Encore performance scheduled for 26 April. Click here for more information.

 

About the Lectures

When: Saturdays, from 26 January to 1 March, 2008, from 11:00 a.m. to about 12:30 p.m.

Where: 100 Thomas Building (located at the corner of Pollock and Shortlidge Roads on the University Park campus)

The Penn State Lectures on the Frontiers of Science is a series of Saturday-morning lectures begun in 1995 by a group of Penn State Eberly College of Science faculty in the Center for Gravitational Physics and Geometry. It was an innovative move for our college because these lectures were designed for the enjoyment and education of average citizens rather than for a specialized audience composed exclusively of scientists, as were our other annual lectures at that time. Abhay Ashtekar, director of the center and holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Physics, explained at that time, "One of the missions of the center is to improve scientific literacy both on and off campus by presenting such public lectures." (more history)

 

The 2008 Penn State Lectures on the Frontiers of Science

Running on Empty?
Strategies for Our Energy Future

"Running on Empty?: Strategies for Our Energy Future" is the theme of the 2008 Penn State Lectures on the Frontiers of Science, a series of free public lectures that will begin on Saturday, 26 January. Designed as a free minicourse for the enjoyment and education of residents in Central Pennsylvania communities, the lectures take place on six consecutive Saturday mornings from 11:00 a.m. to about 12:30 p.m. on the Penn State University Park campus.

The 2008 Penn State Lectures on the Frontiers of Science are jointly sponsored by the Penn State Eberly College of Science and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

26 January 2008

Harold Schobert,
Penn State

Fueling the Future: A Place for Coal?
Coal is sometimes regarded as the ultimate "bad guy" in today's energy picture. Is there still a place for coal in our energy future? Or is coal dead? Transportation will continue to rely on liquid fuels for decades, and coal can be a source of these fuels. Learn about the challenges that must be met in understanding the chemistry of coal, in developing cost-effective conversion methods, and in harnessing coal's carbon as a fuel for the future.

 

2 February 2008

Richard Alley,
Penn State

Global Warming and Our Future
The high cost of energy after whale-oil production peaked helped convince Pennsylvanians to drill for petroleum. The success of that first Drake well helped preserve the whales, but is now contributing to global warming. Learn why scientists are confident that our burning of oil, coal, and other fossil fuels will have large impacts on the Earth's climate and living things, including us, if we ignore the available cost-effective solutions.

 

9 February 2008

John Golbeck,
Penn State

The Promise of Solar Energy
Energy from the Sun in the form of light and heat often is touted as a solution to the problems of global energy and global climate change. How realistic is this promise and what new technologies are under development? Learn what fraction of the future energy mix today's solar technologies are ready to provide.

 

16 February 2008

Tom Richard,
Penn State

Tapping Nature's Abundance
Plants are nature's solar collectors, capturing as much solar energy in a week as humans use in a year. Learn about research that is unlocking the potential of this vast renewable energy resource by increasing the productivity and sustainability of agricultural and forest systems, and by applying the tools of modern molecular biology to access the energy stored in the cell walls of plants.

 

23 February 2008

Jack Brenizer,
Penn State

The Renaissance of Nuclear Power: An Energy Source of the Future
A renewed interest in nuclear power is now occurring, after almost three decades of controversy and an unofficial moratorium on building new plants in the United States. Advanced designs have been developed and approved, new license applications have been filed, and new plants have been ordered. Learn the reasons why this renaissance is happening, the safety and reliability features of the new designs, and why next-generation nuclear energy is more attractive to both U. S. and international energy suppliers

 

1 March 2008

Matthew Mench,
Penn State

Fuel Cells: Are We There Yet?
The promise of hydrogen fuel cells is highly touted, and there are increasing numbers of working prototypes for automotive, stationary, and portable applications, but mass commercialization still has not arrived. Learn about the real limitations to fuel-cell technology, and what must happen before we all will be able to drive a fuel-cell-powered car to work.