2008 EAPS Lecture Series: Extinctions and Radiations, The Rise and Fall of Life on Earth
Lindy Elkins-Tanton
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Over most of the last 3.8 billion years life on Earth consisted of single cells. About 570 million years ago there began the single greatest radiation of life on Earth, when multicellular life developed with astonishing speed. Since that Cambrian explosion the numbers of species has risen in general, but its rise has been punctuated by many extinction events, during which numbers of species dropped suddenly, and by radiations, in which the numbers and varieties of species surged again. Researchers active in their fields will present a series of lectures on the rise and fall of life on Earth.
Contact: Vicki McKenna, 54-910, x3-3380, vsm@mit.edu
Sponsor: Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
"The K-T extinction"
Steve D'Hondt R.I. School of Oceanography
Mon Jan 7, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
“High-precision chronologies of extinctions and radiations”
Sam Bowring
Fri Jan 18, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
“A likely but improbable event: The unique consequences of oblique impacts in Earth history”
Peter Schultz Geological Sciences, Brown University
Wed Jan 23, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
“From water to land, and limbs from fins: The landmark evolutionary emergence of tetrapods”
Farish Jenkins Alexander Agassiz Prof. of Zoology in the MCZ, Harvard Univ.
Mon Jan 28, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
“The rise of multicellularity”
Andrew Knoll Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University
Tue Jan 29, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
"Global warming and biological turnover at the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary"
Will Clyde Earth Science, University of New Hampshire
Wed Jan 30, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
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Climate Change Science Series : Looking Back on the Future of Climate Change
Daniel Enderton, Brian Rose
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Concerns about climate change are not new. In this two part lecture series we take a look back at the development of our understanding of the science of climate change, from both a theoretical and observational viewpoint.
In the first session, we will give a brief history of climate science.
In the second session, we will investigate climate changes in the observational record over the past 100-200 years with an emphasis on if and how these changes can be attributed to global warming.
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Contact: Therese Henderson, E40-428, x3-7492, tzh@mit.edu
Sponsor: Joint Program/Science and Policy of Global Change
Cosponsor: Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
Climate Change Science Series I
Daniel Enderton, Brian Rose
The story of the growth in scientific understanding of the greenhouse effect and consequent concerns about global warming is intimately connected to the study of past climates, especially the great Pleistocene ice ages that ended roughly 10,000 years ago. We will explore this parallel, and attempt to trace out some of the significant milestones in the science of climate change, from Arrhenius to the IPCC.
Mon Jan 14, 01-02:30pm, E40-496
Climate Change Science Series II
Daniel Enderton, Brian Rose
The talk will cover (but not be limited too) temperature, precipitation, sea level, and sea and land ice data. Time permitting, we will also cover how these climate variables are projected to change in the future with the requisite discussion of uncertainty in climate modeling. (Please also join us before this session for the Climate Change Boardgame I : Educational Gaming activity at 10:30-12:00 in E40-298.)
Tue Jan 15, 01-02:30pm, E40-298
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Error and Fraud in Organic Synthesis
Professor Rick Danheiser
Thu Jan 17, 04-06:00pm, 3-270
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This lecture will review several notable case histories of published research that later turned out to be erroneous. Questions that will be discussed include which cases involved "honest error" and in which was there an intention to deceive, why fraud is rare in organic synthesis, how organic chemistry is "self correcting", and steps that can be taken to minimize the publication of fraudulent work. Case histories to be described include examples from the total syntheses of natural products and methods for absolute asymmetric synthesis and C-H bond activation.
Contact: Professor Rick Danheiser, 18-298, x3-1842, danheiser@mit.edu
Sponsor: Chemistry
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Health and Safety Issues of Nanomaterials
Marilyn Hallock, Dan Kallin, Carolyn Stahl
Wed Jan 16, 10-11:30am, 46-3189
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. Will include update of this year's research findings on nanotoxicology.
No prerequisite.
