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

31 January to 6 February 2005

MONDAY, 31 JANUARY

"Will That be Allele Cache or Mendelian Credit? Evidence for the Inheritance of Ancestral Sequences in Plants," Susan Lolle, National Science Foundation, 12:20 p.m., 106 Wartik Laboratory, Intercollege Graduate Program in Plant Physiology (863-3892).

"Microbial Biogeography: Islands of Opportunity," Jenn Macalady, Penn State, 1:25 p.m., 101 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, Intercollege Graduate Program in Ecology (865-5557).

"Asymmetric Allylation of Aldehydes," Keith Hester-Feldman Group, Penn State, 2:00 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, host: Keith Hester-Feldman, Department of Chemistry (863-4654).

(title to be announced), Tyce DeYoung, University of Maryland, 2:30 p.m., 339 Davey Laboratory, host: Doug Cowen, Department of Physics (863-5943).

"Searching for Galactic Sources of Gravitational-Wave Bursts," John McNabb, Penn State, 3:00 p.m., 318 Osmond Laboratory, Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry (863-9605).

"Multiple Ergodic Averages and Combinatorics," Nikos Frantzikinakis, Penn State, 3:30 p.m., 122 Pond Laboratory, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Green-Roof-Plant Responses to Different Media and Depths in Drought," Christine Thuring, Penn State, 4:00 p.m., 108 Tyson Building, Department of Horticulture (863-3371).

"Histone Methylation and Chromatin Function: Writing, Reading, and Removing the Marks," Yanming Wang (faculty candidate), Rockefeller University, 4:00 p.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: B. Franklin Pugh, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (863-1851).

"Molecular Target for Bioactive Food Components in Cancer Prevention," Keith Martin, Penn State, 4:00 p.m., S-209 Henderson Building, Graduate Program in Nutrition (865-3448).

TUESDAY, 1 FEBRUARY

"Workshop: Funding Opportunities in the Plant Sciences at the National Science Foundation (NSF)," Steve Rodermel and Susan Lolle, NSF, 9:30 a.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, Intercollege Graduate Program in Plant Physiology and Department of Biology (863-1112, or David Braun: dmb44@psu.edu, or Paula McSteen: pcm11@psu.edu).

"Arabidopsis Variegation Mutants and the Mechanisms of Chloroplast Biogenesis," Steve Rodermel, National Science Foundation, 4:00 p.m. (refreshments at 3:45 p.m.), 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: David Braun, Department of Biology (863-1108).

WEDNESDAY, 2 FEBRUARY

"Challenges in Biogeochemical Modelling: From Molecular Processes to Global Cycles," Phillipe Van Capellen, University of Ultrecht (Netherlands), 12:00 noon, 541 Deike Building, Office of the Dean of the Graduate School and Worldwide Univeristies Network (863-1274).

(title to be announced), Ross Hardison, Penn State, 12:10 p.m., 317 Mueller Laboratory, host: Masatoshi Nei, Institute of Molecular Evolutionary Genetics (863-7334).

"Ways We Live: Maps with Teeth" (video), 12:15 p.m., 105 Deike Building, Earth and Mineral Sciences Library (863-7073).

"The Use of Microcantilevers to Detect Explosives" by Seth Hayik and "Interfacing Microfluidic Systems with Mass Spectrometry" by Nick Kuklinski, Penn State, 12:30 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, hosts: Kenneth Merz and Andrew Ewing, Department of Chemistry (865-3623 and 863-4653).

"Holomorphic Curves and Algebraic Invariants in Symplectic Geometry: Part Five," Helmut Hofer, New York University, 3:30 p.m., 122 Pond Laboratory, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"The Structural Basis of Strand Displacement, Processivity, and the Use of a Protein as a Primer by phi29 DNA Polymerase," Satwik Kamtekar (faculty candidate), Yale University, 4:00 p.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Song Tan, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (863-1851).

"Understanding the Early Steps in B. anthracis Infection in the Host," Tod Merkel, United States Food and Drug Administration, 4:00 p.m., 101 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, host: Eric Harvill, Department of Veterinary Science (863-8522).

THURSDAY, 3 FEBRUARY

"On Generalized Lambert Series, Ramanujan's _1psi_1-Summation Formula, and Sears’ General Transformation," Song Heng Chan, University of Illinois, 11:15 a.m., 320 Whitmore Laboratory, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"The Requirement for Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 and the Stem-Cell-Factor Receptor (KIT) in Friend-Virus-Induced Erythroleukemia," Aparna Subramanian, Penn State, 11:15 a.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Robert Paulson, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (865-3072).

"Comparative Mammalian Genomics: Models of Evolution and Detection of Functional Elements," Adam Siepel, University of California, 4:00 p.m., 201 Thomas Building, Department of Statistics (865-1348).

"Progress in Representing Surface Heterogeneity in Mesoscale Models and Its Impacts on Planetary-Boundary-Layer (PBL) Development and Convective Initiation," Fei Chen, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 4:00 p.m., 112 Walker Building, Department of Meteorology (863-8566).

"Scale-Invariant Dynamics in Neural Systems," Larry Abbott, Brandeis University, 4:00 p.m., 117 Osmond Laboratory, host: Dezhe Jin, Department of Physics (863-6673).

"Shrinkwrapping and the Taming of Hyperbolic 3-Manifolds," David Gabai, Princeton University, 4:00 p.m., 215 Thomas Building, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Understanding Hedgehog-Protein and Wnt-Protein Signaling," Xin Zeng (faculty candidate), Harvard University, 4:00 p.m. (refreshments at 3:45 p.m.), 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Doug Cavener, Department of Biology (865-4562).

FRIDAY, 4 FEBRUARY

"The Asymptotic Safety Scenario for Gravity and Matter: Part Four," Daniele Perini, Penn State, 11:00 a.m., 318 Osmond Laboratory, Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry (863-9605).

"Tackling the Challenges of Quantum Computing with Trapped Ions," Paul Haljan, University of Michigan, 11:00 a.m., 339 Davey Laboratory, host: Kurt Gibble, Department of Physics (863-5343).

"Comparative Mammalian Genomics: Models of Evolution and Detection of Functional Elements," Adam Siepel, University of California, 11:15 a.m., 101 Althouse Laboratory, host: Ross Hardison, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (863-0113).

"A Homological-Algebra Approach to the Chromatic Polynomial," Yongwu Rong, George Washington University, 2:30 p.m., 113 Osmond Laboratory, Department of Mathematics (865-7527).

"Room-Temperature Ice-Like Water on Surfaces and in Confined Spaces of Hydrated Porous Oxides," Alan Benesi, Penn State, 2:30 p.m., 102 Chemistry Building, Department of Chemistry (865-0941).

"Vulnerability, Risk Perception, and Community Action: Local Response to Forest Disturbance on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula," Courtney Flint, Penn State, 4:00 p.m., 301 Steidle Building, Department of Geography (863-1806).

SATURDAY, 5 FEBRUARY

"Was Einstein Right? Putting General Relativity to the Test" (Frontiers lecture #3 of 5), Clifford M. Will, Washington University in St. Louis, 11:00 a.m., 100 Thomas Building, Eberly College of Science (863-0901 or science@psu.edu).

SUNDAY, 6 FEBRUARY

(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 05-74

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