2nd Annual MIT-Schlumberger Workshop: Physics and Chemistry of Rocks
Frank Dale Morgan, Brian Evans, Dan Burns, Peter Tilke, Austin Boyd, and Michael Prange
Tue Jan 31, Wed Feb 1, 08:30am-05:00pm, 66-110
No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: None
Our understanding of the physics and chemistry of sedimentary rocks at the pore scale has advanced considerably in recent years. An appreciation and understanding of the role of the fluids filling the pores and their physiochemical interaction with the rock matrix has also developed. We will review some key challenges and current areas of research facing both academic and industrial scientists. The latest techniques and issues in measuring and modeling these rock-fluid systems will be addressed. Speakers will come from MIT, Schlumberger, industry and the government. The covered topics should also be of interest to anyone investigating the properties of composite materials.
Contact: Frank Dale Morgan, E34-412, x3-7857, morgan@erl.mit.edu
Sponsor: Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
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G. R. Harrison Spectroscopy Laboratory: IAP Program
Michael S. Feld
Wed Jan 11, 09:30am-03:00pm, E25-111
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Prereq: None
8:30 am-9:30 am: Poster set-up
9:30 am-11:30 am: IAP Lecture Program - Soft Condensed Matter: Physics, Biology and Chemistry Paul Matsudaira, Dept. of Biology, MIT
Protein springs: nN forces and µm movements in msec-sec time periods
Howard Stone, Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
A high-speed microfluidic differential manometer for cellular-scale hydrodynamics
Michael Feld, MIT Spectroscopy Laboratory and Dept. of Physics
Nanoscale microscopy of living cells with optical interferometry
11:30 am-1:30 pm: Poster session and Lunch
Prizes awarded for the posters
1:30 pm-3:00 pm: Annual meeting/ Graduate Student Talks
Matthew DeCamp (Tokmakoff group)
Shin Grace Chou (Dresselhaus group)
Yinthai Chan (Bawendi group)
Steve Reece (Nocera group)
Web: http://web.mit.edu/spectroscopy/events/iap.html
Contact: Gabriel Popescu, 6-014, x8-7831, gpopescu@mit.edu
Sponsor: Spectroscopy Lab
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Health and Safety Issues of Nanomaterials
Marilyn Hallock
Fri Jan 27, 11am-12:00pm, 2-139
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
The exciting field of nanotechnology is creating the next industrial revolution in engineering. It is also creating the new field of nanotoxicology. Are nanoparticles more toxic than dust particles we normally work with? Could carbon nanotubes possibly be the next asbestos? Come find out what we know and don't know and how to work safely in your laboratory with nanomaterials.
No prerequisite.
Contact: Marilyn Hallock, N52-490, x3-0344, hallock@mit.edu
Sponsor: Environment, Health and Safety Office
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How to Write a Successful Grant Application
Dr. Stephen Steadman
Tue Jan 24, 03-04:00pm, 26-414, Kolker Room
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Many young researchers writing grant applications make serious errors despite having outstanding ideas that are well worth support by federal agencies. These include sending the proposal to the wrong program, missing deadlines for proposal submission, and incomplete or poorly written proposals. A description of the proposal process will be presented with information to help avoid these and other errors, with particular emphasis on funding in the physical sciences by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Dr. Steadman has recently been a Program Director/Manager in both agencies. Please contact the person listed below by Friday, Jan. 20 so enough copies of handout materials will be available.
Contact: Dr. Stephen Steadman, 26-505, x8-8678, steadman@mit.edu
Sponsor: Lab for Nuclear Science
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Out of Gas - The End of the Age of Oil
David Goodstein California Institute of Technology
Thu Jan 12, 02-03:30pm, 4-370
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
The world will start to run out of cheap, conventionally-produced oil much sooner than most people expect, possibly within this decade. This talk will discuss the reasoning that leads to that conclusion and the likely consequences if it is correct. It may be possible, with considerable difficulty, to substitute other fossil fuels for the missing oil, but if we do that we may do irreparable damage to Earth's climate. And even then we would start to run out of all fossil fuels, including coal, probably within this century. Can civilization survive if that happens? We will consider the possibilities.
Web: http://www.its.caltech.edu/~dg/
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, x3-8101, rivenberg@psfc.mit.edu
Sponsor: Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Cosponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: a The History of the Universe in One Hour
Max Tegmark
Mon Jan 9, 01:30-02:30pm, 32-123
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
With a cosmic flight simulator, we'll take a scenic journey through space and time. After exploring our local Galactic neighborhood, we'll travel 13.7 billion years back to explore the Big Bang itself and how state-of-the-art measurements are transforming our understanding of our cosmic origin and ultimate fate. If you have questions about dark matter, dark energy, black holes, parallel universes or other things cosmological, this will be a great opportunity to ask them!
