“california physics” features nonlinear optical properties – “new york physics” probably features the mechanics of dodging taxicabs on the way to pupin

We’re back with Science Fair, Bwog’s weekly curated list of interesting STEM-related talks, symposiums, and events happening on campus. For science and non-science majors alike, our list will bring you events that will satisfy your scientific curiosity for everything from astronomy to zoology, and everything in between.

For anyone, related-majors and non-majors alike:

  • From Ebola to Dinosaurs to 23andMe: Writing about the Science of Life, featuring Carl Zimmer (Wednesday, May 2, 5-6:30pm, World Room, Pulitzer Hall)
    • “Carl Zimmer is a columnist for the New York Times. His journalism has also appeared in magazines such as National Geographic, Wired, and The Atlantic.”

Intended for students of the given subject, but still open to anyone interested:

  • Department of Biological Sciences 2018 Schuetze Lecture by Dr. Nieng Yan, Princeton (Monday, April 30, 12pm, Davis Auditorium, Schapiro)
    • “Title: ‘How is electrical signal generated? Structural and mechanistic investigations of Nav channels.’ The voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels are responsible for the initiation and propagation of action potentials.”
  • Physics Colloquium: California New Age Physics: Sunshine, Crystals, and Quantum Physics of Bands, by Dr. Joe Orenstein, UC Berkeley (Monday, April 30, 4:15pm, 428 Pupin)
    • “Nonlinear optical properties of materials are important as tools in basic research and optical technology. Recently there has been a tremendous upsurge of interest in optical nonlinear effects, especially in crystals with curved bandstructure geometry. Such materials are candidates for applications based on the conversion of light to dc current.”
  • Chemistry Colloquium: Single molecule dynamics at soft interfaces: from basic science to a $100,000,000,000 problem, presented by Dr. Christy Landes, Rice University (Thursday, May 3, 4:30-5:30pm, 209 Havemeyer)
    • “Practical goals in materials engineering include minimal cost, maximum efficiency, and optimized longevity. As our experimental and theoretical methods to study nature’s molecular-scale design principles improve, we begin to understand that one reason nature can be so successful is that her engineering strategy often differs from ours…”

image of California via wikipedia