Contact: Melissa Kavlakli, N52-496, x2-3233, mjpotter@mit.edu
Sponsor: Environment, Health and Safety Office
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How to Write a Successful Grant Application
Dr. Stephen Steadman
Thu Jan 31, 01-02:00pm, 26-414, Kolker Room
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Many 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 submitting 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 been a Program Director/Manager in both agencies. Please send email request by Tuesday, Jan. 29 for a copy of handout materials. Video conferencing of presentation may be arranged -- please contact S. Steadman.
Contact: Dr. Stephen Steadman, 26-505, x8-8678, steadman@mit.edu
Sponsor: Lab for Nuclear Science
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community
Prof. Nergis Mavalvala
Thu Jan 24, 01:30-02:30am, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Gravitational waves are believed to be emitted by massive astrophysical objects such as black holes and neutron stars. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) is part of an international effort to directly detect these waves. As currently operational detectors are used to search for astrophysical sources of gravitational waves, we are entering an exciting new era of gravitational wave astronomy. Come find out how these detectors work, and what we are learning from them.
Contact: Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, 253-5585, ashoori@MIT.EDU
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: a Ultracold atomic gases: The coldest matter in the Universe
Prof. Martin Zwierlein
Tue Jan 15, 01:30-02:30pm, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
At temperatures a million times colder than interstellar space, and at densities a million times thinner than air, atomic gases transform into new states of matter, they become superfluid. In this world, quantum mechanics sets the rules: Atoms behave as waves, they interfere like laser light and they flow without friction. In this lecture I will present the cooling methods, laser cooling and evaporative cooling, that allow us to reach these ultra-low temperatures, and then demonstrate the "super"flow of these gases. I will show that this is directly related to another "super" phenomenon: Superconductivity.
Contact: Monica Wolf, 4-315, 253-4855, mwolf@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: b Mining for Dark Matter:Searching for the Dark Side of the Universe
Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano
Wed Jan 16, 01:30-02:30pm, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Mining for Dark Matter: Searching for the Dark Side of the Universe Half a Mile Underground
The answers to some of the biggest cosmic questions may lie not in the heavens, but deep underground. Scientists all around the world are searching for the elusive Dark Matter, a mysterious substance that makes up 24% of the Universe. One class of candidates for Dark Matter are called Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, or WIMPs. Half a mile underground in the Soudan mine in Minnesota, we are mining data from our detectors trying to strike gold: the first direct evidence of Dark Matter. In this talk we will describe the efforts currently underway in this exciting cosmological gold rush.
Contact: Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, 253-5585, ashoori@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: c "Staring at the sun a mile underground"
Prof. Joseph Formaggio
Thu Jan 17, 01:30-02:30pm, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
"Staring at the sun a mile underground"
(and other odd ways neutrinos come into our world)
Ever since their inception by Wolfgang Pauli in 1930, neutrinos have been a mysterious phenomena in the mind of particle physicists. Chargeless, massless (well, nearly massless) particles that can pass through the entire Earth without even deflecting once, neutrinos have continually challenged both experimental and theoretical physicists. In my talk, I will discuss some of the odd history and milestones in our study of neutrinos, and how they have helped us understand the basic foundation of what is often referred to as the Standard Model of particle physics.
Contact: Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, 253-5585, ashoori@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: d From Quarks to Nuclei: What happened after the Big Bang?
Prof. June Matthews
Tue Jan 22, 01:30-02:30pm, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
When the universe began in a Big Bang, a hot sea of quarks and gluons was created which coalesced to form protons and neutrons. During the next few minutes, the protons and neutrons came together to form deuterium, helium, and a small amount of lithium. In the theory of "Big Bang Nucleosynthesis," one uses nuclear reaction rates measured in the laboratory to predict the abundances of these elements that can be compared with observations by astronomers. However, the most basic reaction, the formation of deuterium, has not been well measured. I will describe an experiment designed to remedy this situation.
Contact: Prof. Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, 253-5585, ashoori@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: e One Physicist's Journey: Asking the Right Question
Larry Votta
Wed Jan 9, 01:30-02:30pm, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Larry Votta,'79 MIT Physics Ph.D, will talk about his 27-year journey to answer his thesis advisor's question: "How did I know that my software programs were correct?" and tenuous generalizations of the nature of physics and the modern physics career.
Contact: Maryglenn Vincens, 4-309, 452-2807, vincens@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: f "Seeking the Cosmic Zephyr: A Dark Matter Quest"
Dr. Jocelyn Monroe
Wed Jan 23, 01:15-01:30pm, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
The universe contains at least five times more dark matter than normal matter, such as atoms. The existence of dark matter is demonstrated by its gravitational interactions with normal matter, but the properties of these mysterious "dark" particles are unknown. The motion of our solar system around the galactic center should produce an apparent dark matter wind, which may enable the definitive observation of dark matter particles. The nature of dark matter is one of the key questions today in physics and astrophysics. A world-wide race is on to directly observe dark matter particles interacting in terrestrial detectors. This search requires the most sensitive detectors and cleanest environments in the history of particle physics. I will describe the evidence for dark matter, and the hunt for the dark matter wind.
Contact: Prof. Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, 253-5585, ashoori@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: g Various Physics Topics
Various Speakers
Mon-Thu, Jan 7, 9-10, 15-17, 22-24, 28, 01:30-02:30pm, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Lectures given by members of the MIT Physics Community including:
Prof. Young Lee, Larry Votta, Prof. Eric Hudson, Prof. Martin Zweirlein, Prof. Tali Figueroa-Feliciano, Prof. Joe Formaggio, Prof. June Matthews, Dr. Jocelyn Monroe and Prof. Nergis Mavalvala
Contact: Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, 253-5585, ashoori@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community: i The Quest for the Holy Grail of Quantum Magnetism: The Elusive Spin L
Prof. Young Lee
Mon Jan 7, 01:30-02:30pm, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Can new states of matter be created using an ordinary oven? One of the central issues in condensed matter physics focuses on understanding the exotic phases which emerge from collections of interacting electrons. This talk will introduce the basic concepts in this active field of research. The powerful technique of neutron scattering, an essential tool in this pursuit, will be described. Intriguing new materials will be highlighted, ranging from novel superconductors to the quest for the holy grail of quantum magnetism here at MIT.
Contact: Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, 253-5585, ashoori@MIT.EDU
Sponsor: Physics
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community:j Investigating Complexity One Atom at a Time
Prof. Eric Hudson
Thu Jan 10, 01:30-02:30pm, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Investigating Complexity One Atom at a Time:
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy of High Temperature Superconductors
In this talk I will introduce the technique of STM and provide an overview of what we know and don't know about high temperature superconductors. I will then describe my group's recent use of scanning tunneling microscopy to
discover new properties of these mysterious materials.
Contact: Prof. Ray Ashoori, 13-2053, 253-5585, ashoori@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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Plasma Science and Fusion Center IAP Series
Jeffrey Freidberg, Peter Catto, John Rice
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
Colossal Problems in the Utility Industries
Thomas Eagar
Energy transportation and utilization occurs on a very large scale. When even small problems occur, the negative consequences can be substantial. This presentation will review several notable failures, and will discuss the root causes.
Wed Jan 16, 11-12:00am, NW17-218
Sustainable Energy: Myth of Reality?
Michael Golay
Concepts of sustainability will be examined, as will be methods for satisfying future energy needs while protecting the environment. Michael Golay is a founder and stalwart participant in subject 22.811J, Sustainable Energy
Wed Jan 16, 01-02:00pm, NW17-218
Bringing Extreme Astrophysical Phenomena into the Laboratory
Bruce Remington Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The explosion dynamics of core-collapse supernovae’ the radiation kinetics of accreting neutron stars or black holes: High-Energy-Density (HED) facilities, such as high-power lasers and magnetic pinch facilities, are making it possible to study aspects of extreme astrophysical phenomena such as these in the laboratory.
Thu Jan 17, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
A Hitchhiker's Guide to Fusion Basics
Catherine Fiore
A Hitchhiker's guide to Fusion Basics: Fusion is the most important energy source in the galaxy, but it is severely underutilized here on Earth. This talk will highlight the basics of magnetically confined plasmas for achieving controlled nuclear fusion, including the current state of research and the associated physics and engineering challenges.
Tue Jan 22, 10-11:00am, NW17-218
Advanced Scenario Research on C-Mod: Towards a Better Tokamak Reactor
Amanda Hubbard
The tokamak is currently the most developed of fusion devices, and is the basis for the ITER burning plasma experiments. A disadvantage for a reactor is that it is typically a pulsed device. Research on C-Mod and other tokamaks aims to explore 'advanced' regimes of operation in which current is driven externally or generated by the plasma, leading to a steady state and generally more attractive fusion reactor.
Tue Jan 22, 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, inspired by observing space plasmas around planets. Come see what makes these experiments unique.
Tue Jan 22, 01-02:00pm, NW17-218
Back to the Future: Fusion Hybrids for Sustainable Energy
Wallace Manheimer Naval Research Laboratory- retired
The idea of using fusion neutrons to breed nuclear fuel (the fusion hybrid) goes back to the dawn of the fusion program. The concept has generally been ignored, only to be 'rediscovered' every decade or two. This talk will make the case that its time is now. With a dedicated, focused fusion program, reoriented toward the hybrid, fusion can play a key role in powering the mid century world.
Wed Jan 23, 11-12:00am, NW17-218
The Thermonuclear Internal Combustion Engine
Riccardo Betti Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester
A hydrogen plasma can be compressed by a laser "piston" and ignited by a laser "spark plug" similarly to gasoline fuel in an internal combustion engine. This talk describes the inertial confinement approach to nuclear fusion energy.
Fri Jan 25, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
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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, 6c-207, 253-4844, mhankin@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
The Law of Gravitation
Markos Hankin
Mon Jan 7, 12-01:00pm, 6-120
The Best Mind Since Einstein
Markos Hankin
Wed Jan 9, 12-01:00pm, 6-120
The Relation of Mathematics to Physics
Markos Hankin
Thu Jan 10, 12-01:00pm, 6-120
The Great Conservation Principles
Markos Hankin
Tue Jan 15, 12-01:00pm, 6-120
Symmetry in Physical Law
Markos Hankin
Wed Jan 16, 12-01:00pm, 6-120
The Last Journey of a Genius
Markos Hankin
Thu Jan 17, 12-01:00pm, 6-120
Take the World from Another Point of View
Markos Hankin
Tue Jan 22, 12-01:00pm, 6-120
The Distinction of Past and Future
Markos Hankin
Wed Jan 23, 12-01:00pm, 6-120
Probability and Uncertainty
Markos Hankin
Thu Jan 24, 12-01:00pm, 6-120
Seeking New Laws
Markos Hankin
Mon Jan 28, 12-01:00pm, 6-120
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Tour of the MIT-Bates Electron Linear Accelerator Center
Dr. Stephen Steadman, Prof. Robert Redwine
Tue Jan 29, 01-04:30pm, Bldg 26 Loading dock
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 28-Jan-2008
Limited to 25 participants.
Single session event
The MIT Bates Linear Accelerator Center, supported primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science and located in Middleton, provides up to 1 GeV beams of electrons. The facility is now being used in new ways as an interdisciplinary center for research and development in accelerator science and technology and for development of new detectors for nuclear and particle physics. A brief general description of the facility and its research will be followed by a tour of the facility. (It's impressive -- see the web link below for details.) Transportation to Bates will be provided; signup needed to have ride available. (The facility is in Middleton, about 22 miles from the MIT Cambridge campus.)
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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