Contact: Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, ashoori@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: b Zero is Ruled Out. Neutrino Mass and its Consequences
Joe Formaggio
Wed Jan 11, 01:30-02:30pm, 32-123
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
An astonishing culmination of discoveries taking place over the last decade has led to a revolution in our understanding of neutrinos –one of nature’s most elusive particles. Originally proposed by Wolfgang Pauli in 1930 as a “desperate remedy” to save the law of conservation of energy, these chargeless, weakly-interacting, and (nearly) massless particles that permeate throughout the cosmos have been challenging our understanding of particle physics. During my talk, I will discuss the implications that come from a massive neutrino, and the current experimental efforts devoted to measuring neutrino mass.
Contact: Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, ashoori@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: c Out of Gas - The End of the Age of Oil
David Goodstein
Thu Jan 12, 02-03:30pm, 4-370
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
The world will start to run out of cheap, conventionally-produced oil much sooner than most people expect, possibly within this decade. This talk will discuss the reasoning that leads to that conclusion and the likely consequences if it is correct. It may be possible, with considerable difficulty, to substitute other fossil fuels for the missing oil, but if we do that we may do irreparable damage to Earth's climate. And even then we would start to run out of all fossil fuels, including coal, probably within this century. Can civilization survive if that happens? We will consider the possibilities.
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, 253-8101, rivenberg@psfc.mit.edu
Sponsor: Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Cosponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: e Working on Wall Street
Scott McDermott
Fri Jan 20, 01:30-02:30pm, 32-123
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Scott McDermott, managing director at Goldman Sachs and an alumni of MIT’s physics department, will speak about his perceptions of what physics graduates can offer the financial services industry. Wall Street, hedge funds, investment management, mortgage finance, and consumer lending are all areas where physics training can be helpful in solving business problems. Scott will give some examples of where physicists have been successful in the financial services industry, and describe some of the roles that newly-hired physics students might play. More practically, Scott has been active in recruiting MIT students and physics students generally to his firm, and will give his opinions about what financial services recruiters are looking for in a candidate, and how physics students might prepare for their interviews.
Contact: Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, 253-5585, ashoori@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: f Photonic Crystals and Optical "Circuitry"
Marin Soljacic
Wed Jan 18, 01:30-02:30pm, 32-123
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
In recent years, photonic crystals have caused a revolution in the field of nano-photonics: they enable unprecedented control and manipulation of light at scales smaller than the wavelength of light.
In addition to novel and fascinating physics, their properties also enable implementation of miniature optical logic elements that operate at frequencies much larger than electronic logic, with very important applications for next-generation telecomm, personal computing, etc.
Contact: Marin Soljacic, 12-112, 253-2467, marin@alum.mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: g The ABC of Making a Space Experiment - A Real Experience
Ulrich Becker
Thu Jan 19, 01:30-02:30pm, 32-123
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Anti-matter, also Alligators
Bureaucracy NASA
Cosmic considerations
Dark or strange matter
(All invited! Few formulas)
Contact: Ulrich Becker, 44-123B, 253-5822, becker@MITLNS.MIT.EDU
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: 6Physics in Search of Oil and Gas
Martin G. Lüling , Schlumberger
Thu Feb 2, 01:30-02:30pm, 32-123
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
The search for oil and gas uses different physical measurements to determine the spatial distribution of these materials with high measurement accuracy and good spatial resolution. This presentation offers a historic review of the evolution of such measurement methods, followed by a comprehensive discussion of present measurement technologies and their impact on the oil and gas production. Directional drilling directly benefits from real-time measurements that permit to steer a horizontal well into target zones full of oil and gas up to 10 km away. Future developments foresee more environmentally responsible intervention, such as the sequestering and storage of carbon dioxide to reduce atmospheric warming.
Contact: Maria Riefstahl, 4-352, x3-4461, maria@MIT.EDU
Sponsor: Physics
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Plasma Science and Fusion Center IAP Series
Jeffrey Freidberg, Peter Catto, Steve Wukitch
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
This series introduces plasma physics research and areas of related interest at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center. See URL below.
Web: http://www.psfc.mit.edu/
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, x3-8101, rivenberg@psfc.mit.edu
Sponsor: Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Star Trek: Magnetic Fusion's New Journey
Miklos Porkolab
In Cadarache, France, the world is about to embark on the largest international science project ever undertaken, building the International Tokamak Experimental Fusion Reactor (ITER), a high temperature, self-heated “burning” plasma experiment. This talk will present recent advances in high temperature plasma physics research on existing tokamak facilities and discuss some of the remaining physics issues surrounding ITER.
