COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
SCIENCE SUNDAYS AT OHIO STATE
2013 – 2014
CONTENTS ABOUT SCIENCE SUNDAYS – 4 PAST & UPCOMING EVENTS – 6 •
Year One and Two Recap
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Year Three
Sept: Aydogan Ozcan
Oct: Bernie Krause
Nov: Risa Wechsler
Dec: Paul Kwiat
Jan: James Gentile
Feb: L. Mahadevan
Mar: Jill Pipher
Apr: Jane Wang
SPONSORING CENTERS – 16
ABOUT SCIENCE SUNDAYS A public lecture series offered by The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences and its sponsoring science centers. • • • • •
Center for Applied Plant Sciences (CAPS) Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics (CCAPP) Center for Emergent Materials (CEM) Center for Exploration of Novel Complex Materials (ENCOMM) Mathematical Biosciences Institute (MBI)
These centers are dynamic national hubs focused on solving critical global problems in energy and the environment, safe food production, health and wellness, developing viable new materials, and exploring what drives our universe. Speakers are leading experts in their fields who are excited about sharing their work in a way that makes it interesting and accessible for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Science Sundays was initiated in 2011 to take leading-edge work beyond the lab and into the lives of the public. Lectures cover diverse topics and issues in science that touch our everyday lives. 4
GENERAL EVENT INFORMATION Each lecture is followed by a free, informal reception. TIME Lecture: 3-4 pm; Reception: 4-5 pm LECTURE VENUE Ohio Union U.S. Bank Conference Theater or Wexner Center Film/Video Theatre RECEPTION VENUE Ohio Union Ohio Staters Traditions Room or Wexner Center Café For more information on SCIENCE SUNDAYS visit: asc.osu.edu/science-sundays 5
YEAR ONE AND TWO RECAP YEAR ONE The series premiered in September 2011 with renowned British mathematician and science-fiction writer Ian Stewart who introduced his audience to the fun of creating The Science of Discworld. In ensuing months, audiences learned about a wide variety of interesting topics, such as the search for other Earth-like planets, experiments to probe the deepest reaches of our own planet, and the future of the car.
YEAR TWO The second season kicked off with a good electionyear question: We vote; but can we elect someone who we really don’t want. During the year, audiences heard from an internationally-acclaimed expert on climate change; a NASA Jet Propulsion engineer who worked on the Mars Rover; and were taken to the movies by a science writer and blogger to see what happens when science intersects with popular culture. For more information about past speakers visit: asc.osu.edu/science-sundays 6
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YEAR THREE HERE IS A LOOK AT THIS YEAR’S SCIENCE SUNDAYS CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER 2013 – APRIL 2014
Aydogan Ozcan
Computational Imaging and Diagnosis for Telemedicine and Global Health Ozcan introduces new imaging and detection architectures using novel theories and numerical algorithms to address immediate needs of telemedicine for global health problems—a boon to billions of cell phone users.
Associate professor, UCLA’s Bio- and Nano-Photonics Laboratory, electrical engineering and bioengineering departments. 8
2013 – 2014 EVENTS
Bernie Krause The Great Animal Orchestra
Bernie Krause, a musician and naturalist and one of the world’s leading experts in natural sound, has spent his life discovering and recording nature’s rich chorus. The Great Animal Orchestra lets us listen in.
Musician and naturalist, one of world’s leading experts in natural sound. Check out Krause’s recent TED talk at: go.osu.edu/berniekrause 9
Risa Wechsler
Building the Cosmos: How Simulations Shed Light on the Dark Universe Wechsler will walk you through how cutting-edge simulations allow us to be a fly on the wall during the formation of the cosmos, and shed light on the physical processes that created the Universe we see today.
Associate professor, physics, Stanford University. 10
2013 – 2014 EVENTS
Paul Kwiat
The Quantum Information Revolution The Quantum Information Revolution reveals the almost magical properties of the “quantum advantage” allowing new feats in information processing—secure cryptography, ultra-fast computation, and non-invasive “photography.”
Bardeen Chair in Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. 11
James Gentile
Carcinogens in the Environment: Separating Fact from Fiction We cannot avoid hearing about things that cause cancer or remedies that prevent it. Don’t throw out your microwave yet: Gentile takes us deeper into the world of environmental carcinogens to help us separate fact from fiction.
