So a Bruin walks into a bar … and teaches a course.

It's all part of a widely popular national series, "Lectures on Tap," where professors and other experts hold 45-minute lectures in bars to share some knowledge, spark discussion and foster community with the general public.

UCLA has long been represented at the Los Angeles events, with upcoming talks scheduled for Alanna Kane, the Greenberg Legal Scholar Fellow at UCLA School of Law and Patrícia de Nóbrega Gomes, the UCLA Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow in the department of Spanish and Portuguese.

And this August, there's a double shot of UCLA physical sciences professors:

• Anshul Kogar, assistant professor of physics, presenting "Untold Stories of Nuclear Weapons: Accidents, Near-Misses" on Aug. 10
• Neil Garg, distinguished professor and the Kenneth N. Trueblood Endowed Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, presenting "Organic Chemistry on the Rocks" on Aug. 19.

Although both events are technically sold out, there are same-day tickets available, and new lectures are constantly being added.

Newsroom spoke with Kogar and Garg to get a preview of the event.

If visitors want to buy you a drink after the lecture, what should they order?

Neil Garg: Either an old-fashioned or a mojito, but I draw the line at one.

Anshul Kogar: I'd probably go for a local beer.

Why is this a fun event to attend?

Kogar: I actually give a monthly Lecture on Tap now, and they're all very different. They're all really special because of how excited the people who attend are to learn and connect. They have interesting questions, a lot of enthusiasm, and always have a great time. For the most recent one I did, there was a line of about 20 people after just wanting to continue the conversation with me. It's fun and inspiring to see intellectual engagement in action.

Garg: It's always a pretty cool opportunity to engage with other smart Angelenos all looking to keep up their learning experiences. Plus, chemistry is all around us, impacting our everyday lives, and I like that I have the chance to help people see that. I'll also bring some chemistry coloring books and some fun chemistry icebreakers to help people relax and connect.

Briefly, what will you be lecturing on?

Garg: I'll demystify what organic chemistry is and why it's important to all of us, scientists or otherwise. We'll highlight some of the research we're doing here at UCLA. And since we'll be at a bar, we'll also talk about the chemistry of alcohol. That can be everything from smelling your drink - an organic molecule that's volatile, reaches your nose and triggers a reaction - to what chemical reactions happen in your body when you drink alcohol. Oh, and why some folks get rosy-red cheeks when drinking is another classic that we will talk about.

Kogar: All the nuclear near-misses from the time these weapons were invented up until about 2013, which is terrifying, to be honest. But I encourage people to attend because this is a topic that could have huge ramifications on all of our lives. It's important that we reckon with these things, learn about them, talk about them and don't stick our heads in the sand. And even though it's a heavy topic, it'll still be a fun and interesting evening.

What would you say to people who may not think they're interested in physics or chemistry?

Kogar: Physics has changed the way that we've looked at and interacted with the world since around the 1600s. In some ways, it's the oldest of the sciences and so deeply foundational for the science and world that we have today. Learning more about it can really make a difference in how you see everything.

Garg: It's OK if you don't want to study chemistry, but you can still understand and enjoy the science happening all around us and how it impacts our lives. Especially in today's climate, the more we can increase the public's understanding of science and the role of scientists as critical thinkers, the better. Lectures like this can help teach that.