Tue Jan 10, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
The Future Prospects of Fusion Plants
Farrokh Najmabadi UC San Diego
Tue Jan 10, 02-03:00pm, NW17-218
America the Powerless: Facing our Nuclear Energy Dilemma
Alan Waltar Director of Energy, DOE Pacific Northwest National Lab
America once provided clear global leadership in the development of civilian nuclear power. However, a set of concerns--including a fear of radiation, waste disposal, nuclear proliferation, risk phobia and the environmentalist movement--essentially stopped nuclear power growth in the U.S. during the 1980s and 1990s. The tide is now turning and the prospects for a nuclear renaissance appear to be quite strong.
Wed Jan 11, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218, Sponsored by NSE
Hydrodynamic Instabilities in Astrophysics and at High Energy Density
Paul Drake Laboratory for Astrophysical Simulations
In the evolution of both astrophysical systems and high-energy-density laboratory systems, hydrodynamic instabilities naturally evolve. The speaker will discuss the instabilities that appear in both environments, using examples taken from experiments aimed at Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF), from astrophysical systems, and from experiments using high-energy-density systems to address issues in astrophysics.
Wed Jan 11, 02-03:00pm, NW17-218
Radiation and Modern Life: Fulfilling Marie Curie's Dream
Alan Waltar Director of Energy, DOE Pacific Northwest National Lab
Radiation has been harnessed over the past hundred years to provide an astonishing array of benefits to modern life. Agriculture, medicine, industry, transportation, space exploration, public safety, environmental protection and electrical production have all been affected. In the U.S. alone, well over $400 billion is added to our economy annually from the applications of radiation, as well as over 4 million jobs.
Thu Jan 12, 10-11:00am, NW17-218, Sponsored by NSE
Out of Gas - The End of the Age of Oil
David Goodstein California Institute of Technology
The world will start to run out of cheap, conventionally-produced oil much sooner than most people expect, possibly within this decade. This talk will discuss the reasoning that leads to that conclusion and the likely consequences if it is correct. Cosponsored with the PSFC by Physics Department and the Energy Council.
Thu Jan 12, 02-03:30pm, 4-370
ITER-Relevant Research on Alcator C-Mod Tokamak
Bob Granetz
Despite its compact size, many of Alcator C-Mod's engineering and plasma parameters are comparable to those planned for ITER. This enables C-Mod to address a number of the physics issues relevant to ITER and to provide valuable input to ITER's design.
Fri Jan 13, 10-11:00am, NW17-218
Stable under Pressure: High Beta Plasmas in the (Almost) Levitated Dipole Experiment
Darren Garnier Columbia University
In its first year of operation, the Levitated Dipole Experiment has routinely produced stable high beta (the ratio of plasma to magnetic energy) plasmas with the dipole suspended by small supports. LDX is the first experiment to show such high beta plasma that is stabilized by compressibility. This talk will discuss the current challenges facing LDX, and the plans for levitation of the dipole.
Fri Jan 13, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
Tour of PSFC Fusion Experiments
Tour guide to be announced
The PSFC is exploring fusion through two different devices. The Alcator C-Mod tokamak is a well tested approach that has produced decades of progress towards achieving fusion energy. The Levitated Dipole Experiment is a brand new approach, only been in operation since August. Come see what makes these experiments unique.
Fri Jan 13, 01-02:00pm, NW17-218 and NW21
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Sustainable Futures: Preventing Pollution at MIT
Bill Van Schalkwyk, Jeffrey Steinfeld, Susan Leite, Jacqueline Tio
Thu Jan 26, 10am-12:00pm, 6-321
Enrollment limited: first come, first served
Signup by: 19-Jan-2006
Single session event
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Waste not, want not. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Buzzword or adage, is it relevant to MIT? Yes!
As part of its Environment, Health, and Safety Management System (EHS-MS), MIT is implementing a Pollution Prevention (P2) Program. P2 looks at the processes that generate waste, and identifies opportunities to reduce EHS impacts upstream to minimize hazards downstream. Hear about MIT's proposed framework, and your role in the P2 program.
Green Chemistry is P2 at the chemical level. MIT is exploring green chemistry for strategic hazardous waste management and an opportunity to demonstrate environmental stewardship. Learn about MIT's green chemistry resources; chemical alternatives; and an electronic tool under development to encourage more benign chemical purchasing.
Contact: Susan Leite, N52-496, 253-5246, smleite@mit.edu
Sponsor: Environmental Programs Office
Cosponsor: Chemistry
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The Feynman Films
Markos Hankin
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: None
This series of films by Richard Feynman is open to the MIT community.
