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

27 November to 3 December 2006

MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER

"Gene Amplification and Origin of Novel Chromosomes," Manoj Dhar, University of Jammu (India), 12:10 p.m., 108 Wartik Laboratory, host: Surinder Chopra, Intercollege Graduate Program in Plant Biology (863-3892).

"The Molecular Ecology of Reef-Building Corals," Iliana Baums, Penn State, 1:25 p.m., 118 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, Intercollege Graduate Program in Ecology (865-5557).

"Design of Tunable Proteins: Control of Protein Structure by Electronics, by Steroelectronic Effects, and by Phosphorylation," Neal Zondlo, University of Delaware, 2:30 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, host: Blake Peterson, Department of Chemistry (865-2969).

"Dry and Wet Deposition of Phakopsora pachyrhizi Urediniospores on Soybeans," Nicholas Dufault, Penn State, 3:30 p.m., 112 Buckhout Laboratory, Department of Plant Pathology
(865-3761).

"Can Models of Abrupt Climate Change Inform Future Prediction?" Gavin A. Schmidt, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, 4:00 p.m., 114 Earth-Engineering Sciences Building, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute (863-7091).

"Trans-Membrane Traffic in the Cytochrome-b6f Complex of Oxygenic Photosynthesis," William A. Cramer, Purdue Univeristy, 4:00 p.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: John Golbeck, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (865-1163).

TUESDAY, 28 NOVEMBER

"Approximate Observables," Bianca Dittrich, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (Canada), 10:00 a.m., 320 Whitmore Laboratory, Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry (863-9605 or www.gravity.psu.edu).

CANCELLED AFTER EMAIL DISTRIBUTION:
"Calcium Signaling: New Paradigms in Cellular Communication," Donald L. Gill (candidate department head), University of Maryland, 11:15 a.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Frank Pugh, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (863-8252).

"How to Engage Your Students and Assess Their Learning at the Same Time," Neill Johnson, Penn State, 12:30 p.m., 114 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Looking for Spin in All the Wrong Places," Nitin Samarth, Penn State, 3:30 p.m., 339 Davey Laboratory, host: Dezhe Jin, Department of Physics (863-5343).

"Plumbing the Depths: Progress and Challenges in Magma Dynamics," Marc Spiegelman, Columbia University, 4:00 p.m., 22 Deike Building, Department of Geosciences (865-2622).

WEDNESDAY, 29 NOVEMBER

"Neural Engineering 2006: Network Noise Influences Neuronal Gain and Neuronal Selectivity in Primary Visual Cortex In Vivo," Diego Contreras, University of Pennsylvania, 10:00 a.m., S-5 Osmond Laboratory, host: Steven J. Schiff, Department of Neurosurgery + Department of Engineering Sciences and Mechanics + Department of Physics (863-4210 or 321-4884).

"A Discussion on Geoengineering Solutions to Global Warming," Earth Systems Science Center Scientists, Penn State, 11:15 a.m., 529 Walker Building, Earth Systems Science Center (865-0478).

"Forces that Shape the Earth" (video), 12:15 p.m., 105 Deike Building, Earth and Mineral Sciences Library (863-7073).

"Quantum-Chromodynamics (QCD) Description of Semi-Inclusive Processes," Andreas Metz, Ruhr University (Germany), 2:30 p.m., 339 Davey Laboratory, host: John Collins, Department of Physics (865-2015).

"Sum-Frequency-Generation Spectroscopy and Imaging of Surfaces," Steven Baldelli, University of Houston, 2:30 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, hosts: Dave Allara + Seong Kim + Paul Weiss, Department of Chemistry and Department of Engineering (865-2254).

"Regulation of Proliferation and Apoptosis by the Death-Inducing-Signaling-Complex (DISC) Proteins," Jianke Zhang, Thomas Jefferson University, 4:00 p.m., 101 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, host: Na Xiong, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences (863-2933 or email: nux1@psu.edu).

ADDED AFTER EMAIL DISTRIBUTION:
"The New Digital Sky: Solar System to Dark Energy," Tony Tyson, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) + University of California, 4:00 p.m., 538 Davey Laboratory, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics (865-0418).

THURSDAY, 30 NOVEMBER

"Molecular Mechanisms of Gene Regulation: Analysis of Transcription-Factor-Protein TFIID and Its Role in mRNA Gene Transcription," P. Anthony Weil (candidate department head), Vanderbilt University, 11:15 a.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Frank Pugh, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (863-8252).

"Partitions, Durfee Symbols, and the Atkin-Garvan Moments of Ranks," George Andrews, Penn State, 11:15 a.m., 106 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Bioinspired Inorganic Nanomaterials," Mary Beth Williams, Penn State, 12:30 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, host: James Anderson, Department of Chemistry (865-3933).

"Biomarker Evidence for the Evolution of Eukaryotes," Katja Meyer + Heidi Albrecht + Jim Moran, Penn State, 2:00 p.m., 240 Deike Building, Penn State Astrobiology Research Center (865-4074).

(title to be announced), Nikita Netsvetaev, St. Petersburg State University (Russia), 2:30 p.m., 113 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Detecting Differentially Expressed Time-Course Gene-Expression Profiles," Xueli Liu, University of Florida, 4:00 p.m., 201 Thomas Building, Department of Statistics (865-1348).

"Gamma-Ray-Burst Discoveries by the Swift Mission, and Gamma-Ray-Large-Area-Space-Telescope (GLAST) Prospects," Neil Gehrels, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 4:00 p.m., 117 Osmond Laboratory, host: Peter Mészáros, Department of Physics (865-3721).

"Imaging the Mantle Transition Zone Beneath the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica: There is No Plume!" Angela (Mouse) Larson, Penn State, 4:00 p.m., 202 Research West Building, Department of Geosciences (865-7965).

"Software-Model Checking," Rajeev Alur, University of Pennsylvania, 4:00 p.m., 113 Information Sciences and Technologies Building (Cybertorium), Department of Computer Science and Engineering (865-9505).

FRIDAY, 1 DECEMBER

"Diffeomorphism Invariant Scalar Field," Hammo Sahlmann, Utrecht University (Netherlands), 9:45 a.m., 320 Whitmore Laboratory, Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry (863-9605 or www.gravity.psu.edu).

"Fluid Replacement for Endurance Exercise," Scott Montain, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, 11:15 a.m., 127 Noll Laboratory, Noll Physiological Research Center (865-3453).

"Support of the Plancherel Measure: Part One," Nigel Higson, Penn State, 2:30 p.m., 106 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Two-Dimensional Infrared Spectroscopy of Protein Conformation and Unfolding," Andrei Tokmakoff, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2:30 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, host: John Asbury, Department of Chemistry (863-6309).

"Logic: The Structure of Reason" (video), 3:30 p.m., 211 Davey Laboratory, Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library (865-7617 or www.libraries.psu.edu/pams/filmseries.html).

"The Use of Fluorescent Staining to Determine Cell Viability of Bacteria and Fungi," Aaron Brown, Penn State, 3:30 p.m., 112 Buckhout Laboratory, Department of Plant Pathology (865-3761).

(title to be announced), Gregory Eyink, Johns Hopkins University, 3:35 p.m., 106 McAllister Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Infectious-Disease Dynamics in Space and Time," Brian Grenfell, Penn State, 4:00 p.m., 112 Walker Building, Department of Geography (865-3433).

SATURDAY, 2 DECEMBER and SUNDAY, 3 DECEMBER

(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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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.

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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 07-52

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