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

1 to 7 October 2007

MONDAY, 1 OCTOBER

"Self-Healing Materials Systems: Mechanics Meets Chemistry," Nancy Sottos, University of Illinois, 11:15 a.m., 106 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

(title to be announced), Jian Wang, Penn State, 12:00 noon, S-5 Osmond Laboratory, Center for Nanoscale Science/MRSEC Interdisciplinary-Research Group Three (863-0007).

"Functional Conservation and Divergence of Two Recently Duplicated Kinesin Genes Important for Plant Reproduction," Li Quan, Penn State, 12:10 p.m., 108 Wartik Laboratory, host: Hong Ma, Intercollege Graduate Program in Plant Biology (863-6413).

"Trace Evidence Examination," Nicholas Petraco, City University of New York, 12:20 p.m., 113 Information Sciences and Technology Building, Forensic Science Program and Eberly College of Science (863-6758 or 867-0460).

"Carbon, Nitrogen, and Fire's Footprint in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem," Erica Smithwick, Penn State, 1:00 p.m., 118 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, Intercollege Graduate Program in Ecology (863-3371).

"The Relationship Between Climate, Disease, Radial Growth Response, and Mortality of American Beech in Northern Maine," Matthew Kasson, Penn State, 3:30 p.m., 112 Buckhout Laboratory, Department of Plant Pathology (865-6761).

"Dynamics on an Infinite Translation Surface," Patrick Hooper, Northwestern University, 3:35 p.m., 106 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Statistical Coarse-Graining of Molecular Dynamics into Peridynamics," Richard Lehoucq, Sandia National Laboratories, 3:35 p.m., 216 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Utilization of a Kinetic Approach to Study the Mechanism of the Adenosine-Triphosphate (ATP)-Dependent Protease Lon," Irene Lee, Case Western Reserve University, 4:00 p.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Craig Cameron, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (863-8705).

TUESDAY, 2 OCTOBER

"Interval-Exchange Transformations, Part Two: Ergodic Properties of Gauss Transformation," Dmitry Scheglov, Penn State, 3:30 p.m., 216 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Combinatorial Proofs of Various q-Pell Identities via Tilings," David Little, Penn State, 3:35 p.m., 315 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"What is the Outer Billiard?" Sergei Tabachnikov, Penn State, 5:00 p.m., 106 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

WEDNESDAY, 3 OCTOBER

"Real Time In-Situ Detection of Antigen-Antibody Interactions Using Imaging Ellipsometry," Claire Fleeger, Penn State, 2:30 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, host: Karl T. Mueller, Department of Chemistry (863-8674).

"Changes In Brain Processes Underlying The Maturation of Cognitive Control Through Adolescence," Beatriz Luna, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 4:00 p.m., 108 Wartik Laboratory, host: Rick Gilmore, Penn State Neuroscience Institute (865-3664).

"What Can Neutrinos Teach Us About Particle Astrophysics?" Irina Mocioiu, Penn State, 4:00 p.m., 538 Davey Laboratory, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics (865-0418).

THURSDAY, 4 OCTOBER

"Architectural Vulnerability Factor (or Does a Soft Error Matter)?" Shubu Mukherjee, Intel Corporation, 10:00 a.m., 333 Information Sciences and Technology Building, Department of Computer Science and Engineering (865-9505).

"C^0 Symplectic Topology: Part Two," Peter Spaeth, Penn State, 12:00 noon, 114 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"An Update on the Arboretum and Botanic Garden," Kim Steiner, Penn State, 12:20 p.m., 108 Tyson Building, Department of Horticulture (865-2571).

"Electrostatics Driven Assembly of Hybrid Functional Thin Films for Biomaterials and Electrochemical Devices," Paula Hammond, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 12:30 p.m, 102 Chemistry Building, host: Harry R. Allcock, Department of Chemistry (865-3527).

"Modifying Electronic Materials: From Functionalizing Surfaces to Making Devices," Stacey F. Bent, Stanford University, 2:30 p.m., 110 Wartik Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering (863-1375).

"Modeling Sparse Generalized Longitudinal Observations with Latent Gaussian Processes," Fang Yao, University of Toronto (Canada), 4:00 p.m., 201 Thomas Building, Department of Statistics (865-1348).

"Generating Series and Geometric Structure for Higher Root Systems," Adrian Ocneanu, Penn State, 5:00 p.m., 106 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

FRIDAY, 5 OCTOBER

"In Search of Quantum de Sitter Space: Generalizing the Kodama State," Andrew Randono, Penn State, 11:00 a.m., 320 Whitmore Laboratory, Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos (863-9605 or www.gravity.psu.edu).

"Working Toward Sustainable Pest Management in Eastern United States Tree-Fruit Production," Mark Brown, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 11:10 a.m., 107 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, host: Alan Cameron, Department of Entomology (865-1895).

"Regulation and Potential Novel Functions of the Myxovirus-Resistance Gene, MX1, in Ruminant Reproduction," Troy Ott, Penn State, 11:15 a.m., 127 Noll Laboratory, Intercollege Graduate Program in Physiology (865-3453).

"Ammonia-Oxidizing Microorganisms and Nitrogen Dynamics in Agricultural Soils," Matthew McCoy, Penn State, 12:20 p.m., 101 Agricultural Science and Industries Building, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, (865-6541).

"Is Anybody Out There?" (video) and "Atmospheric Hole: The History of the Ozone Layer" (video), 3:35 p.m., 211 Davey Laboratory, Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library (865-7617 or www.libraries.psu.edu/pams/filmseries.html).

SATURDAY, 6 OCTOBER and SUNDAY, 7 OCTOBER

(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.

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This issue of SCIENCE SEMINARS was produced by Kristen Devlin and Melissa Arnett.