Contact: Markos Hankin, 4-309, 253-4844, mhankin@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
The Law of Gravitation
Markos Hankin
Mon Jan 9, 12-01:00pm, 32-123
The Best Mind Since Einstein
Markos Hankin
Wed Jan 11, 12-01:00pm, 32-123
The Relation of Mathematics to Physics
Markos Hankin
Thu Jan 12, 12-01:00pm, 32-123
The Great Conservation Principles
Markos Hankin
Wed Jan 18, 12-01:00pm, 32-123
Symmetry in Physical Law
Markos Hankin
Thu Jan 19, 12-01:00pm, 32-123
The Last Journey of a Genius
Markos Hankin
Fri Jan 20, 12-01:00pm, 32-123
Take the World from Another Point of View
Markos Hankin
Mon Jan 23, 12-01:00pm, 32-123
The Distinction of Past and Future
Markos Hankin
Wed Jan 25, 12-01:00pm, 32-123
Probability and Uncertainty
Markos Hankin
Thu Jan 26, 12-01:00pm, 32-123
Seeking New Laws
Markos Hankin
Fri Jan 27, 12-01:00pm, 32-123
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The Materials Science of Renewable Energy: Materials Fundamentals in Fuel Cells, Solar Cells, and Batteries
David Danielson, Josh Hertz, Elsa Olivetti, Ken Avery
No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 25-Dec-2005
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: None
This course will provide a foundation for understanding materials issues underpinning three key electronic and electrochemical renewable energy devices: fuel cells, solar cells, and batteries. The operating principles, terminology, and dominant technologies will be reviewed, materials limitations will be discussed, and current research approaches will be presented. Characterization methods for these materials and devices will be presented in both classroom and hands-on settings.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/mit_energy/IAP_Courses/MatSci_of_RE/index.html
Contact: David Danielson, 13-4138, x3-3157, dtdaniel@mit.edu
Sponsor: Energy Club
David Danielson, Josh Hertz, Elsa Olivetti, Ken Avery
Fuel Cell Materials & Device Fundamentals (SOFC, PEM)
Tue Jan 10, 04-05:30pm, 2-135
David Danielson, Josh Hertz, Elsa Olivetti, Ken Avery
Battery Materials & Device Fundamentals (Li-ion, NiMH, Pb-acid)
Thu Jan 12, 04-05:30pm, 2-135
David Danielson, Josh Hertz, Elsa Olivetti, Ken Avery
Experimental Methods in Batteries & Fuel Cells (Hand-On)
Tue Jan 17, 04-05:30pm, 2-135
David Danielson, Josh Hertz, Elsa Olivetti, Ken Avery
Computational Methods in Batteries & Fuel Cells (Hands-On)
Thu Jan 19, 04-05:30pm, 2-135
David Danielson, Josh Hertz, Elsa Olivetti, Ken Avery
Solar Cell Materials & Device Fundamentals (Si, thin-film, advanced)
Tue Jan 24, 04-05:30pm, 2-135
David Danielson, Josh Hertz, Elsa Olivetti, Ken Avery
Experimental Methods in Solar Cells (Hands-On)
Thu Jan 26, 04-05:30pm, 2-135
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The Prime Number Theorem, History and Proof
Prof. Sigurdur Helgason
Thu Jan 12, 12:30-02:00pm, 2-132
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
The location of prime numbers is a central question in number theory. Around 1808, Legendre offered experimental evidence that the number P(x) of primes < x behaves like x/log x for large x. Tchebychev proved (1848) the partial result that the ratio of P(x) to x/log x for large x lies between 7/8 and 9/8. In 1896 Hadamard and de la Vallée Poussin proved the Prime Number Theorem that this limit is exactly 1. Many distinguished mathematicians (including our N. Wiener) have contributed to a simplification of the proof and now (by an important device by D.J. Newmann) a very short and easy proof is available. This will be given in the lecture in full and elementary detail.
Contact: Sigurdur Helgason, 2-182, x3-3668, helgason@MIT.EDU
Sponsor: Mathematics
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Tour of the MIT-Bates Electron Linear Accelerator Center
Dr. Stephen Steadman, Prof. Richard Milner
Tue Jan 31, 01-04:30pm, Bldg 26 Loading dock
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 30-Jan-2006
Limited to 25 participants.
Single session event
The MIT Bates Center, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science and located in Middleton, provides up to 1 GeV beams of electrons that has been used for basic research in nuclear physics. The facility is now being used in new ways as an interdisciplinary center for research and development in accelerator science and technology. A brief general description of the facility and its research will be followed by a tour of the facility. Transportation to Bates will be provided; signup needed to have ride available.
Web: http://mitbates.lns.mit.edu/bates/control/main
Contact: Dr. Stephen Steadman, 26-505, x8-8678, steadman@mit.edu
Sponsor: Lab for Nuclear Science
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