Speakers & Presentations at The Learning Center
Steve Woodruff
Fabulous Keokuk Geodes
Steve Woodruff brought his beautiful geodes to our show for purchase and to be cracked open for eyes to see the mystery inside: crystals, minerals, and sometimes million year old water! We listened 1st hand on how he mines them, right at his farm in Missouri.
Morgan
Morgan from Mystic Impressions
Morgan is a long-time Metaphysical Practitioner, and served as one of the 6 practitioners in our Metaphysical Center. In this field, crystals hold an energetic vibration that can be utilized as a tool for divining purposes. Morgan explained how she works with the energies within beads and crystals for these purposes, such as receiving messages from spirit and peering into the future - known as Scrying!
Stephen Mayer
Collecting Sea Scorpions in New York and Canada
On Saturday, Steve ventured us into the basic morphology and paleoecology of Eurypterids, and research that was conducted at a site right in central New York! Plus the discovery of a rare and exotic Eurypterid in Ontario, Canada.
Echinoderms: Extinct and Living Marine Animals
Steve graced the show with another topic on Sunday, about the many different classes of Echinoderms with examples from the fossil record, even including modern living forms! In addition, he took his audience into exploring the morphology and paleoecology of crinoids.
About Stephen
Stephen Mayer is a Collections Assistant at the Paleontological Research Institute in Ithaca. As a graduate of SUNY Fredonia with an MS in the Geological Sciences, Stephen's research focuses on Middle Devonian paleontology and stratigraphy of the Finger Lakes region of New York State. Moreover, he has studied the taphonomy and paleoecology of Silurian eurypterids in New York and southwestern Ontario, Canada
Calvin Prothro
The Rocks and Minerals We Need for a Green Economy
Calvin Prothro, with over two decades of multidisciplinary professional environmental and hydrogeologic consulting experience, brought us to the topic on America and the rest of the world moving to a green economy. Ever wondered what is needed for this energy economy? Rocks and Minerals! Calvin took us in-depth on explaining what these rocks and minerals are, where do we find them, who owns them, and why economic geologists are the key to the survival of America and the world.
Calvin is also the author of the Dark Solar System Sci-fi Series, which includes the novels: A Mission So Dark; In the Cold and the Dark; and The Devil in the Dark
Dave Millis "The Rock Doc"
Very Interesting Specimens!
Dave Millis, our Rock Doc, gave a Show and Tell of some very interesting specimens! A termite enclosed in amber, fossilized dinosaur dung and fluorescent minerals. His presentation was created specifically for inspiring minds of age 2 and up, in addition to adults, and all attendees were treated to some free specimens.
About "The Rock Doc"
Dave has a Phd in physics and has been collecting rocks and minerals since 1997. He has led numerous field trips and has written 5 rock collecting guides over the years.