Science Seminars is a weekly list of science-related seminars sponsored by colleges, research institutes, and other organizations throughout Penn State. Science Seminars is published by the Penn State Eberly College of Science as a service to Penn State and its surrounding communities

Science Seminars

15 to 21 November 2004

MONDAY, 15 NOVEMBER

"Nanoscale Methodologies for Probing Synaptic Function," Daniel Chiu, University of Washington, 12:15 p.m., Berg Auditorium, 100 Life Sciences Building, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics (865-6553 or 863-0007).

"Regulation and Action of the Plant-Growth Hormone Auxin," Bonnie Bartel, Rice University, 12:20 p.m., 107 Wartik Laboratory, host: Irmgard Seidl-Adams, Intercollege Graduate Program in Plant Physiology (863-3892).

"Enantioselective Ketene-Aldehyde Cycloadditions in the Synthesis of B-Lactones," Amy Yap, Penn State, 2:00 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, host: Steven Weinreb, Department of Chemistry (863-0189).

"Quantum Gravity and the Big Bang," Martin Bojowald, Albert Einstein Institute (Germany), 3:00 p.m., 339 Davey Laboratory, Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry (863-9605).

"Phase Locking for Interface Propagation in Periodic Media," Viktor Roytburd, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 3:30 p.m., 320 Whitmore Laboratory, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Soybean-Cyst Nematode (Heterodera glycines)," Norm Conrad, Penn State, 3:30 p.m., 112 Buckhout Laboratory, Department of Plant Pathology (865-3761).

"Transitioning High Tunnels to Organic Production," Adam Montri, Penn State, 3:50 p.m., 111 Tyson Building, Department of Horticulture (865-2571).

"The Roles of TATA-Binding-Protein-Associated Factors (TAFs) in Transcription: A Genome-Wide Overview and Studies on a TAF-Independent Gene," Wu-Cheng Winston Shen, State University of New York, 4:00 p.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Joseph Reese, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (865-3072).

TUESDAY, 16 NOVEMBER

"Bragg Spectroscopy of Ultracold Atoms Loaded in an Optical Lattice," Ana Rey, National Institutes of Standards and Technology, 3:30 p.m., 339 Davey Laboratory, host: David Weiss, Department of Physics (863-3076).

"Great Steps in the History of Life: Fossil Fish from the Late Devonian of Pennsylvania and Beyond," Ted Daeschler, Academy of Natural Sciences, 4:00 p.m., 22 Deike Building, Department of Geosciences (865-2622).

"Natural Variations in the Physiology of Arabidopsis thaliana: The Ecological Genetics of Drought Adaptation," Thomas E. Juenger, University of Texas, 4:00 p.m. (refreshments at 3:45 p.m.), 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Sally Assmann, Department of Biology (863-9579).

WEDNESDAY, 17 NOVEMBER

(video title to be announced) by Kate Freeman of Penn State and Richard Pancost of Bristol University, 12:00 noon, 541 Deike Building, Office of the Dean of the Graduate School and Worldwide Univeristies Network (863-1274).

"Land and Sea: Greece 478 to 336 B.C." (video), 12:15 p.m., 105 Deike Building, Earth and Mineral Sciences Library (863-7073).

"Microfluidic Protein Crystallization" by Lisa Pantzar and "Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography (GC x GC): An Underused but Powerful Technique in Modern Separations" by Bernie O'Hare, Penn State, 12:30 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, hosts: Mary Beth Williams and Alan Benesi, Department of Chemistry (865-8859 or 865-0941).

"Systolic Inequalities on Aspherical Manifolds," Stephane Sabourau, Saint Joseph's University, 3:30 p.m., 320 Whitmore Laboratory, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Serpin (Serine Protease Inhibitor)-Protease Interactions: Inhibition is Just the Beginning," Yolanda Fortenberry (faculty candidate), University of North Carolina, 4:00 p.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Robert Schlegel, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (863-1851).

THURSDAY, 18 NOVEMBER

"Metal-Mediated Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer: From Organic Radical Chemistry to Marcus Theory," James Mayer, University of Washington, 12:30 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, host: Michael Green, Department of Chemistry (863-0925).

"Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Anxiety Disorders," John Clinton Earnheart, Penn State, 11:15 a.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Bernhard Lüscher, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (865-3072).

TITLE ADDED AFTER EMAIL DISTRIBUTION:
"Advances in Nanostructure Fabrication Technology," Grant Willson, University of Texas, 11:30 a.m., 108 Wartik Laboratory, host: Antonios Armaou, Department of Chemical Engineering (865-5316).

(title to be announced), Mariusz Lemanczyk, Nicolaus Copernicus University (Poland), 2:30 p.m., 122 Pond Laboratory, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Transducers," Robert E. Newnham, Penn State, 11:15 a.m., 135 Reber Building, Department of Materials Science and Engineering (865-4992).

"Neurophysiological Investigation of Cocaine Addiction," Regina Carelli, University of North Carolina, 4:00 p.m., 108 Wartik Laboratory, Eberly College of Science + Department of Biology + Department of Biobehavioral Health + Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences + Department of Health and Human Development + Department of Chemistry (863-4653).

"Tornado-Damage Surveys," Tim Marshall, Haag Engineering, 4:00 p.m., 112 Walker Building, Department of Meteorology (863-8566).

(title and speaker to be announced), 4:00 p.m., 202 Research West Building, Department of Geosciences (865-7965).

"Genetic Heterogeneity, Genomics, and Risk Prediction," Gary Chase, Penn State, 4:00 p.m., 104 Thomas Building, Department of Statistics (865-1348).

"What Neutron Stars, Helium-3, and Strontium Ruthenate have in Common," Ying Liu, Penn State, 4:00 p.m., 117 Osmond Laboratory, Department of Physics (865-7534).

FRIDAY, 19 NOVEMBER

"Malaria Postgenomics: Inquiry into the Functions of HAT Protein Complexes in Parasites," Liwang Cui, Penn State, 11:15 a.m., 504 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, Department of Entomology (865-1895).

"Mass-Independent Fractionation of Sulfur Isotopes," A. Welford Castleman, Penn State, 2:30 p.m., 341 Deike Building, Penn State Astrobiology Research Center (865-4074).

ADDED AFTER EMAIL DISTRIBUTION:
"Extending Density Functional Theory to Describe Dispersion Interactions," Malika Kumarasiri, Penn State, 2:30 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, host: S. Hammes-Schiffer, Department of Chemistry (865-6553).

"The Asymptotic Safety Scenario for Gravity and Matter: Part One," Daniele Perini, Penn State, 9:00 a.m., 318 Osmond Laboratory, Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry (863-9605).

"A Dirty Little Niche: Indigent Waste Scavengers and Recycling in Sofia, Bulgaria," Mark Carper, Northampton Community College, 4:00 p.m., 301 Steidle Building, Department of Geography (863-1806).

ADDED AFTER EMAIL DISTRIBUTION:
"Combinatorial Approaches to Biophysical Problems: New Tools for Studying Protein Stability and Protein-Ligand Interactions," Thomas Magliery, Yale University, 4:00 p.m., 102 Chemistry Buidling, Department of Chemistry (865-6553).

SATURDAY, 20 NOVEMBER and SUNDAY, 21 NOVEMBER

(none)

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Additions or cancellations will be noted on weekly Science Seminar listings on the Web.

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Science Seminars is a weekly list of science-related seminars sponsored by colleges, research institutes, and other organizations throughout Penn State. Science Seminars is published by the Penn State Eberly College of Science as a service to Penn State and its surrounding communities. Click here for additional information about Science Seminars, or for instruction on how to SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE.

Reporters for Science Seminars and the areas they cover are as follows: [agriculture: Kay Moore] [agronomy: Madeline Laubach and Charles Mancino] [anthropology: Alan Walker] [astrobiology: Linda Decker] [astronomy and astrophysics: Sue Tighe and Laura Sproat] [biochemistry and molecular biology: Tamara Housel] [biology: Paula Farwell] [center for gravitational physics and geometry: Karen Brewster] [center for materials physics: Barbara Itinger] [ceramic science and engineering: April Benson] [chemical engineering: Ruth Smith] [chemistry: Teresa Beck] [computer science and engineering: Nancy Clark and Karen Alise Corl] [earth and mineral sciences: Linda Spangler] [intercollege graduate program in ecology: Debra Putt] [education: Tom Dana] [energy institute: Kelly Jo Rhoades] [entomology: Thelma Brodzina] [intercollege graduate program in genetics: Paula Farwell] [life sciences consortium: Janice Kennedy] [mathematics: Flossie Dunlop] [intercollege graduate program in nutrition: Judy Jones] [physics: Amy Long] [intercollege graduate program in physiology: LuAnn Weatherholtz] [intercollege graduate program in plant physiology: Janice Kennedy] [poultry science: Ruth Nyman] [science, technology, and society program: Karen Snare] [statistics: Bonnie Cain] [veterinary science: Loretta Muchinsky].

NOTICE: PRESS RELEASES AVAILABLE
Press releases occasionally are written for some of the lectures sponsored by the Eberly College of Science. If you would like to receive copies of these press releases in the future, send a note to Barbara K. Kennedy at SCIENCE@PSU.EDU. Your e-mail address will be added to a distribution list.

This publication is available in alternative media on request.

Penn State is an affirmative action, equal opportunity university. Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact the office in charge of the seminar in advance of your attendance. U.Ed. SCI 05-37

This issue of SCIENCE SEMINARS was produced by Barbara K. Kennedy and Kristen Devlin.