Dean, natural sciences, Hope College; past president, Research Corporation for Science Advancement. 12
2013 – 2014 EVENTS
L. Mahadevan
Sickle Cell Anemia: Physics and Physiology of a Molecular Disease Sickle Cell Anemia: Physics and Physiology of a Molecular Disease describes how in vitro experiments and theoretical models lead to predictive quantitative diagnostics for this disease, while setting this in the broader context of evolutionary dynamics.
de Valpine Professor of Applied Mathematics; professor, organismic and evolutionary biology; and physics, Harvard University. 13
Jill Pipher
Mathematical Ideas in Public Key Cryptography Pipher asks timely questions: Are we keeping up? Do we have the mathematical tools to meet the present need to deal with encrypted data in the cloud, or the potential future demand for cryptography on quantum computers?
Elisha Benjamin Andrews Professor of Mathematics, Brown University; director, Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM).
2013 – 2014 EVENTS
Jane Wang
Falling Paper and Insect Flight Falling Paper and Insect Flight explains work driven by a fascination with the puzzles and beauty around us, showing us the puzzles and mathematics surrounding the dynamics of falling paper and the tricks used by insects to fly.
Professor, physics and mechanical engineering, Cornell University 15
SPONSORING CENTERS OF SCIENCE SUNDAYS HERE IS A LOOK AT THE CENTERS THAT HELP MAKE SCIENCE SUNDAYS POSSIBLE
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CENTER FOR APPLIED PLANT SCIENCES (CAPS): Greening the World
This partnership between the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences bridges the gap between basic research and its potential applications. Crossdisciplinary research teams are finding ways to create new biologically-based products, such as biofertilizers, and engineer methods that enhance crop production by making plants disease and pest-resistant. CAPS offers robust interdisciplinary programs for students at all levels, K-12 through post-graduate, along with an annual seminar series for faculty. The center is dedicated to promoting a spirit of collaboration to foster research partnerships and learning experiences that empower the process of research through education. caps.osu.edu
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SPONSORING CENTERS OF SCIENCE SUNDAYS
CENTER FOR COSMOLOGY AND ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS (CCAPP): Probing the Universe
Some of the oldest and most profound questions are about the origin, age, and fate of the Universe. We are still looking for the answers, but we now have strong evidence that these answers are more amazing than we ever imagined. To tackle these big questions, the interdisciplinary research in CCAPP joins physics with astronomy, and theory and computation with experiment and observation. Key topics range from the dark matter holding galaxies together and the dark energy accelerating them apart, to the violent explosions of massive stars and the high-energy cosmic rays they create. CCAPP activities advance knowledge, train young scientists, and bring results to the public. ccapp.osu.edu
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SPONSORING CENTERS OF SCIENCE SUNDAYS
MATERIALS RESEARCH: Building Our Future
Center for Emergent Materials (CEM) | cem.osu.edu Center for Exploration of Novel Complex Materials (ENCOMM) | encomm.osu.edu
Ohio State researchers are inventing the future today—manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale to find solutions to critically important issues that affect our daily lives. Imagine new “smart” materials—inventing and creating new materials that use magnetism, electricity, light, and heat that do more and perform better while using less energy; making better batteries that can transform technologies from electronic communication to transportation to space exploration and exploiting the wisdom of evolved biological material to create nanomachines. Our materials researchers imagine these, and more, and work every day to make them happen.
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SPONSORING CENTERS OF SCIENCE SUNDAYS
MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES INSTITUTE (MBI): Inventing New Solutions
MBI researchers apply diverse mathematical tools to probe the biological and health sciences and host approximately 15 workshops and 1,000 visitors annually. Our researchers use mathematics and statistics to understand better ways to help wounds heal, to track the worldwide spread of viruses, and to gain insight into our body’s immune response. They examine cholera dynamics in Haiti and Africa, measure circadian rhythms in sleep disorders, and explore cellular processes that cause diseases, such as cancer. MBI programs and researchers also explore how biology creates the need for new mathematics. mbi.osu.edu
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SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS We want to make Science Sundays a popular Sunday afternoon destination for science buffs of all ages. Your feedback is very important to help us do that. Please take a few minutes to let us know what you thought of this lecture—what you liked most, what you think could be improved. Do you think the speaker made his/ her topic easily-understood? We are always looking for topics that have a broad appeal—what would you like to see featured in our lineup? Would you recommend Science Sundays to your friends? Thank you, your input and suggestions are appreciated and valued.
Name: Preferred Email: Address: Feedback:
Mail your survey to ASCComm: Science Sundays, 154 N. Oval Mall, 1010 Derby Hall, Columbus, OH 43210 or submit online at asc.osu.edu/scisun-survey.
NOTES
NOTES
asc.osu.edu/science-sundays BUT FOR OHIO STATE’S Science Sundays, our community would not have the chance to learn about the latest scientific discoveries from frontline scientists.