Science on Tap NRV: Shining a Light on the Brain: Guiding Animal Behavior Using Light
Venue: Rising Silo Farm Brewery, Blacksburg
Organizations: Science on Tap - New River Valley
Date: Thursday, September 25, 2025
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 PM
Event Types: Miscellaneous, Speaking Engagements, STEM Events
Cost: Free
Description:
Science on Tap NRV presents their September event titled "Shining a Light on the Brain: Guiding Animal Behavior Using Light" on Thursday, September 25, 2025 at Rising Silo Farm Brewery.

What if you could control the brain with light? Join Ainul Huda, a neuroscience graduate student at Virginia Tech, for a hands-on session exploring optogenetics, a powerful technique that uses light to activate specific neurons. At this illuminating event, you’ll use safe red lasers to trigger real-time behaviors in fruit flies, like stopping, spinning, or walking backward.

Come shine a light on how scientists link brain activity to behavior with precision.

Admission is free and all are welcome.

Hosted by the Center for Communicating Science at Virginia Tech and Virginia Tech's chapter of Sigma Xi.

Rising Silo Farm Brewery is located at 2351 Glade Road in Blacksburg, VA.

To view the event flyer, visit: https://i.postimg.cc/NjD0f0WT/image.png.

For more information on the event, visit: https://communicatingscience.isce.vt.edu/css-events/upcoming-events/aug-2025-sot.html or https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068112035012 or https://www.instagram.com/scienceontapnrv/.

For more information on Rising Silo, visit: http://www.risingsilobrewery.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/risingsilobrewery or https://www.instagram.com/risingsilobrewery/ or call 540-750-0796.