Join a conversation on the deep past of the Colorado River or on the future of craft beer on Wednesday, Dec. 7. To get an early jump-start, run or walk with a UO researcher this Saturday, Dec. 3.

The opportunities fall under the umbrella of Quack Chats, a public outreach initiative led by University Communications.

On Saturday, the public is invited to meet up at 9 a.m. at the Erb Memorial Union's "O" desk to get some exercise. Participants may either run at a comfortable pace for 4.5 miles or walk 3.1 miles with a UO researcher.

The tentative lineup of researchers features Beth Miller of the Department of Biology, McKay Sohlberg of the College of Education, Jim Hutchison of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Keith Frazee of the Department of Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership, Dev Sinha of the Department of Mathematics, Richard Taylor of the Department of Physics and Samantha Hopkins of the Clark Honors College.

Run with a Researcher is held on the first Saturday of each month.

Two pub talks are set for 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7 — one on campus, the other in Springfield. Arrive early for either event, grab some refreshments and be part of the conversation.

Becky Dorsey, a professor in the UO Department of Earth Sciences, will take the audience 6 million years back to the formation of the iconic Colorado River. Her talk, "Probing the Origins of the Colorado River," will be held in the back meeting room of Falling Sky Pub and Pizzeria in the Erb Memorial Union.

Researchers remain unsure what processes controlled the origins and evolution of the river. Dorsey has studied it for years. Under a National Science Foundation grant, she heads a UO focus on the geologic development of the river's lower reaches.

She will discuss the goals of her group’s project, along with some early findings. She'll also speak to how this research fits into the curiosity that has driven her career to date.

If your interests lean more toward beer, head over the river to 418 A St. — to Springfield's Marketplace@Sprout! — for the monthly Ideas on Tap talk sponsored by the UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History. The topic is "Boom or Bubble? The Future of Craft Beer."

Oregon State University economist Patrick Emerson, who also produces a Beervana podcast, will tackle the potential consequences of big-beer buyouts, brewery expansions and venture capitalism on craft beer in the United States.   

—By Jim Barlow, University Communications