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Modesto Area Partners in Science offers fall community programs
Great Valley Museum
The Great Valley Museum will host a Jurassic Festival from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 30 (Photo contributed).

The Modesto Area Partners in Science lecture series has operated since 1990 to foster science education in the community for youths through adults. Once a month during the academic year, MAPS offers stimulating free science programming, bringing educators and local citizens into contact with scientists and mind-expanding ideas.

The fall program series will start with a Jurassic Festival from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 30. The Great Valley Museum will host an archeology dig for future archaeologists and those curious-minded explorers. The museum will unveil a new dinosaur and have a “Name that Dinosaur” game with the opportunity to create crafty artwork. The Great Valley Museum is located at 2201 Blue Gum Ave., Modesto.

Also on Sept. 30 there will be two presentations: the first at 4 p.m. for all ages and then another at 7:30 p.m. for junior high age students and up. Dr. Taormina Lepore will discuss evidence gleaned from fossilized T. rex droppings and dinosaur trackways; what makes a dinosaur a dinosaur; and why we are fascinated by dinos.

The October event, being held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28, will feature Anna Nierenberg, an assistant professor of Astrophysics at UC Merced, who will discuss looking at dark matter with the James Webb Space Telescope.

Nick Stong, manager of public programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, will give a presentation on “The Amazing Life of the Western Monarch Butterfly” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18.

Dr. Jim DeKloe, founder of the Industrial Biotechnology program at Solano College, will give introduction on the field of biomanufacturing and a description of the national state of training in biotechnology at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9.

Lectures will be held at Campus Sierra Hall 132 on the Modesto Junior College West Campus.