Evnin Lecture Series
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Lunchtime Seminar Series
2009 Evnin Lecture
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
"Of Neurons, Decisions and Value: Probing the Unconscious Math of the
Brain"
Professor William T. Newsome
School of Medicine
Stanford University
8:00 p.m., Reynolds Auditorium, McDonnell Hall
Second 2008 Evnin Lecture
Thursday, November 6, 2008
"What Banged ? "
Over the last two decades, powerful new observations have lent overwhelming support to the idea that everything in the visible Universe emerged fourteen billion years ago from a Big Bang. But what caused the Bang? And was the Bang the beginning of time? Recently, unified theories of high energy physics have allowed us to build mathematical models of the Bang and to test them with new observations. The lecture will discuss two possibilities: one in which the Universe began at the Bang, and the other in which the Bang was a violent event in a pre-existing Universe. The two pictures lead to radically different theories of the evolution of the universe and our ultimate future.
2008 Evnin Lecture
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
"The Dark Side of the Universe "
Professor Neta A. Bahcall
Eugene Higgins Professor of Astronomy
Princeton University
8:00 p.m., Reynolds Auditorium, McDonnell Hall
2007 Evnin Lecture
Thursday, May 3, 2007
"Genes from the Fountain of Youth "
Professor Cynthia Kenyon
Herbert Boyer Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics
University of California, San Francisco
8:00 p.m., Reynolds Auditorium, McDonnell Hall
2005 Evnin Lecture
Wednesday, March 20, 2005
"The Mars Exploration Rover Mission "
Professor Steven W. Squyres
Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy
Cornell University
8:00 p.m., Reynolds Auditorium, McDonnell Hall
2004 Evnin Lecture Series
"Beyond Fear: Response to Bio- and Cyber-Terrorism"
Thursday, March 25, 2004
"Facing the Growing Threat of Bioterrorism "
Professor Steve Block
Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Applied Physics
Stanford University
8:00 p.m., Reynolds Auditorium, McDonnell Hall
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
"Science in an Age of Terrorism: Freedom and Responsibility"
Professor Gerald Fink
Department of Biology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
8:00 p.m., Reynolds Auditorium, McDonnell Hall
Monday, May 17, 2004
"Thinking Sensibly about Security in an Uncertain World "
Mr. Bruce Schneier
Founder and CTO
Counterpane Internet Security
8:00 p.m., Reynolds Auditorium, McDonnell Hall
2003 Evnin Lecture Series
"Fire, Water and Ice: Catastrophes in Earth History"
Thursday, March 6, 2003
"When Fire Conquers Water: Eruptions of Sumarine and Subglacial Volcanoes"
Professor Haraldur Sigurdsson
Department of Geosciences
University of Rhode Island
8:00 p.m., McDonnell Auditorium
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
"Snowball Earth: Surprise in Deep Time"
Professor Paul Hoffman
Department of Geosciences
Harvard University
8:00 p.m., McDonnell Auditorium
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
"Causes and Consequences of the Catastrophic Black Sea Flood"
Professor William Ryan
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Columbia University
8:00 p.m., McDonnell Auditorium
2002 Evnin Lecture Series
"Science and Technology for the new Millennium"
Tuesday, March 26, 2002
"Planets and the Prospects for Life in the Universe"
Professor Geoffrey W. Marcy
Department of Astronomy
University of California, Berkeley
8:00 p.m., McDonnell Auditorium
Wednesday, April 24, 2002
"Cryptography: Secret Codes, Spying and E-Commerce "
Professor Edward W. Felten
Department of Computer Science
Princeton University
8:00 p.m., McDonnell Auditorium
Wednesday, May 8, 2002
"Space and Earth Exploration 2010: Opportunities and Challenges"
Dr. Charles Elachi
Director, NASA - Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
8:00 p.m., McDonnell Auditorium
2001 Evnin Lecture Series
"Space Exploration"
Thursday, March 29, 2001
"An Artist's View of the Universe"
Dr. Story Musgrave
NASA Astronaut
Veteran of six space flights
7:30 p.m., Dodds
Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Short reception following in the George P. Schultz dining room of the Woodrow Wilson School
Tuesday, April 17, 2001
"Space Travel Troubles"
Dr. Neil De Grasse Tyson
Department of Astrophysical Sciences
7:30 p.m., McDonnell Auditorium
Wednesday, May 2, 2001
"The Geometry of Space"
Professor John Richard Gott, III
Department of Astrophysical Sciences
7:30 p.m., McDonnell Auditorium
2000 Evnin Lecture Series
"New Vision of Science at Princeton"
Tuesday, March 7, 2000
"The Revolution in Genetics"
Professor Shirley M. Tilghman
Howard A. Prior Professor in the Life Sciences
Department of Molecular Biology
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Tuesday, April 4, 2000
"Rivers and Forests: Infinite Patterns with Fundamental Unity"
Professor Ignacio Rodriguez-Iturbe
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Tuesday, April 25, 2000
"Dynamic Imaging of the Human Brain: A Window on the Mind"
Professor Jonathan D. Cohen
Department of Psychology
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
1999 Evnin Lecture Series
"Science and the Public Interest"
Monday, April 5, 1999
"Asking Good Questions: A Congressman looks at Science Education"
Dr. Rush Holt
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C.
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Monday, April 26, 1999
"The Tobacco Wars"
Dr. David A. Kessler
Dean, Yale University School of Medicine
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
1998 Evnin Lecture Series
"Controversies in Science"
Wednesday, March 25, 1998
"The Vanishing Life of Earth: Do We Really Care?"
Dr. Peter Raven
Director, Missouri Botanical Garden
St Louis, Missouri
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Wednesday,
April 8, 1998
"Unpleasant Surprises in the Greenhouse?"
Professor Wallace S. Broecker
Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory
Columbia University
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Wednesday, April 22, 1998
"Toxins, Drugs and You - How Much is Too Much?"
Professor Robert A. Pascal, Jr.
Department of Chemistry
Princeton University
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
1997 Evnin Lecture Series
"Science and Engineering"
Wednesday, March 12, 1997
"On Guard and on Orbit: Air and Space Force Capabilities in the Information Age"
Dr. Sheila Widnall
Secretary of Air Force
Pentagon, Washington D.C.
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Tuesday, April 1, 1997
"Probing the Universe with the Hubble Space Telescope"
Dr. Robert E. Williams
Director, Space Telescope Science Institute
Baltimore, Maryland
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Thursday, May 1, 1997
"The Next Fifty Years in Software"
Dr. Nathan Myhrvold
Chief Technology Officer, Executive Committee
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond, Washington
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
1996 Evnin Lecture Series
"Science and Ethics"
Monday, March 11, 1996
"Scientists, Technologists and the Human Condition: Reflections on some Ethical Dilemmas and Choices"
Dr. John P. Holdren
Class of 1935 Professor of Energy, Energy & Resources Group
University of California, Berkeley
Chair of the Executive Committee, Pugwash Conferences on Science & World Affairs
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Thursday, March 28, 1996
"The Forensic Sciences and Human Rights: Tracking down Torturers"
Dr. Robert H. Kirschner
Director, International Forensic Program
Physicians for Human Rights
Chicago, Illinois
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Thursday, April 25, 1996
"The Cassandra Complex: Who WIll Heed the Warning? Huntington's Disease and Genetics Today"
Dr. Nancy S. Wexler
Higgins Professor of Neuropsychology
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University
New York, N.Y.
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
1995 Evnin Lecture Series
"The Next Big Questions in Science"
Wednesday, February 15, 1995
"The Genetic Origins of Cancer in Humans"
Dr. Arnold J. Levine
Harry C. Wiess Professor in the Life Sciences
Chair, Department of Molecular Biology
Princeton University
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Tuesday, March 28, 1995
"The Molecular Logic of Smell"
Dr. Richard Axel
Higgins Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
Professor of Pathology
Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Thursday, May 4, 1995
"What Controls the Next Big Volcanic Eruption?"
Dr. Herbert E. Huppert
Institute of Theoretical Geophysics
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics
University of Cambridge
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
1994 Evnin Lecture Series
"Recent Discoveries in Science"
Wednesday, March 23, 1994
"Who Ordered This Universe?"
Dr. David Wilkinson
Cyrus Fogg Brackett Professor of Physics
Princeton University
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Wednesday, April 13, 1994
"The Remembrance of Things Past: Genes, Synapses and the Biological Basis of Memory"
Dr. Eric R. Kandel
University Professor, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University
Senior Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
1993 Evnin Lecture Series
"Science and Art"
Thursday, November 30, 1993
"Chaos in Science and Choreography"
A Talk on the Science of Chaos by Professor Albert Libchaber
James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Physics
followed by
A Dance Concert Inspired by Concepts & Images Found in Chaos Theory
by Geulah Abrahams Danceworks
7:30 p.m., Richardson Auditorium
November 30, 1993
"Four Works by James Seawright"
An Exhibition of Interactive Sculpture
James Seawright, Director of Visual Arts Program
Princeton University
12 p.m., Princeton Art Museum
Thursday, October 6, 1994
"Orchestrations 2: Under Pressure"
Commissioned by Alexandra Navrotsky
Albert G. Blanke, Jr. Professor of Geological and Geophysical Sciences
Composed by Timothy Vincent Clarke
St. Louis composer
Performed by Betsy Feldman
of the contemporary chamber music ensemble, Synchronia
8 p.m., Taplin Auditorium, Fine Hall
1992 Evnin Lecture Series
"Science and Public Policy"
Wednesday, March 4, 1992
"Reading Human Heredity: Scientific, Social and Ethical Issues in the New Human Genetics"
Dr. Eric S. Lander
Member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
Associate Professor of Biology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Wednesday, April 15, 1992
"Dismantling the Doomsday Machine"
Professor Frank Von Hippel
Woodrow Wilson School
Princeton University
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Wednesday, May 13, 1992
"Can Scientists Provide Credible Advice in Washington?"
Dr. Frank Press
President, National Academy of Sciences
Washington, D.C.
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
1991 Evnin Lecture Series
"Modern Views of the Universe"
Wednesday, March 6, 1991
"Is the Universe a Small One?"
Dr. Fang Li Zhi
Institute for Advanced Study
Princeton, N.J.
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Wednesday, April 3, 1991
"The Search for the Dark Matter, the Unknown 90% of the Universe"
Professor David Spergel
Department of Astrophysical Sciences
Princeton University
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Wednesday, May 1, 1991
"Where the Galaxies Are"
Professor Margaret J. Geller
Center for Astrophysics
Cambridge, MA
7:30 p.m., Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall
Lunchtime Seminar Series
Thursday, March 5, 2009
"Customized Math: The Stanford Math 15 non-majors course. Poets welcome but
not targeted."
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Keith Devlin
Professor of Mathematics
Executive Director
Human Sciences & Technologies Advanced Research Institute
Stanford University
Monday, February 16, 2009
"Innovative Science Curricula in 250-year-old and 2.5-year-old Universities"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor David Helfand
Chair, Department of Astronomy
Columbia University
President, Quest University, Canada
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
"Engaging Freshmen through the case-based Presentation of Interdisciplinary Science"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Robert Lue
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Director of Life Sciences Education
Harvard University
Monday, March 31, 2008
Developing the next Generation of Mathematicians that reflects the full Diversity of American Life
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Convocation Room, Friends Center
Speaker: Professor Uri Treisman
Professor of Mathematics
University of Texas, Austin
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
"The Interplay of Music and Physics: Teaching Physics Using Music"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Pierre A. Piroue
Henry DeWolf Smyth Professor of Physics, Emeritus
Princeton University
Thursday, November 29, 2007
"Teaching Quantum Physics and Discrete Math through the Computational Lens"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Umesh Vazirani
William R. Kenan, Jr. Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching
Princeton University
Computer Science Division
University of California, Berkeley
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
"Immersive, Collaborative Simulations and Neomillennial Learning Styles: Implications for Higher Education"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Chris Dede
Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies
Technology, Innovation and Education Program
Harvard University
Thursday, April 26, 2007
"Chocolate-coated Chemistry: Introducing Non-Science Majors to the Molecular World"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Stefan Bernhard
Chemistry Department
Princeton University
Thursday, February 15, 2007
"EPICS: Engineering Projects in Community Service"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Edward J. Coyle
William R. Kenan, Jr. Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching
Princeton University
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Purdue University
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
"Math is Music, but Statistics is Literature"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Richard DeVeaux
William R. Kenan, Jr. Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching
Princeton University
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Williams College
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
"Introductory Biology for the Masses and for the Aficionados: Can one Course Serve Both?"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Elizabeth Vallen
Department of Biology
Swarthmore College
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
"Talking Biology: Teaching outside the Textbook, and the Lecture"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Daniel J. Klionsky
Department of Life Sciences
University of Michigan
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
"Teaching More by Lecturing Less"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor William B. Wood
Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology
University of Colorado, Boulder
Thursday, February 16, 2006
"The Princeton Laptop Orchestra; A New Approach to Teaching Technology and Music"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Professor Perry R. Cook
Computer Science Department
Professor Daniel L. Trueman
Music Department
Princeton University
Monday, December 12, 2005
"ELE 102: New Eyes for the World - And New Eyes for the Teachers too"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Dan Wasserman
Professor Claire Gmachl
Department of Electrical Engineering
Princeton University
Monday, September 26, 2005
" Reforming an Intro Science Course at a Research University: Lessons Learned the Hard Way"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Stephen Nowicki
Professor of Biological Sciences
Dean of the Natural Sciences
Duke University
Wednesday, April 6, 2005
"Water for the World: Integrating Engineering, Science, and Policy for Global Water Supply and Treatment"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor James A. Smith
Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Virginia
William R. Kenan, Jr. Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching
Princeton University
Monday, February 1, 2005
"Teaching Hard-Core Engineering (not Science, not Math) to a Broad Audience"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Professor Sharad Malik
Professor Peter J. Ramadge
Professor James C. Sturm
Department of Electrical Engineering
Princeton University
Monday, December 6, 2004
"Using Learning Research to Transform the Way we Teach Science "
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Jose Mestre
Department of Physics and Scientific Reasoning Research Institute
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
For the last two centuries, instructional practices in higher education are based predominantly on the transmission model of teaching (a.k.a., the lecture model.) The lasting longevity of this model means that it must be at least moderately effective or it would have been abandoned long ago. Yet, an important question to ask is whether it is the most effective method for teaching, given a changing educational landscape with exploding information, coupled with a workplace demanding flexible, adaptive learners. Recent findings from cognitive science provide numerous insights on how people learn, which in turn suggest ways of modernizing traditional instructional methods in higher education. Prof. Mestre will begin by summarizing salient findings from learning research. Then, through an audience participation activity focusing on some simple physics concepts, he will model how learning research can be applied to teach in a way that actively engages the learner and that illustrates learning principles suggested by cognitive science. He will conclude by summarizing the implications of learning research for classroom practice.
Thursday, February 26, 2004
"The Journey from DNA to Human Complexity with Non-Scientists"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Dr. Heather Thieringer
Lecturer, Department of Molecular Biology
Princeton University
Wednesday, December 3, 2003
"The Science of Decision Making: A Problem-Based Approach with Excel"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Eric V. Denardo
Professor of Operations Research, Yale
Visiting Distinguished Teaching Professor, Princeton
The revolutions in computer software and hardware are making the decision sciences (operations research and probability models) increasingly central to all sorts of decision makers and a good deal easier to learn. The speaker develops the thesis that an effective way to teach this subject is to present realistic problems and to solve them on spreadsheets.
Thursday, November 13, 2003
"Teaching with Electrons"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Chris Impey
Steward Observatory
University of Arizona
Technology opens up a bewildering array of opportunities and options for faculty teaching courses to large groups of non- science majors. The trick is in understanding which modes of instruction increase the engagement and learning of students. Among the tools that show good potential for advancing learning in introductory astronomy classes are virtual worlds, exercises that use real astronomy data sets, expert systems, and content accessible by phone. Some of the capabilities of a new web site to assist astronomy instructors, www.astronomica.org, will be demonstrated.
Tuesday, February 11, 2003
"Adapting Non-Science Majors to the Reality and Implications of Human Evolution"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Professor Alan Mann
Department of Anthropology
Princeton University
Professor Janet Monge
Bryn Mawr College
Visiting Professor, Princeton University
Thursday, January 16, 2003
"Is this Going to be on the Exam? Using Technology to Foster Student Interest"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Rebecca Jordan & David Howe
Department of Ecology And Evolutionary Biology
Princeton University
Wednesday, December 4, 2002
"Lego Engineering: Teaching Engineering to Kindergarteners and College Students "
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Chris Rogers
William R. Keenan, Jr. Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching
Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Princeton University
Thursday, November 7, 2002
"Teaching the History of the Universe"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Joe Patterson
Columbia University
Stanley Kelley, Jr. Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching
Department of Astrophysical Sciences
Princeton University
Thursday, September 26, 2002
"Teaching Science Through Inquiry - A Panel Discussion"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Panelists: Professor Maitland Jones, Jr., Chemistry
Professor Robert Phinney, Geosciences
Professor Dan Rubenstein, EEB
Dr. Henry Gingrich, Chemistry
Ms. Laurel Goodell, Geosciences
Dr. Eileen Zerba, PEI
Wednesday, February 20, 2002
"Time Travel in Einstein's Universe"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor J. Richard Gott, III
Department of Astrophysical Sciences
Princeton University
Thursday, January 17, 2002
"Lab in Conservation of Art"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor George W. Scherer
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Princeton University
This course explores the causes of deterioration of sculpture and monuments by weathering (acid rain, ice, salt, thermal cycles, wetting and drying). How does industrial pollution harm a marble sculpture? Why is there salt growing out of the walls of Alexander Hall (and should we care)? To understand these things, one must know something about the structure of stone, circulation of the atmosphere, transport through porous media, thermodynamics of crystallization,... Art history majors learn these things and have fun doing it. They like the fact that the course is not "dumbed down" - but finding the right balance of rigor and humor is a challenge.
Monday, December 10, 2001
"How Things Work: Using Everyday Objects to Teach Physics to Non-Scientists"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Louis A. Bloomfield
Department of Physics
The University of Virginia
How Things Work is a course for non-science students that introduces them to physics in the context of everyday objects. It reverses the traditional format of physics courses by starting with whole objects and looking inside them to see what makes them work. Because it concentrates on concepts rather than math, and on familiar objects rather than abstract constructs, How Things Work serves both to reduce students' fears of science and to convey to them a substantial understanding of our modern technological world. In this talk, I will describe the course briefly and then look at how I do it. We'll examine the physics and science behind several common objects, including a roller coaster and a microwave iron
Tuesday, November 6, 2001
"A Different Version of Biology for Poets: Molecular Biology & Evolution for Nonscientists"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Deborah Mowshowitz
Department of Biological Sciences
Columbia University
MB & E for Nonscientists has been evolving for 15 years. As one student put it, this is a genuine science course, not a course "about" science. However, unlike most "real" science courses at Columbia, it assumes no background at all. It starts from zero, but it aims for real depth of understanding in selected areas. Some students find it too challenging, but others love it. Why pick these particular topics, what is special about this approach, and why does it work? What features of this course are generalizable to other courses for nonscientists? The seminar will focus on the answers to these questions, and the general issue of how asking questions promotes learning, especially for nonspecialists.
Monday, March 12, 2001
"Bringing Science Alive: An Interdisciplinary Science Course for the Non-Scientist"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor David W. Pratt
Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh
At least 95% of the people in this country have little understanding of the joys of scientific discovery, despite the central role that science plays in their lives. Their forebears took clocks apart, built rockets, and/or played with their chemistry sets, but no more. Complexity and minituarization have ended much of that activity. People no longer appreciate the beauty and rigor of science; indeed some even fear it. And this lack of understanding is having a major impact on their lives. Responding to these concerns, my collaborators and I at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a two-term introductory science course for non-science majors. The course encompasses the traditional disciplines of physics, chemistry, astronomy, earth science and biology, as well as technologically driven topics, such as new materials, IT, and medicine. In this talk, the organization of the course will be discussed, along with its content and the tools used to make the ideas accessible to all students in the class. Chiefly, specific objects of everyday experience are used to show how a few physical laws govern the behavior of all things, both animate and inanimate, in every action of life. The objective is to provide the students with the critical thinking skills they will need to make informed personal and professional decisions in the future, about health, safety, resources, and the environment.
Wednesday,February 21, 2001
"The Perils and Pleasures of Lecture Classes"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Paul J. Wiita
Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Georgia State University
Once the number of students exceeds 25 or 30, it is very difficult to avoid having most of the classes in a lecture format. Some techniques to keep students actively involved in such courses will be discussed. Examples will be taken from a course offered at Princeton last semester, "From Planets to Quasars."
Wednesday,January 12, 2001
"Laboratory Experiments based on the History of Science and Technology"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Michael G. Littman
Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
CEE 102 "Engineering in the Modern World" (Billington and Littman) examines the scientific, social and symbolic aspects of important engineering innovations from the time of the industrial revolution to the present. The course offers a laboratory that enables students to understand key concepts and scientific formulas associated with specific innovations. I will describe some of the historically-based laboratory experimental studies that students carry out.
Tuesday, December 12, 2000
"Impact of Chemistry, a New Science Course for Non-science Majors"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Joseph Potenza
Chemistry Department, Rutgers University
A new chemistry course intended for non-science majors has been designed and offered. A major goal of the course is to help create an informed citizenry capable of appreciating science and of critically analyzing complex issues involving science, particularly chemistry. Written assignments (essays), classroom participation (public speaking) and group work (teamwork) are integral to the course, along with the expected problem solving, experimentation and introduction to the methodology and content of chemistry. The course contains two-week modules in which chemical principles are intertwined with social, political, environmental, and ethical issues. Most modules make use of a case study in which students present and defend a given position related to a topic of current interest. A class project involving field work, sample analysis and the presentation of results in poster format rounds out the curriculum. Group work forms an integral part of the course; in the first week, students are assigned to groups that remain intact throughout the semester. Approximately 40% of the grade is for group work. An evaluation instrument was prepared and used in the pilot semester.
Tuesday, October 24, 2000
"The Next Generation of Science Courses"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Dr. Gregory E. van der Vink
250th Anniversary Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching
Department of Geosciences, Princeton University
No matter what careers they pursue, essentially every student will be a future consumer of scientific information. As a result, many universities are actively developing a new generation of science courses for non-majors. Such courses emphasize the nature of scientific information, rather than the standard overview of traditional disciplinary material. The goal is to make students sophisticated consumers of scientific information through exercises that directly involve such concepts as valid inference, representative sampling, uncertainty, signal-vs.-noise, and decision-making with ambiguous or conflicting data. Examples of such courses and exercises developed through Princeton University's Council on Science and Technology will be presented.
Monday, February 21, 2000
"Who Is At Risk In College Physics and How Do We Improve Their Learning?"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Ms. Suzanne Brahmia
Director, Physics Gateway Program
Rutgers University
Over the past 10 years,Rutgers University has significantly increased retention of at-risk students in engineering. Instrumental to this success has been the creation of the Extended Physics courses, which provide a parallel alternative to the traditional introductory physics courses for students at risk of failure. Current trends in the diversification of the student population indicate that we will see an increasing number of students who fit the at-risk profile over the next decade. In my talk, I will discuss factors that put students at risk of failure in introductory physics and current proven methods for addressing at-risk factors. I will also discuss the essential ingredients for an inclusive program that promotes learning within the existing structure of a large research university. Included in this discussion will be the results of an evaluation of our program which is now a successful and resilient feature of the undergraduate curriculum.
Thursday, January 20, 2000
"Team Teaching at the Open University and Princeton"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell
The Open University, United Kingdom
250th Anniversary Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching
Department of Physics, Princeton University
The Open University (UK) teaches 180,000 adult students at a distance, asynchronously, by correspondence, supplemented by TV, video, CD Rom, electronic conferencing... While its teaching materials are very public, its students often study in isolation. The teaching materials must therefore be excellent - attractive, effective, clear, and error-free. The development of the "course team" - a group of Faculty who together are responsible for the teaching of a course - has been a major strength in the production of excellent teaching materials. In this talk, I will describe how an Open University course team operates, and reflect on a team-teaching experiment that was carried out in the Physics Department in the Fall semester.
Thursday, December 2, 1999
"Computers in Other People's Worlds"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Dr. Brian Kernighan
Lucent Technologies Bell Labs INnovations
250th Anniversary Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching
Department of Computer Science, Princeton University
This presentation is based on my experience teaching COS 109, "Computers in Our World," a new course for students in the humanities and social sciences. The course is meant to describe how computing works - hardware, software, networking, and systems built upon them - for a non-technical audience. The intent, or perhaps just fond hope, is not only to help students to understand specific technologies better, but also how to reason about how systems work and how to be intelligently skeptical about technology and technological claims.
Thursday, October 28, 1999
"Making Waves, or Just Splashing Around: Foisting research-based teaching strategies on unsuspecting students and colleagues"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Dr. Matthew Trawick
Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow
Department of Physics, Princeton University
A real education junkie can pick up lots of great new teaching ideas by reading journal articles and attending conferences and workshops. But what happens when these great new teaching ideas are actually put into practice? Students, ever risk-averse, can spot the hairy oddball in the department from a mile away. Colleagues can spot him almost as fast and can also be wary of change. Should they be? Can research-based teaching strategies actually improve anything? What's an education junkie to do? The speaker will discuss his recent experiences as a new teacher in the department, and as one of many instructors for a large introductory class.
Thursday, March 5, 1999
"The Scholarship of Teaching in Higher Education"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Lee S. Shulman
President, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education
Stanford University
Wednesday, February 17, 1999
"Science and Technology for the Petrified Masses"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor David H. Bernstein
Professor of Civil Engineering & Operations Research
Princeton University
Friday, January 22, 1999
"The Murky Crystal Ball: Higher Education Ten Years from Now"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Richard M. Felder
Hoechst Celanese Professor of Chemical Engineering
and Rebecca Brent
codirector of Faculty Development SUCCEED Coalition
North Carolina State University
Thursday, December 17, 1998
"Power from the People"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Barrie S.H. Royce
Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Princeton University
Thursday, October 29, 1998
"The Three Amigos Teach Orgo - Cooperative Learning (?) in Chemistry 304X"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Professor Maitland Jones, Jr.
Dr. Alexander Bradley
Scott Ulrich
Department of Chemistry
Princeton University
A comparative study was conducted in undergraduate organic chemistry, in order to compare the traditional lecture based format and instruction through the use of cooperative learning. Both approaches were used during the same semester, and students in each class were given the identical exams. The cooperative course centered on problem-based learning, the development of critical thinking, and communication skills. Instructor and student insights provide a basis for the assessment of the two contrasting instructional methods. The benefits and limitations of both teaching styles will be discussed, along with quantitative data.
Tuesday, March 10, 1998
"Science Teaching Reconsidered - A Panel Discussion"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Panelists: Professor David Wilkinson, Physics, Moderator
Binney Girdler, EEB
Professor Michael Hecht, Chemistry
John Ochsendorf, Civil Engineering & Operations Research
Karen Sauer, Physics
Professor Gerry Waters, Molecular Biology
Thursday, February 12, 1998
"Designing and Teaching the Science, Math & Engineering Core"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Eisenhart Conference Room, G201, E-Quad
Speaker: Professor Brad Osgood
Department of Mathematics
Stanford University
Tuesday, December 9, 1997
"Method or Madness? Teaching Science from the AIs' Perspective - A Panel Discussion"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Panelists: Binney Girdler, EEB, Moderator
Weihsueh Chiu, Physics
Chris Hunter, Molecular Biology
John Ochsendorf, Civil Engineering & Operations Research
Meg Hennessy, Chemistry
Tuesday, November 11, 1997
"Acquainting Undergraduates with the Frontiers of Research"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Frank Morgan
Department of Mathematics
Williams College
250th Anniversary Distinguished Teaching Professor
Princeton University
Thursday, October 16, 1997
"You Made Us Teach Ourselves; Approaches to Teacher-Guided Peer Group Active Learning"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Grant Krow
Department of Chemistry
Temple University
Friday, March 7, 1997
"Origins: Teaching Science by Doing Science - A Panel Discussion"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Panelists: Professor Rosemary Grant, EEB
Professor Maitland Jones, Jr, Chemistry
Professor Shirley Tilghman, Molecular Biology
Professor David Wilkinson, Physics
Teaching Assistant Weihsueh Chiu, Physics
Teaching Assistant Binnie Girdler, EEB
Students Evangeline Su and Jonathan Steinberg
Friday, February 7, 1997
"Virtual Animals and Digital Slides: Bringing Computer Technology to Lab and Lecture"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor James L. Gould
1996 Professor of the Year
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Princeton University
Thursday, January 16, 1997
"MATH ALIVE"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Professor Ingrid Daubechies
Teaching Assistant Jonathan Mattingly
Department of Mathematics
Princeton University
Monday, December 16, 1996
"Teaching Scholar Post-Doctoral Fellowship as a Model for Developing New Faculty"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Dr. A. Malcolm Campbell
Department of Biology
Davidson College
Tuesday, November 19, 1996
"Turning on 800 Students to The Foundations of Scientific Inquiry"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Dr. Trace Jordan
Assistant Director, FSI
College of Arts and Science
New York University
Tuesday, March 5, 1996
"Women and Mathematics at Cambridge"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Professor Shawnee L. McMurran
Professor James J. Tattersall
Department of Mathematics
Providence College
Tuesday, February 20, 1996
"Dreaming...A Handbook for Teaching Science for whom, for what, for when?"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Neal Abraham
Department of Physics
Bryn Mawr College
Thursday, December 14, 1995
"Weeding out vs. Encouraging; Is there a Neutral Ground in Science - A Panel Discussion"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Panelists: Professor David Wilkinson, Physics, Moderator
Dean Peter Bogucki, Engineering & Applied Science
Professor Shirley Tilghman, Molecular Biology
Professor John Conway, Mathematics
Catherine Peichel, Graduate Student in Molecular Biology
Friday, November 10, 1995
"Trust and Trustworthiness in the Conduct of Scientific Research"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Dr. Caroline Whitbeck
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tuesday, May 16, 1995
"Workshop Physics: Teaching Introductory Physics without Lectures"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Professors Priscilla Laws and David Jackson
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Dickinson College
In Workshop Physics, lectures have been replaced with observations, experiments and interactive demonstrations enhanced by the use of computer tools. In this talk, Profs. Laws and Jackson will describe the implementation of Workshop Physics in calculus and algebra-based courses at Dickinson College and other institutions. In addition, they will discuss plans to adapt these methods to courses designed for non-science majors.
Tuesday, April 18, 1995
"The Value of the Lab - A Panel Discussion"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Panelists: Professor Shirley Tilghman, Molecular Biology, Moderator
Professor Maitland Jones, Jr., Chemistry
Professor Ted Cox, Molecular Biology
Professor Brad Dickinson, Electrical Engineering
Brian Bosworth '95 and Brian Bradford '96
Monday, March 27, 1995
"Teaching Science to Our Nation's Future Leaders"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Dr. Gregory E. van der Vink
Visiting Lecturer, Department of Geological and Geophysical Sciences
Princeton University
Tuesday, January 3, 1995
"Maximizing Student Learning by Minimizing Teacher Lecturing"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Dorothy Merritts
Geosciences Department
Franklin and Marshall College
Tuesday, November 29, 1994
"Through Engineering to Science"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor David P. Billington
Department of Civil Engineering and Operations Research
Princeton University
Tuesday, September 27, 1994
"Theory and Practice of Science"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Robert Pollack
Department of Biological Sciences
Columbia University
Tuesday, May 3, 1994
"Catch Them Early: Teaching Science in Freshman Seminars"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Panelists: Professor Joel Cooper, Psychology
Professor Ken Deffeyes, Geology
Professor Ted Cox, Molecular Biology
Professor Jim Gould, EEB
Professor Shirley Tilghman, Molecular Biology
Wednesday, October 20, 1993
"Women in Science & Engineering: Leveling the Playing Field"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Dr. Carol B. Muller
Associate Dean, Thayer School of Engineering
Dartmouth College
Thursday, April 15, 1993
"Teaching to Attract Women to Science and Engineering"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speaker: Professor Sue V. Rosser
Director of Women's Studies
University of South Carolina
Tuesday, January 14, 1992
"Computer-based Laboratories for Introductory Psychology; Holding Their Interest in Physics 111"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Professor Ron Kinchla, Psychology
Professor Gordon Cates, Physics
Princeton University
Tuesday, December 3, 1991
"Approaching the Second Tier Students in Geology 201-c; Teaching Space Science to Non-Scientists"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Professor Ken Deffeyes, Geology
Dr. Jerry Grey, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Princeton University
Wednesday, November 6, 1991
"CHANCE"
12:00 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch provided
12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Talk and Discussion
Jadwin Hall, Joseph Henry Room
Speakers: Dr. Peter Doyle, Mathematics
Princeton University
Dr. Laurie Snell, Mathematics
Dartmouth