Join the Environmental Change Initiative on Thursday, May 2 for their first Science at Sunset for 2019. To register, call SJCP at 574-654-3155   

Michael Cramer will be presenting a lecture titled: The Deer Mouse: Portrait of a Misunderstood Mammal

ND-LEEF will provide snacks for the free program and attendees are welcome to bring their own beverages, including beer and wine. Other alcoholic drinks and glass containers are prohibited; all beverages must be brought in plastic or metal containers. Although the County Parks and ND-LEEF partner on many science-related programs, the “Science at Sunset” series is unique in that it is designed for adults.

Lecture Abstract: Small mammals play important roles in forested ecosystems, both as prey to larger species and as seed predators. Dr. Michael J. Cramer, Notre Dame Dept. of Biological Sciences, has spent his career learning about these animals, in order to better understand how they affect life in the forest. Curious about these sometimes unseen inhabitants? Dr. Cramer will review some of his work at Notre Dame’s Environmental Research Center (UNDERC) looking at how deer mouse populations change over time, and will talk about some experiments concerning their complex foraging behavior.