These relaxed gatherings invite the community to connect with researchers and staff, ask questions, and learn more about the science happening on and around the Highlands Plateau.
Attendees are encouraged to pack in a beverage of choice, bring their curiosity, and settle in for an engaging conversation.
All programs begin at 4:00 PM.
Location on campus will be weather-dependent.
Rachel Price
Wednesday, June 10, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Presenter: Rachel Price, Grant-in-Aid Researcher
Topic: Microplastics in Big Brown Bats and the influence of urbanization
Kick off the Science on the Rocks series with Grant-in-Aid researcher Rachel Price for a conversation about microplastics in Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus) from North Carolina. Rachel’s research explores whether county-level urbanization is associated with the presence of microplastics in bat organs, offering a closer look at how human activity may leave traces in wildlife in unexpected ways.
Nicci Barrett
Wednesday, June 24, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Presenter: Nicci Barrett, Research Assistant
Topic: Batpack AT
Join HBS Research Assistant Nicci Barrett for a relaxed conversation about bat research and fieldwork at Highlands Biological Station. This gathering will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the tools, questions, and discoveries connected to studying bats in the Southern Appalachians.
Liam Stiefel
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Presenter: Liam Stiefel, University Program Associate
Topic: Dendrochronology
What can trees tell us about the past? Join Liam for an informal Science on the Rocks conversation focused on dendrochronology — the science of using tree rings to better understand history, climate, forest growth, and environmental change. This is a great opportunity to learn how trees serve as living records of the landscapes around us.
David Adams & Evie Bradley
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Presenter: David Adams & Evangeline Bradley, Grant-in-Aid Researchers
Topic: Woodland salamander physiology, life history, and population health
Join Grant-in-Aid researchers David Adams and Evangeline Bradley for an evening focused on woodland salamanders. David’s work integrates physiology with long-term mark-recapture data to better understand salamander population demography, while Evie’s research tests pace-of-life syndrome predictions in woodland salamanders. Together, their projects offer a deeper look at how physiology, behavior, and long-term monitoring can help scientists understand the lives of these important Southern Appalachian amphibians.
Cam McClellan
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Presenter: Cam McClellan, Grant-in-Aid Researcher
Topic: Bats, geology, and conservation context in North Carolina
Join Grant-in-Aid researcher Cam McClellan for a conversation exploring the connections between bats, geology, and conservation in North Carolina. Cam’s research considers how geological context can shape the way we understand bat ecology and conservation needs, encouraging us to look not only at the species themselves, but also at the physical landscapes that support them.
Heather Pratt
Glow Worms of the Highlands Plateau
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Presenter: Heather Pratt
Location: Highlands Biological Station
Join Highlands Biological Station for an informal Science on the Rocks conversation with Heather Pratt about the fascinating glow worms of the Highlands Plateau. These tiny bioluminescent insects bring a little nighttime magic to our forests, using their natural glow as part of their life cycle.
Heather will share more about the biology, behavior, and ecology of glow worms, including where they can be found, why they glow, and what these remarkable organisms can teach us about the hidden lives of insects after dark. This relaxed outdoor gathering is a chance to learn, ask questions, and enjoy an evening of science and conversation.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice, settle in, and join us for this free, come-as-you-are event.
Jake Thompson
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Presenter: Jake Thompson, Grant-in-Aid Researcher
Topic: Conservation research on Kral’s water plantain
Join Grant-in-Aid researcher Jake Thompson for a conversation about Kral’s water plantain (Sagittaria secundifolia), a threatened aquatic plant with an important conservation story. Jake’s research focuses on the propagation, growth, and reproduction of this rare species, helping build a better understanding of what it needs to survive and how conservation efforts might support its future.
Paul Nicolosi
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Presenter: Paul Nicolosi, Grant-in-Aid Researcher
Topic: Salamanders
Join Grant-in-Aid researcher Paul Nicolosi for a conversation about the hidden chemical world of salamanders. Paul’s research focuses on the functional characterization of chemosensory secretions in plethodontid salamanders, offering a fascinating look at how these lungless amphibians use chemical signals to interact with their environment and with one another.
Dr. Jim Costa
“Crushed under a mountain of facts…”: Darwin, Wallace, and the Shaping of The Descent of Man
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Presenter: Dr. Jim Costa
Location: Highlands Biological Station
Join Highlands Biological Station as we close out the 2026 Science on the Rocks series with a special conversation featuring Dr. Jim Costa and his new book.
In this engaging final talk of the season, Dr. Costa will explore the scientific, historical, and personal forces that helped shape Charles Darwin’s The Descent of Man. The talk will trace the intellectual world of Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, examining how their ideas on evolution, natural selection, and humanity developed, overlapped, and diverged.
Drawing from his new book, Dr. Costa will share insights into the history of evolutionary thought, the correspondence and debates that shaped the era, and the “mountain of facts” Darwin worked to organize into one of his most significant works.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice, settle in, and enjoy an informal evening of science, history, and conversation. This event is free and open to the public.