Tuesday Excursions
Houston Museum of Natural Science: Attendees took a horticulturalist guided tour of the museum’s Cockrell Butterfly Center and saw some of the backstage areas where the insects and plants are maintained. Docents then guided you through 3.5 billion years of history in the Hall of Paleontology. Ever see what dinosaur skin might have looked like…there were some excellent fossilized samples on display! If you love trilobites and ammonites, you loved the collections housed here. The tour departed from the Science Teaching Laboratories Building at 1 pm, and tickets were $20.00.
Prefer to enjoy the museum at your own pace? You could have taken the train or park at the museum and purchase tickets on arrival. Details ticket prices and times for exhibits, the Butterfly Center, special exhibitions, the planetarium, and the IMAX theater can be found at the Museum’s website: http://www.hmns.org/
HHMI BioInteractive Workshop: The HHMI BioInteractive Team, led by Dr. Melissa Csikari, presented an interactive workshop from 1-5 pm on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 on the UH campus (room # TBA). In this short course, attendees learned how a variety of resources, including a case study, primary literature, multimedia, and a hands-on activity, could be used to teach core concepts in an introductory biology course. These concepts include the role of enzymes in biological systems, how enzyme inhibition can be used to treat certain forms of cancer, how mutations can lead to drug resistance, how the cell cycle relates to cancer, and that cancer typically results from mutations in multiple genes that have a vital role in the normal function of cells.
Registration was required through the normal ABLE Conference registration system, but there was no charge for participating. Lunch was provided.
The Katy Prairie Conservancy: Attendees joined Katy Prairie Conservancy’s Conservation Education Director Jaime González for a tour of Warren Ranch. This is a working cattle ranch that partners with the conservancy to help protect the disappearing prairie and educate the community about this fascinating and important ecosystem. We visited the Matt Cooke Wildlife Viewing Platform for some bird watching and then took a walking tour to observe the native flora and fauna. Jaime provided a brief overview of the work and educational programs provided by Conservancy. The tour departed from the Science Teaching Laboratories Building at 1 pm, and tickets were $15.00.
The Houston Zoo: Attendees spent their afternoon exploring the zoo! They visited the University of Houston’s resident mascot, Shasta, a rescued cougar now proudly representing our university at the zoo. Then, they strolled over to the brand new gorilla exhibition. They spent some time watching the baby elephants play and then visited the giraffe herd. If you love birds, there were many to be seen. Who doesn’t love a laughing kookaburra?! The tour left campus at 2 pm, and tickets were $15.00.
Prefered to explore on your own schedule? The zoo is easily accessible from campus by train or car. Tickets at the gate were $17 for adults.
Saturday Excursions
Space Center Houston: Attendees visited the Johnson Space Flight Center. Tram tours took visitors to visit Mission Control and Saturn V park where the last unlaunched Saturn V is housed. In the Starship Gallery, you could view the Apollo 17 Command Module, a Skylab Training module and touch a moon rock. The tour left campus at 9 am and returned around dinner time. Tickets were $50.00. Lunch was on your own in the Space Center food court.
Moody Gardens, Galveston: Moody Gardens features an Aquarium Pyramid, a Rainforest Pyramid, 3D and 4D theaters, a Discovery Museum, and a Paddlewheel Boat. The tour left campus at 9 am and returned around dinner time. Tickets were $85.00. Lunch was on your own at any of several venues available on site. Tickets for the ropes course and zip line or for Palm Beach could have been purchased online or at the entrance for those seeking sunshine and adventure.