Fox Valley Science Society
A Monthly Gathering for the Incurably Curious
Welcome to the Fox Valley Science Society, a monthly event series at Tardigrade’s Bookshelf dedicated to making science social, accessible, and a little bit rowdy (in a nerdy kind of way). Inspired by the innovative Underground Science Society program in Milwaukee, this series brings together scientists, science enthusiasts, and the science-curious for engaging evenings of learning and connection.
Held the first Wednesday of every month at 6pm, our events take place in our events space with seating for up to 50 guests. Tickets are $5, which helps support speaker honorariums and event programming. Complementary tickets for members.
Speakers:
September 3, 2025
Dr. Ben Sajdak, UW Oshkosh & Fauna Bio
Evolving Superpowers:
The Science of Extreme Animal Adaptations
Many animals have evolved solutions to problems we face in disease. From bees to elephants, to the ground squirrels in your backyard, this will be a tour through some of the most shocking disease resistance adaptations found in the animal kingdom, and how these naturally evolved superpowers are inspiring new treatments for our most devastating diseases.
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Ben Sajdak is an adjunct professor of Biology at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and Director of Research at a startup company called Fauna Bio. He earned his BS in Biology from UW Oshkosh in 2013 and developed a passion for this very topic doing undergraduate research on hibernating ground squirrels with Dr. Dana Merriman. Then he went on to earn his PhD in the Neuroscience Doctoral Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2018, where he did his dissertation on the need for better animal models for human blindness and developed expertise in translational biomedical imaging of patients and many animal species. He has helped launch innovative cross-disciplinary research divisions at each stage of his scientific career. He is passionate about exploring naturally evolved solutions to health problems in extreme animal adaptations and aspires to unlock similar disease resistance strategies in humans.
August 6, 2025
Dr. Megan Pickett, Lawrence University
The Meaning of Quantum:
Why The Most Successful Theory in Physics is Still a Mystery
Quantum Mechanics asks two simple questions: why does matter exist, and why can we see any of it? The answers revealed the strange, beautifully weird quantum world, in which probability and uncertainty rule, phenomena exist—or not—based on observation, and particles become entangled over light years. In the century since its founding, quantum theory has withstood every test thrown at it, making it arguably the most successful framework in all of physics. Every modern device in your life, from your phones to computers in your cars to medical imaging to fluorescent lights all work because quantum works.
And yet, the actual meaning of Quantum Mechanics remains maddeningly elusive. Nearly two dozen different interpretations have been offered: from pilot waves guiding particles to mysterious parallel worlds to the original, somewhat cynical Copenhagen philosophy of “Shut up and Calculate.” The debate within the scientific community has also encouraged a lot of pseudo-scientific malarkey, in which anything goes for the right price. Tonight’s talk will reflect Quantum’s successes, its history, and the leading ideas for what Quantum is—and what it isn’t.
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Megan Pickett is an associate professor of physics and chair of the Physics Department at Lawrence University. She earned her BA in Physics at Cornell University in 1988 and MA and PhD in Astrophysics from Indiana University in 1995. After IU, she was a National Research Council Fellow at NASA’s Ames Research Center until 1999, when she began her teaching career at Valparaiso University, Purdue University, and ultimately Lawrence University. She has written more than two dozen papers on the origins of Solar Systems and Gas Giant planets, as well as receiving several NASA and NSF grants. While at Lawrence, she has been awarded the First Year Studies Teaching Award, the Early Career Teaching Award, The Award for Teaching Excellence, and the Honors Faculty Convocation Award, which was later adapted into a TED talk (https://youtu.be/eYC93oQURPc?si=qpgTiSYxky5SU9W5). A native of Madison, she has worked in New York, Indiana, California, Washington, Munich, and Yorkshire.
July 2, 2025
Dr. Ryan Sprenger, NASA
Dr. Ryan Sprenger is currently NASA NAIC fellow at Fauna Bio as theSenior Physiologist. Dr. Sprenger earned his undergraduate and master’s degree in biology at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, before traveling to the University of British Columbia where he earned his PhD in Zoology and Physiology. He then moved back to Madison Wisconsin for postdoctoral work in neurodegenerative disease. Dr. Sprenger’s expertise is in cardio-pulmonary physiology, and he has spent a large portion of his career studying cardiac and pulmonary function in hibernation, neonatal development, and in Alzheimer’s disease. His current research is focused on the health effects of space travel on the central nervous system and the cardio-pulmonary systems, with an interest in human hibernation as a protective strategy.
Human presence in space has been continuous for the past 25 years starting in November, 2000. While the number of astronauts in space has been small to date, this number is projected to rise dramatically with deep space exploration becoming more frequent. Space, however, is hazardous. The health risks in space are both physiological and mental, caused by the hazards of space which are detailed in NASA’s RIDGE acronym (radiation, isolation, distance from earth, gravity, and extreme environments). Protection from these hazards is necessary to expand human presence in space. Dr. Ryan Sprenger will talk about the current knowledge of these hazards, and the type of research occurring (including some of his own) to find solutions to these risks allowing humans to travel further into the stars.