Science Cafés are a venue for students interested in the sciences and engineering to informally share their interests during a conversational exchange with faculty, staff and the community in a friendly setting.
All cafés start promptly at 5:00 pm in the Front Room located in Baker Center. Free coffee for the first 50 people.
Spring 2012 Discussions
April 04: Willem Roosenburg, Biological Sciences, "Turtles: Why Girls are Hot and Boys are Cool"
Were you born during a harsh winter? The hottest spring of the decade? During an Indian summer? Imagine such weather determining your gender. For many species, sexual determination is temperature dependent, including the Diamondback terrapin, known for its elaborate shell pattern and found along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts. "So the better question is probably, what am I doing in Athens, Ohio?" says Dr. Willem Roosenburg, a Biological Sciences Associate Professor and one of the founding members of the Diamondback Terrapin Working Group, dedicated to the conservation and restoration of these highly aquatic turtles. A faculty member at Ohio University since 1995, every May Roosenburg prepares for his annual trip to the Chesapeake Bay where he has captured over 15,000 terrapins and brought back his data to analyze in Athens' less aquatic biome. "We ask how temperature impacts sex ratios, its consequences on population and how global warming might affect these ratios," say Dr. Roosenburg, who notes that warmer summers cause a female gender bias On Wednesday, April 4th join us for Dr. Roosenburg's Science Café "Turtles: Why Girls are Hot and Guys are Cool," the first Discussion of Spring quarter. Come to the Baker Front Room at 5 pm and learn why it might be hard to meet a female turtle with an Aquarius birthday!
April 18: Keith Milam, Geological Sciences, "Virtual Geology: Unraveling Planetary Secrets from Afar"
Warm weather. Surging water. Protective atmosphere. These images only bring one planet to mind– our planet, Earth. However, if we were to turn back time, the environment of Mars would be just as familiar. Once a warm and water-filled planet, over the last 4.5 billion years Mars has turned into a foreign polar desert, a fate many planetary geologist wonder if Earth may also suffer. "It's very important to understand a planet like Mars because it will help us understand our own planet," says Dr. Keith Milam, Associate Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences. But try to imagine unraveling an entire geological history of a planet without touching a single rock, Dr. Milam challenges. Such are the trials of Dr. Milam's research as he has worked on the Mars Odyssey, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Exploration, and both Land Rover missions' teams. Join us for Dr. Milam's Science Café Discussion, "Virtual Geology: Unraveling the Secrets of Planets from Afar," on Wednesday, April 18th at 5 pm in the Baker Front Room to see what he has learned about a planet's geology over ninety million miles away. For starters, Mars may not be as alien of a planet as we think!
May 02: Darlene Berryman, Applied Health Sciences and Wellness, "Big Fat Myths: What You Didn't Know about Obesity"
Paranoia feeds on news of murder and unusual circumstance. But what could be more usual or comfortable then sitting down for a meal with family and friends? Perhaps the statistic that 60% of the people around your table are likely to be clinically overweight or obese. Of the leading causes of death as of 2006, diet-related diseases were the biggest killer in the United States, far exceeding the death toll of homicide, according to food-health activist Jamie Oliver. But what if we could disconnect obesity from all the problems associated with it – heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea? "A lot of my research focuses on how an animal can be both healthy and fat," says Dr. Darlene Berryman, an Associate Professor in the School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness who studies nutritional and hormonal factors in lab mice. "We have fat, healthy mice and lean, unhealthy mice," adds Dr. Berryman, hypothesizing that certain hormones may serve as an answer for disassociating obesity with its negative consequences. Find out why there may be more to the story of obesity than a glance at a scale during Dr. Berryman's Science Café Discussion "Big Fat Myths: What You Didn't Know about Obesity," on Wednesday, May 2nd at 5 pm in the Baker Center Front Room. Note:this will be the last Science Café of the 2011-2012 academic year.
Winter 2012 Discussions
Jan. 11: Dr. Michael Braasch, Electrical Engineering and Avionics Engineering Center, "Iron Stomachs & White Knuckles - Navigation System Flight Testing"
The sky’s the limit with Ohio’s rich aviation history. Home to the Wright Brothers’ famous cycle shop in Dayton, where Wilbur and Orville invented their first powered aircraft, Ohio is also the birthplace of 24 NASA astronauts, most notable being Neil Armstrong. In 1963, Dr. Richard McFarland continued to pave the way for progress in the area of aviation electronics (avionics), founding Ohio University’s Avionics Engineering Center (AEC). “If you have been in an airplane experiencing turbulence, imagine trying to conduct experiments in such conditions, as your ‘office’ is shaking tremendously,” describes Dr. Michael Braasch, Thomas Professor of Engineering in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “That is what our researchers do routinely at the AEC.” For 26 years, Dr. Braasch has been aiding the development of aircraft navigation and landing systems, specifically via research with the global positioning system (GPS). Former Director of the Avionics Engineering Center, Dr. Braasch will be sharing a handful of the test flight stories he has collected through the years in his Science Café Discussion “Iron Stomachs and White Knuckles: Navigation System Flight Testing.” Dr. Braasch’s advice – it takes eagerness and an empty stomach.
Jan. 12: The PhD Movie, Free Admission
A film based on the comic strip PhD Comics about life (or the lack thereof in academia. Humor similar to the TV Show, "The Big Bang Theory". Not yet rated but expect PG rating style and humor. Running time: 1 hour, 7 minutes. Memorial Auditorium, 7 pm and 9 pm
Jan. 25: Dr. Molly Morris, Biological Sciences, "Beyond Match.com: Alternative Mating Strategies"
Some females like flowers, others prefer chocolate, but for one group of female swordtail fish, it is the zigzag, back and forth movement of a suitor that they find most appealing. For 14 years, Morris Laboratory has brought new meaning to the saying “there are plenty more fish in the sea,” and certainly plenty of different ways to attract them. “We often think there is just one best way to do things,” says Biological Sciences Professor Dr. Molly Morris, “and that’s not true.” Through the study of female mating preferences, alternative mating strategies and communication during male-male competition, Dr. Morris has observed that different gene-influenced mating methods have proven equally effective for the male fish. Join Dr. Morris for her Science Café Discussion “Beyond Match.com: Alternative Mating Strategies,” where she will overview the evolution of sexual reproduction and her own research findings of these freshwater stream fish. “There are general lessons that we can learn in biology that can be applied to all sorts of things,” adds Dr. Morris, and that includes there being more than one right way to do something – it’s in our genes!
Feb. 08: Dr. Greg Van Patten, Chemistry and Biochemistry, "The Big Deal about Small Stuff"
Last October, six people perished in the explosion of a grain elevator in northeastern Kansas. But what could such a singular agricultural tragedy have to do with nanoparticle research? With Chemistry? Everything, Dr. Greg Van Patten, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, would argue. “The size of things dictates a huge part of our lives,” says Dr. Greg Van Patten, who plans to show and discuss practical demonstrations at his Science Café Discussion “The Big Deal about Small Stuff.” Through his own research with nano-sized materials called quantum dots, Dr. Van Patten knows firsthand that tiny particles can have huge impacts, though often positive ones. In his Science Café Discussion, Dr. Van Patten will explore four defining changes that occur when particles shrink and how these alterations change the world as we know it. In his study of quantum dots, size means everything and big possibilities await. We invite you to join us on Wednesday, February 8at 5 pm in the Baker Center Front Room and learn why being “small-stuff” is such a big deal!
Feb. 22: Peggy Zoccola, Psychology, "Stress: Bad Thoughts, Bad Health?"
"Stress is the trash of modern life," said Danzae Pace, "we all generate it, but if you don't dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life." As students, we know the quiet agonies of a stress. But you may be surprised to find that these unspoken worries may have a huge say in the condition of our own health. "There is a link between what we think and the way the body responds," says Dr. Peggy Zoccola, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. Testing changes in the endocrine ( in charge of releasing hormones), cardiovascular and immune systems, Dr. Zoccola is continuing to find that "reliving" past experiences may also induce a stressful response from the body. In Dr. Zoccola's Science Café Discussion "Stress: Bad Thoughts, Bad Health?" on Wednesday, February 22nd at 5 pm in the Baker Front Room, learn how stress can be scientifically monitored and how this link between mind and body may be overtaking our lives. We may always carry the past with us, but rest assured, as Dr. Zoccola adds "how we cope and handle this stress is something we may be able to change."
March 07: Madappa Prakash, Physics & Astronomy, "Extreme States of Matter from Explosive Events in the Universe"
Outer space has redefined the idea of learning from history. Searching the night sky, we literally look into the past. In their most extreme forms, the universe's phenomena are bursting with stories to tell. Neutron stars are just one example, made up of matter so dense that a teaspoonful on earth would weigh about 100 million tons. "We are trying to understand the fundamental forces of nature," says Dr. Madappa Prakash, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, who explains neutron stars as existing as a consequence of very heavy stars collapsing under their own gravity. In his Science Café Discussion, "Extreme States of Matter from Explosive Events in the Universe," Dr. Prakash will explore the states of matter occurring light-years away, as well as those much closer to home, including those created by high energy heavy-ion collisions at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, NY, and at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Prakash adds that by analyzing these events we are gaining a better understanding of how the universe once looked near the beginning of time, perhaps one of the greatest mysteries of our past. Join us for Dr. Prakash's Science Café Discussion on Wednesday, March 7 at 5 pm, in the Baker Front Room for an explosive view of matter at its extreme.
Fall 2011 Discussions
Sept. 14: Dr. Brian McCarthy, Environmental & Plant Biology, "From the Brink of Extinction: the American Chestnut"
The great American chestnut used to make up nearly 25% of our entire Appalachian forest region, according to the American Chestnut Foundation. By 1940, the chestnut blight brought this majestic tree close to extinction. Through the restoration work of the American Chestnut Foundation and the research of hardwood forest ecologist Dr. Brian McCarthy, the American chestnut may have a chance at survival. In his Science Café discussion, "From the Brink of Extinction: the American Chestnut," Dr. McCarthy, Professor of Environmental and Plant Biology, will explain this tree's saga as part of the history of Appalachia. "After 30 years of breeding, the American Chestnut Foundation may have a blight resistant American chestnut," notes Dr. McCarthy.
Sept. 28: Dr. Erin Murphy, Biomedical Sciences, "Bacteria: The Good, the Bad and the Resistant"
Getting up in morning is hard enough without considering the stack of dirty dishes from the night before laden with germs or the superbug we could be creating when we reach for the antimicrobial soap. "But not all bacteria are bad," Dr. Erin Murphy, assistant professor of Biomedical Science in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, asserts. In fact, some bacteria are good, even necessary and we owe a lot of credit to these microorganisms for helping us start our mornings. For instance, bacteria are often used to help ferment coffee, cheese, and yogurt. Join Dr. Murphy for her Science Cafe' Discussion where she will highlight the beneficial and harmful aspects of these misunderstood organisms, and the rising controversy of antibiotic resistance.
Oct. 12: Dr. Dave Bayless, Mechanical Engineering, "Powering the World with Pond Scum"
According to the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, coal was responsible for nearly 45 percent of all electricity generated in the United States in 2010 – more than natural gas and nuclear power combined. Still, the environmental impact of coal is a major concern, with US coal-burning power plants producing close to 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. But many scientists believe this can be mitigated, including Dr. David J. Bayless, Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, who studies the photosynthetic conversion of CO2-generated from coal-burning, into algae. "Students are going to have to deal with sustainability issues far more than my generation," notes Dr. Bayless and algae may afford us an answer to turning the coal we rely on, into something green, literally. As a sustainable byproduct, the algae produced have potential uses ranging from animal feed to omega 3 fatty acid supplements. In his Science Café discussion, "Powering the World with Pond Scum," Dr. Bayless will discuss his work on producing algal-based fuels, as well as the promise of these little photosynthetic organisms. We invite you on Wednesday, October 12th to explore with Dr. Bayless the new frontiers of clean coal research.
Oct. 26: Dr. James Lein, Geography, "The Geography of Tomorrow: The Science of Futures Research"
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it," said American computer scientist Dr. Alan Kay. But how much control of the future do we really have? It may all depend on our understanding of the present. Applied geographers such as Dr. James K. Lein are developing ways to peer into the future through analyzing the decisions and technologies of the here and now. "In many respects we do invent or design our future," says Dr. Lein, Department of Geography Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences. By attempting to understand the consequences of human innovations, land use patterns, and resource management decisions, applied geographers attempt to conceptualize how the future of a given area will look. "The decisions and creations we make shape and reshape the landscapes we live in," adds Dr. Lein. Join us at the Baker Front Room on Wednesday, October 26th at 5:00 pm as Dr. Lein explores, "The Geography of Tomorrow: The Science of Futures Research." Get there earlier and a free cup of coffee may be in your future!
Past PresentationsFall 2009 Schedule:
Sept. 30: Dr. Gerri Botte, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, "Alternative Energy: The Search for Fuel"
Oct. 14: Dr. Larry Witmer, Biomedical Sciences, "Fleshing Out Dinosaur Evolution"
Oct. 28: Dr. Justin Weeks, Psychology, "Social Anxiety: The Fear of Positive Evaluation"
Winter 2010 Schedule:
Jan. 13: Dr. Doug Clowe, Physics and Astronomy, "The Dark Side of the Universe"
Jan. 27: Dr. Julie Suhr, Psychology, "Measuring your Mind"
Feb. 10: Dr. Morgan Vis, Environmental & Environmental Plant Biology, "Red Algae-Tree of life, huh?"
Feb. 24: Dr. Damian Nance, Geological Sciences, "From Grains of Sand to Supercontinents: Reconstructing Earth's Geographic Past"
March 10: Dr. Jeff Rack, Chemistry & Biochemistry, "Chemical Chameleons"
Spring 2010 Schedule:
April 7: Dr. Stephen Reilly, Biological Sciences, "The Biology of Walking and Running"
April 21: Dr. Ken Hicks, Physics & Astronomy, "From Quarks to the Big Bang"
What is the stuff of matter? What are the smallest particles that make things massive?
These questions, and the relation to the Big Bang theory of the universe, will be discussed.
May 5: Dr. Susan Williams, Biomedical Sciences, "Food for thought:
the Evolution and Ontogeny of Feeding Mammals"
May 19: Dr. Ronaldo Vigo, Psychology, "Molecules of the Mind"
June 2: Dr. Maarten Uijit de Haag, Engineering/Avionics, "Navigation:
Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere"
Fall 2010 Schedule:
Sept. 22: Dr. Gar Rothwell, Environmental & Plant Biology, "Paleobotany and Plant Evolution"
Oct. 6: Drs. Shawn Ostermann (EECS), Hans Kruse (Information & Telecommunications Systems), Phil Campbell (Information & Telecommunications Systems), "Wireless Networking in Challenging Environments: the Barbarism of Baker to the Perils of Pluto"
Oct. 20: Dr. Julie Owens, Psychology, "Evaluating Treatments for ADHD: A Multi-Dimensional Approach"
Nov. 3: Dr. Eric Stinaff (Physics and Astronomy), "Where's my iQuanta: Is quantum information processing the future of computers?"
Winter 2011 Discussions
Jan. 12: Dr. Martin Mohlenkamp, Associate Professor, Mathematics, "Developing in silico Methods to do Virtual Science."
Jan. 26: Dr. Stephen Bergmeier, Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, "Chemistry, the class you love to hate, and Drug Discovery."
Feb. 9: Dr. Dan Hembree, Assistant Professor, Geological Sciences, "The Secrets of Burrowing Biota: Understanding Ancient Traces of Life through Modern Organisms."
Feb. 23: Dr. Kelly Johnson, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, Voinovich School, "Mayflies, Minnows, and Acid Mine Drainage: The Science of Stream Restorations."
March 9: Dr. Brook Marcks, Assistant Professor, Psychology, "From Thoughts to Obsessions: A Closer Look at Obsessive Compulsive Disorders."
Spring 2011 Discussions
March 30: Dr. Alycia Stigall, Associate Professor, Geological Sciences, OHIO Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies, "Overturn of the Biotics: Predicting Biodiversity Change with Fossils"
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