Warm up your wintertime Saturdays by learning about hot topics such as fusion energy, the first electromagnetic machine, and cell-to-cell communication among bacteria. These and other topics will be featured during the Science-on-Saturday lecture series beginning January 9 at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) in Plainsboro.
The series, in its 26th year, includes nine talks on several Saturdays from January through March. Although the free talks are geared toward high school students, teachers, parents, and community members are welcome to attend. Doors open at 8 a.m. and talks begin at 9:30 a.m. Event coordinators are Ronald Hatcher, Kathleen Lukazik, and James Morgan. The talks include:
January 9: “Tiny Conspiracies: Cell-to-Cell Communication in Bacteria” presented by Bonnie L. Bassler, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.
January 16: “An Earthling’s Guide to Photographing Extrasolar Planets” presented by Paul Kalas, Associate Adjunct Professor Astronomy Department, University of California-Berkeley, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, Mountain View, California.
January 23: “A New Understanding of the First Electromagnetic Machine: Joseph Henry’s Electric Motor” presented by Michael Littman, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University.
January 30: “Turbulent Flow: From Submarines to Global Warming” presented by Alexander Smits, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University.
February 6: “What Happened Before the Big Bang?” presented by Martin Bojowald, Associate Professor of Physics, Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park.
February 13: “Break an Enzyme, Have a Glass of Milk, Conquer a Continent” presented by Henry Harpending, Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
February 20: “Fusion Energy: Why, How and When” presented by Stewart Prager, Director, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.
February 27: No program due to New Jersey Regional High School Science Bowl.
March 6: “Making Music: Materials and the Art and Science of Sound” presented by Ulrike G.K. Wegst and Anne Stevens, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia.
March 13: “Cold Plasma Interaction with Living Tissue: Mechanisms and Applications” presented by Gregory Fridman, A.J. Drexel Plasma Institute, Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia.
The laboratory is on Princeton University’s Forrestal Campus off Route 1 in Plainsboro. The lectures usually last, with questions, about two hours. Registration is on-site prior to each session. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Heightened security measures are in effect and all adult visitors must show a government-issued photo I.D.
This could include a passport or a driver’s license. Non-U.S. adult citizens must show a photo I.D., plus provide the following information: citizenship, date of birth, and place of birth. Security staff retains the right to inspect vehicles and personal packages such as briefcases, satchels, book bags, and purses.
Science on Saturday, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Forrestal Campus, Route 1 North, Plainsboro. Register on site. Photo ID required. Free. 609-243-2121. www.pppl.gov
