Dirty Secrets: Managing Soil Systems for a Sustainable Future at Geek Bar Chicago’s SCIENCE! Tuesday

We can’t eat, breathe, drink, or maintain healthy communities without good soil.

Dr. Bala Chaudhary, faculty in the Institute of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago, will talk dirty and take us through the diverse and complex world of soil. The United Nations has recognized 2015 as the International Year of Soils. Let’s talk dirty and explore the diverse and complex world of soil as well as how local scientists manage soil systems to maintain ecosystem services. Come learn how Chicago scientists are incorporating soil organisms into green roofs to manage storm water, cool neighborhoods, and reduce energy costs. Also, learn what you can do to improve soil health in your own backyard and beyond.

Dr. Bala Chaudhary is faculty in the Institute of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago. She teaches a multitude of courses in Loyola’s undergraduate programs in Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture and Conservation and Restoration. Her research expertise lies in soil ecology, specifically the role of mycorrhizal fungi and other soil biota in the restoration of degraded ecosystems and maintenance of ecosystem services. She received her bachelors from the University of Chicago and her masters and Ph.D. from Northern Arizona University. She has also worked as an ecological consultant designing restoration plans for drastically disturbed urban soils. Her research studies the spatial distributions of mycorrhizal species and the context in which mycorrhizal fungi improve plant health and improve soil stability. Her recent work examines the efficacy of soil microbial additions to green roof soils to improve heat insulation and storm water retention.

Details: Tuesday, October 6, 7pm to 9pm, Geek Bar Beta, 1941 W. North Ave., Chicago.Free. Attendance is free, but registration is strongly encouraged. To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/c2st-speakeasy-with-dr-bala-chaudhary-tickets-18297960693Registration does not ensure a seat, so please arrive early. Great food and drink available for purchase.

Geek Bar Beta is open to all, including those 21-and-under, if accompanied by an adult, before 9 pm, or if a special events such as this runs later. Please refer to Geek Bar’s age policy for details.

This program is presented in partnership with Geek Bar Chicago.

For more information, contact Andrea Poet at apoet@c2st.org or 312-567-5795.