrate this important anniversary with his outstanding presentation on relativity’s basic ideas and its everyday importance for all of us.

Bennett has served as faculty in several capacities with University of Colorado Boulder. His scientific career also includes work with Challenger Center for Space Science Education, California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

For more information: http://www.jeffreybennett.com/about/

Jason Slowinski, Golden City Manager

Being Jason Slowinski

Our speaker this month is Jason Slowinski, City of Golden’s new City Manager. Slowinski will share stories and tales from his career as a city manager and provide an inside look into some of the more unusual and difficult circumstances and decisions presented to a city manager. Slowinski also will discuss the history of the city manager form of government, how a typical day in the life of a city manager looks, and reasons for pursuing the profession.

Slowinski was appointed as City Manager in September 2015, and he is the 9th person to hold the position in the history of City of Golden. Slowinski lives in Golden with his wife, Stephanie, and two school-aged daughters.

Immediately prior to joining the City of Golden, Slowinski served as Village Manager for Lake Zurich, Illinois and Assistant/Acting City Manager for Des Plaines, Illinois.

Slowinski is recognized as a Credentialed Manager by the International City and County Management Association. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a law degree from The John Marshall School of Law in Chicago. He also has completed graduate studies in public administration at Northern Illinois University.

Andrew Novick is an electrical engineer and expert on the atomic clock administered by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST). Novick discussed atomic clocks and how they work, along with addressing fascinating questions including: How do we get time from atoms? And why do we need such accurate time?

By the time you finish listening, you will know exactly what time it is—and why!

Novick has worked in the Time and Frequency Services group at NIST since he was a freshman at the University of Colorado Boulder in the late 1980s. As a time meteorologist, Novick measures time and compares atomic clocks. He also is responsible for disseminating time—getting time “out there” to industry and the general population.

Novick also creates food events and demonstrations, “performs” PowerPower presentations, and promotes other events in the Denver metro area.

NIST is a federal standards organization, contributing to the definition is the Standard International (SI) units, such as length, mass, temperature, electric current and more.

Join Mark Overly, coffee buyer for Kaladi Coffee Roasters, on a journey to Northern Sumatra in Indonesia on a quest to discover the best tasting coffee. You will discover the hidden world of coffee production and preparation and some of the challenges associated with securing the best possible beans.

Kaladi is an independent roaster of premium estate, shade grown, organic and Fair Trade Certified coffee.

Overly has more than 25 years’ experience as a coffee buyer, beginning in Anchorage, Alaska where he grew a small roasting enterprise into the largest in the state. Mr. Overly was awarded the State of Alaska Small Business Person of the Year in 1993 by the Small Business Administration. He has been featured in numerous national publications including Nation’s Business and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Overly was one of the first roasters in America to be Fair Trade Certified by Transfair USA. His coffee has been awarded “Best Coffee” and “Best Espresso” by Rocky Mountain News and 5280 Magazine on multiple occasions. He has traveled extensively around the world assessing coffee producers for quality management and sustainability, and has lectured internationally on coffee quality. Overly’s current Colorado venture, Kaladi Coffee Roasters, is an independent roaster of premium estate, shade grown, organic and Fair Trade Certified coffee.

In 1988, the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program was established to help bring four species of endangered fish back from the brink of extinction: the humpback chub, bonytail, Colorado pikeminnow, and razorback sucker.

The Upper Colorado River Basin is home to 14 native fish species, including the endangered humpback chub, bonytail, Colorado pikeminnow, and razorback sucker. These endangered fish are found only in the Colorado River system.

The Recovery Program is a unique partnership of local, state, and federal agencies, water and power interests, and environmental groups working to recover endangered fish in the Upper Colorado River Basin while water development proceeds in accordance with federal and state laws and interstate compacts.

This major undertaking involves restoring and managing stream flows and habitat, boosting wild populations with hatchery-raised endangered fish, and reducing negative interactions with certain nonnative fish species. The goal of recovery is to achieve natural, self-sustaining populations of the endangered fish so they no longer require protection under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The Recovery Program was initiated in 1988 with the signing of a cooperative agreement by the Governors of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming; the Secretary of the Interior; and the Administrator of Western Area Power Administration. In 2001, these parties agreed to extend the cooperative agreement through September 30, 2013. The Recovery Program provides Endangered Species Act compliance for continued operation of federal water and power projects in accordance with project purposes.

With its demonstrated successes, the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program has become a national model for its collaborative conservation efforts to protect endangered species.

Colorado fishing regulations

Utah fishing regulations

Wyoming fishing regulations

After completing his tenure as Golden’s mayor, Jacob headed to Washington, D.C. for a stint in the U.S. Senate as Senator Bernie Sanders’ energy and climate policy adviser. Jacob is back home in Golden after his two-year adventure, and shared some reflections on just how closely House of Cards andVeep resemble what life is actually like on Capitol Hill, what it was like working for a senator—who is now a presidential candidate–and the politics of energy and climate change.