Kiggins Theatre

Imagine Oregon more than 12,000 years ago. The coastline stretched miles fartherwest, vast lakes filled today’s high desert, and megafauna like mammoths, giant groundsloths, and camels still roamed the land. People were raising families, sewing clothing with bone needles and thread, harvesting plants, caring for one another, and adapting to a rapidly changing world. How do archaeologists uncover stories as old as the Ice Age? Join archaeologist Dr. Katelyn McDonough for a behind-the-scenes look at how researchers piece together the past using clues like stone tools, pollen, campfires, animal bones, microscopic plant remains, proteins preserved on tools, and even ancient poop. Hear some of archaeology’s biggest misconceptions and explore how discoveries at every scale—from molecules under a microscope to entire ancient landscapes—are transforming our understanding of the past.This talk also explores what archaeology looks like today. Discover how archaeologistscollaborate with Tribal Nations, geologists, paleoecologists, and many other specialiststo better understand the past while respecting Indigenous histories and knowledge.

Dr. Katelyn McDonough is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Curator of GreatBasin Archaeology, and Affiliated Faculty in Native American and Indigenous Studies atthe University of Oregon. She is passionate about teaching, food (past and present),exploring the microscopic world, and making archaeology more accessible foreveryone.

Visit Vancouver and The Kiggins Theatre are pleased to welcome back the annual D.B. Cooper Con produced by Vortex Events, LLC and taking place from November 13th through the 15th.

A Three-Day Pass is $75 and is limited to 200 passes total. Daily tickets can be purchased for $35 for Friday and Saturday or $30 for Sunday only. Available online or at the box office day of show.

Visit Vancouver and The Kiggins Theatre are pleased to welcome back the annual D.B. Cooper Con produced by Vortex Events, LLC and taking place from November 13th through the 15th.

A Three-Day Pass is $75 and is limited to 200 passes total. Daily tickets can be purchased for $35 for Friday and Saturday or $30 for Sunday only. Available online or at the box office day of show.

Visit Vancouver and The Kiggins Theatre are pleased to welcome back the annual D.B. Cooper Con produced by Vortex Events, LLC and taking place from November 13th through the 15th.

A Three-Day Pass is $75 and is limited to 200 passes total. Daily tickets can be purchased for $35 for Friday and Saturday or $30 for Sunday only. Available online or at the box office day of show.

Because of their small size, microplastics (plastic particles < 5 mm long) pose a unique environmental threat. Larger trash items can generally be removed through improved waste management systems and clean-up efforts, but microplastics are virtually impossible to collect en masse. On top of that, their number continues to grow exponentially as larger plastic items degrade over time. Microplastics can travel vast distances, carried primarily by water or air. As such, plastic has been found in some of the most remote habitats on earth. Research indicates that more than 1,500 species are known to ingest plastic, potentially causing gastrointestinal distress, false satiation, toxicological exposure, and bioaccumulation. Humans are not immune to these impacts.Microplastics have been found in various human organs and tissues, likely breathed in or ingested through contaminated food and beverages, leading to the recent concern regarding potential health impacts.Learn more about microplastics, their sources, effects, and some potential solutions, and hear about the newly established Oregon Microplastics Analytical Research Center (OMARC), and hear both past and ongoing microplastic research from PSU.Dr. Elise Granek runs the Applied Coastal Ecology (ACE) Lab in the Dept of Environmental Science and Management at PSU. She holds a PhD in Marine Ecology from OSU and a Masters in Forest Ecology and Conservation Biology from Yale. Her research at the land-sea interface spans ecological (community composition in mangroves), socio-ecological (perceptions and attitudes about marine reserves, microplastics, non-native mangroves), and eco-toxicological (examining effects of microplastics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals on marine animals) studies.

Kellie Teague, MS works as a research analyst at the Oregon Microplastics Analytical Research Center (OMARC). She has a BS in Chemistry from Southern Methodist University, and a MS in Marine Science from Hawaiʻi Pacific U, where she specialized in chemical oceanography. Kellie has been working in the field of plastic pollution since 2019, and served as the Laboratory Manager for the Center for Marine Debris Research from 2020-24.

Humor is arguably one of the most complex human attributes, posing tremendous challenges to the brain. Indeed, humans have engaged with humor since the dawn of humanity, suggesting that humor and laughter have had significant value for human evolution and existence.

This talk explores:

Using a combination of discussion, live examples with local comics, and visuals, the presentation will also explore ways that the brain engages in empathy, collaboration, and creativity when teaching, learning, practicing, performing and responding to comedy.

Dr. Larry S. Sherman is the Director of the Queensland Brain Institute in Brisbane, Australia, author of Every Brain Needs Music: The Neuroscience of Making and Listening to Music, and an international public speaker.

Menopause is becoming a buzzword! How do we separate the science from sensationalism?

Find out in this fascinating tour through the world of hormone fluctuations, ovarian aging, and medical interventions. We’ll cover:

Christina Cameli (she/her) is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner. She is the owner of Menopause Northwest, LLC, a menopause-focused healthcare practice in Portland, OR. In addition to direct patient care, Christina develops menopause-related education for a variety of formats.

How a citizen scientist uncovered a strange kind of octopus that defied everything the experts thought they knew about these enigmatic creatures.In the late 1970s, Panamanian diver and artist Arcadio Rodaniche observed a mysterious colony of striped octopuses off the coast of Panama. Unlike any octopus previously described, they lived unusually close to their neighbors, shared dens, mated beak-to-beak, laid multiple clutches of eggs without dying, and exhibited unique hunting strategies, all of which went against accepted ideas about how octopuses should behave. Hear the story of the larger Pacific striped octopus and the man whose discovery was rejected by science for decades. This species has changed our understanding of how octopuses think, perceive their own bodies, and feel pain. These findings raise questions about the controversial practices of farming octopuses for food, displaying them in aquariums, and keeping them as pets.Octopus X is an underdog story about the power of citizen science to challenge who gets to decide what becomes accepted scientific fact, shedding light on how discoveries are credited or dismissed and how a scientifically nameless species can reveal a previously hidden world of octopuses.Kenna Hughes-Castleberry is a science writer and currently the Content Manager at Live Science. Her freelance journalism has been featured in National Geographic, Science Friday, Live Science, Scientific American, and New Scientist.Get 15% the book and the ticket! Select the book/tix combo at checkout.

Welcome to the fascinating and often overlooked world of native bees. This talk is a guided tour of foundational concepts to a deeper meaning of not just bee diversity, but also pollinator diversity, ecology, and identification. Award-winning conservation photographer and author Krystle Hickman explores:

Blending conservation, storytelling, science, communication and striking photography, Hickman invites audiences into the world of native bees while revealing how curiosity, observation and visual storytelling can deepen our connection to the world around us.

Krystle Hickman is a National Geographic Explorer and Expedition Expert, award-winning conservation photographer and author, keynote speaker, and artist whose work explores biodiversity, pollinators, and environmental storytelling through fieldwork around the world. Her book The ABC’s of California’s Native Bees received multiple awards including an IPPY Gold Medal and a Foreword INDIES Award, and was recognized by the Los Angeles Times as one of the Best Science Books of 2025.

Get 15% off the book and a ticket with the book/ticket combo option at checkout!

This talk is part of the Vancouver WA Pollinator Festival June 26th, 2027, in partnership with our friends at Vancouver Bee Project!