FACULTY LECTURES
Wednesday, October 21
Professor Ellen Pikitch, Executive Director of the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science
 Stemming the Tide of Ocean ExtinctionsIt is hard to fathom irreversible loss in the sea since the ocean has long been considered vast and infinitely bountiful. But because of pollution, habitat destruction, overfishing and the effects of global climate change, we are now faced with a spiraling decline of marine ecosystems, including the irreversible loss of species. Professor Pikitch will describe the causes and consequences of extinction in the sea, through personal accounts of her expeditions and efforts to save sharks, sturgeon, and other marine wildlife around the globe. More about Ellen Pikitch » Wang Center, Lecture Hall 2 , 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm |
Thursday, October 22
Professor Richard Leakey, Professor of Anthropology
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Does Prehistory Matter in the 21st Century?Saturday, October 24
Howard Schneider, Dean, School of Journalism
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How Do You Know If You're Getting the Truth from the News Media?
Monday, October 26
Clint Rubin, Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering
 Engineering an Intervention for Osteoporosis and ObesityOsteoporosis and obesity affect more than 30% of the American population and the result is close to $200B in annual health service costs. Control of these diseases has proven difficult, with perhaps their most common factor being a "sedentary lifestyle" and the most common intervention being exercise, indicating a pivotal role of mechanical signals in defining bone and fat mass. Research has indicated that extremely small magnitude mechanical signals stimulate bone formation in the weight bearing skeleton and may represent a non-drug therapy for too much fat or not enough bone. More about Clint Rubin » Wang Center, Lecture Hall 2, 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm |
Tuesday, October 27
John Morgan, Director, The Simons Center for Geometry and Physics
 Why a Center for Geometry and Physics?During the past 35 years the subjects of geometry and physics have become increasingly intertwined. The new Simons Center for Geometry and Physics is dedicated to exploring this relationship and its consequences: Why do the mathematically non-rigorous methods of physics lead to so many fruitful questions and conjectures in geometry and possibly lead eventually to a completely new kind of geometry? Conversely, are quantum field theory and/or string theory the way to describe the fundamental laws of nature, and is a new mathematical context necessary for their correct formulation and analysis? More about John Morgan » Wang Center, Lecture Hall 2, 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm |
Wednesday, October 28
Edward Casey, Distinguished Professor, Philosophy Department
 A Matter of Edge: Border vs. Boundary at La FronteraEdward Casey is Distinguished Professor at Stony Brook University and the incoming President of the American Philosophical Association, Eastern Division. In his teaching and writings, he has taken inspiration from phenomenology, poststructuralism, and psychoanalysis. His early books give close descriptions of imagination and memory. Since the 1990s, he has focused on the role of place in people's lives, writing a series of four books, including Getting Back into Place (2nd ed. 2009). In 2007, he published The World at a Glance and is currently writing a companion volume, The World on Edge. His lecture draws upon this research, with a special focus on international borders, in particular the U.S.-Mexico border. More about Ed Casey » Wang Center, Lecture Hall 2, 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm |