Adaptation: Brain and Body

Date: April 30th, 2026

Time: 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Location: Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture

During this lecture, Bill Griesar and Jeff Leake share their research on the neuroscience of brain plasticity and the circumstances and behaviors that foster adaptation to changing environments. Since 2012, they have presented this research and facilitated related activities with community members.

Ryan Barbee explores both the massive and microscopic adaptations that disabled individuals navigate. Her talk touches on the tangible and intangible elements of adaptation, including managing expectations, finding silver linings, the spoon theory, grit, and relativity.

For ages 16 and older. Those under age 16 may attend accompanied by an adult.

About the Speakers:

Ryan Barbee - Bend, OR

Ryan Barbee is a 27 year old wheelchair user and adaptive athlete. After acquiring a spinal cord injury in 2022 as the result of a ski accident, her world changed and she suddenly had to learn to adapt every single aspect of her life. In the last 4 years she has learned to mono-ski again, but more importantly she has fallen in love with adaptive mountain biking. Not only does she get to ride her bike both casually and competitively, but she has built her new career around biking and she works for the company that built her bike.

Bill Griesar - Astoria, OR

Bill Griesar, PhD is a Teaching Associate Professor in Psychology and co-founder of the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience minor at Portland State University, co-founder and Neuroscience Coordinator of Northwest Noggin and Affiliate Graduate Faculty in Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience at OHSU. He loves teaching, learning, and listening to stories—from all ages, everywhere, all the time. Bill earned his Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience at Brown University, where he studied visual perception, and his doctorate in Behavioral Neuroscience at OHSU, where he explored the cognitive effects of nicotine in nonsmokers. He’s taught neuroscience at PSU, OHSU, PCC, WSU Vancouver, Clark and Lower Columbia College since 2001. He was recognized as an innovator by the Obama White House, and has won five John Eliot Allen Teaching Awards at PSU. Bill co-founded (with his artist colleague Jeff Leake) the outreach nonprofit NW Noggin. Through NW Noggin (which is entirely volunteer), he’s met with over 80,000 rural and urban K-12 students, houseless youth, members of Congress, incarcerated young people, museum goers, pub patrons, and other community members over shared interests in perception, cognition, behavior, brain research and art.

Jeff Leake - Portland , OR

Jeff Leake is an artist living and working in Portland, Oregon. He has a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and an MFA from UC Davis. His work has been exhibited across the United States and internationally and has been recognized through awards and grants such as the Arte Laguna prize, Ford Foundation Golden Spot award, grants from the Oregon Art Commission, and the Regional Arts & Culture Council in Oregon. Additionally, Jeff has had the opportunity to participate in artist residencies at institutions including Caldera Arts, UCROSS, the Montello Foundation, Pedvale Art Park in Latvia, and the Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai. His art is currently represented by Gallery 114 in Portland, OR, The Schoolhouse Gallery in Provincetown, MA and Ying Gallery in Beijing.

Note: By registering for this event, you have opted into receiving our email newsletters. You may opt out at any time.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture