Carnegie Science Center Podcast

  Follow along with the slideshow here.   Glass windows are the second greatest human-related cause of mortality to North American birds, accounting for nearly 1 billion deaths annually. In an effort to make the skies safer for our feathered friends, researchers are looking for ways to reduce collisions by making glass more visible to birds. Matt Web, the Urban Bird Conservation Coordinator for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, will present his talk: Beyond the Looking Glass: Bird-Friendly Windows on Monday, May 1. Web will discuss developing research as to why certain types of glass are more prone to avian collisions, as well as how companies are making bird-friendly glass available. Webb is involved in research at Powdermill Nature Reserve, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s field research station located in the Ligonier valley. He and fellow Powdermill avian researchers are using an innovative flight tunnel to safely test bird-friendly glass prototypes to use on new buildings. Webb also started BirdSafe Pittsburgh in 2014, a local partnership of organizations dedicated to bird conservation in southwestern Pennsylvania. Teams of BirdSafe Pittsburgh volunteers spend the early hours of each day through the spring and fall migration combing the sidewalks of Pittsburgh, looking for birds that have collided with windows. Data is collected about each collision found and dead birds are brought back to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to become a part of the permanent museum collection. Birds that survived a collision are captured and brought to Animal Rescue League's wildlife center for rehabilitation and release. Citizen scientists also monitor the windows of personal homes, helping researchers learn more about what makes some bird-friendly window products more effective than others. Webb has studied birds with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History for the past four years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, Colorado.   Recorded Monday, May 1, 2017 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA

Dr. David Sanchez Assistent Professor, University of Pittsburgh   Biofilms play a central role in the ecosystem’s ability to sustain life and provide goods and services for economic development. In the biosphere they support key biochemical transformations that clean water, provide fertilizer and allow you to digest your food. What else can they do? Are engineers able to electrically harness the talents of the “best chemists in the world”? Join a discussion with Dr. Sanchez on how engineers are reconceptualizing the role of biofilms in creating innovative sustainable technologies. Dr. Sanchez is an Assistant Professor Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and the Assistant Director for the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation at the University of Pittsburgh. His research is focused on fusing sustainability principles and design thinking to address our Water and Energy grand challenges for both natural systems and the built environment. Current projects include engineering biofilm-electrodes, designing hydroponic systems for phytoremediation, improving electrocatalytic water disinfection technologies for aquaculture, and creating real-time environmental quality sensor platforms. Engineering education research also plays a major role in his work as his team looks at creating innovative K-12 engineering programs, infusing Sustainable Design into engineering curricula, and evaluating the role of extra-curricular innovation/entrepreneurship landscape in student formation. He serves as the Faculty Director for the Design EXPO, the Innovation/Entrepreneurship Bootcamp and the university-wide Sustainability Certificate.   Recorded Monday, March 13, 2017 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Is Carbon Capture Realistic? Christopher Wilmer Assistant Professor,Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department,University of Pittsburgh Join University of Pittsburgh professor Chris Wilmer for a discussion of the future of carbon capture technology. This very active area of engineering research explores the development of technologies that can be retrofitted onto fossil fuel-based power plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Retrofitting thousands of coal power plants across the globe would be a massive undertaking, and researchers need to know how feasible such a project would be. In his talk, Wilmer will consider this problem from the molecular scale and ask what the most efficient carbon capture membrane would look like, whether it can realistically help mitigate global warming, and how it compares to existing technologies. Wilmer is an assistant professor in the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department at the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on the use of large-scale molecular simulations to help find promising materials for energy and environmental applications.   Recorded Monday, February 6, 2017 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Hello, and welcome to Carnegie Science Center’s newest experiment in podcasting. This is a pilot episode of Science News and Q’s or “SNaQ” for short. It’s  a show designed to highlight science current events and answer user submitted science questions. We hope you enjoy this pilot and will share your feedback with us. Thank you and enjoy Science News and Q’s.   Science Headlines: Spinning Black holes: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/12/universe-s-brightest-supernova-may-be-something-much-more-exciting-spinning-star-eating Zika Modeling: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/yes-zika-will-soon-spread-united-states-it-won-t-be-disaster Seahorse Genes: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v540/n7633/full/nature20595.html Universal Rhythm: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v540/n7633/full/nature20595.html   In-Depth Discussion: CERN Antimatter Spectroscopy: https://home.cern/about/updates/2016/12/alpha-observes-light-spectrum-antimatter-first-time   Try It At Home: Buy your own spectroscopy glasses! https://www.teachersource.com/product/prism-glasses-double-axis-pkg-of-10/light-color   Sponsor: Cafe Sci at Carnegie Science Center. www.CarnegieScienceCenter.org/CafeSci   Recorded December 2016 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

  Light Up the Sky with Stars Presenter: Diane Turnshek Lecturer, Author, & Astronomer How far do you have to travel to see the stars clearly? Join lecturer, author, and astronomer Diane Turnshek as she discusses how light pollution not only prevents us from living under a sky bright with stars, but also negatively impacts human health and the environment. Turnshek will examine how innovative science and technology can reverse this steady creep of sky glow, allowing us to view the same star-filled sky that all past generations did. Diane Turnshek is a lecturer in the Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University and the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh. She has published hard science fiction with a focus on space colonization and first contact. Her love of both astronomy and science fiction led her to crew the Mars Desert Research Station near Bryce Canyon, Utah in 2012, where she turned her attention to dark sky advocacy. Her fight against light pollution has taken many forms, including giving a TEDxPittsburgh talk. Turnshek is also a 2015 Dark Sky Defender award recipient, recognized by the International Dark-Sky Association for her contribution to light pollution mitigation.   Recorded Monday, December 5, 2016 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Michael Whiteman Pittsburgh Riverhounds Director of Sports Science   The Science of Soccer Strength Join Pittsburgh Riverhounds Director of Sports Science Michael Whiteman as he discusses truths and misconceptions about soccer athletes, and how energy systems develop in elite players. During his talk, Whiteman will discuss the various strengthening and endurance exercises soccer players go through to train their muscles and bodies for sports performance.   Whiteman is a Pittsburgh native and holds a certified qualification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Whiteman has trained various professional athletes including NFL players Antonio Brown and Terrelle Pryor. He has been the strength and conditioning coach for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the USLPro soccer league since 2011. Whiteman also is the Director of Sports Science for the Riverhounds Development Academy.   Recorded Monday, November 7, 2016 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA. 

Timothy Verstynen Professor Carnegie Mellon University "Neuroscience of Baseball"   In the Blink of an Eye: The Neuroscience of Baseball How does the architecture of the brain allow us to learn complex skills and make fast decisions? What parts of neuroanatomy come into play when a person is trying to stop a 100-mph fastball with a piece of wood? Join Carnegie Mellon University Assistant Professor Timothy Verstynen as he discusses the brain science behind America's favorite pastime. Verstynen is an assistant professor in Psychology at the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition at Carnegie Mellon University.   Recorded Monday, October 3, 2016 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Old Drugs, New Tricks: Putting an End to Traditional Eye Drops Presenter: Morgan Fedorchak Director  Ophthalmic Biomaterials Laboratory   Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, expected to affect up to 3 million Americans by 2020. One of the main risk factors in glaucoma is an unsafe increase in intraocular pressure (IOP).  IOP reduction in patients with glaucoma is typically accomplished through the administration of medicated eye drops several times daily, the difficult and frequent nature of which contributes to patient adherence rates estimated to be as low as 30%.  Newer drug delivery methods for glaucoma aimed at improving patient adherence require clinician administration of invasive injections or implants. This talk will encompass the rational design and testing of a variety of controlled release systems for delivery of ocular drugs as well as the many significant considerations for translating these technologies to the clinic where they may benefit patients. In particular, discussion will focus on our team’s development of a completely unique formulation that provides one month of therapeutic levels of glaucoma medication from a noninvasive eye drop. We believe that this new treatment method may have the ability to overcome the issues inherent to traditional eye drop medication while avoiding the need for more invasive techniques.   Morgan Fedorchak is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Chemical Engineering, and Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Pittsburgh and the director of the Ophthalmic Biomaterials Laboratory. She attended Carnegie Mellon University where she obtained her B.S. in both Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering in 2006. She later earned her PhD in bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh in 2011 under Dr. William Federspiel studying hemofiltration and medical devices. Subsequently, she was awarded a fellowship from the Fox Center for Vision Restoration to participate in a collaboration between Dr. Steve Little and Dr. Joel Schuman as a postdoctoral researcher in March of 2011. This work formed the basis for the development of a patent pending drug delivery system for glaucoma that was recently featured in The Wall Street Journal. Her research is currently supported by the National Eye Institute, the Cystinosis Research Foundation, the University of Pittsburgh Center for Medical Innovation, and the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation. Recorded Monday, September 12, 2016 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

  From River to Tap: Examining Local Water Quality Presenter: Gina Cyprych Environmental Compliance Coordinator Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority Water: We drink it every day. But have you ever stopped to think about just exactly where your water comes from and how it’s treated? Join Gina Cyprych, Acting Chief Water Quality Officer at the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, as she discusses how Pittsburgh’s drinking water is captured from the Allegheny River and treated. The Authority must ensure that the highest quality water is reaching each person, but with the many competing regulations a water utility must uphold, how do they maintain simultaneous compliance given a variety of circumstances? Cyprych has worked at the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority for the past 11 years. She received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management from Columbia Southern University.   Recorded Monday, August 1, 2016 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Jonathan Pruitt Assistant Professor Department of Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology University of California - Santa Barbara   Spiders: Myths and Facts  Follow along with the slideshow here. What’s it like to live in a spider society? Join University of California Santa Barbara Assistant Professor Jonathan Pruitt as he discusses "Spiders: Myths and Facts." Sociality is rare in spiders. Pruitt’s research concerns one species of spider that lives in social groups and how social interactions between the arachnids impacts their behavior and environment. Pruitt’s research explores the ecological consequences of individual variation in behavior for individuals, populations, and communities. Is aggressive behavior rewarded? What mix of docile and aggressive individuals is optimal for a community? Pruitt’s research considers the role of individual differences in patterns of task allocation within societies, and how these patterns impact the long-term performance of groups in different environments. In non-social systems, Pruitt looks at how variation in behavior impacts species interactions across different ecological niches, in both terrestrial and marine systems. Pruitt performed his graduate studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He then conducted postdoctoral studies at the University of California, Davis. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology at the University of California Santa Barbara.   Recorded Monday, April 4, 2016 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Nick Nystrom Director of Strategic Applications, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center   Bridges: Connecting Researchers, Big Data, and High-Performance Computing   Follow along with the slides HERE! Inferring the causes of disease, tracking the survival of the human race, and enabling natural-language searches of video are just a few of the topics being tackled right here in Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center. Join us as we explore how the center uses big data and data analytics to better understand challenging problems. As the center's Director of Strategic Applications, Dr. Nick Nystrom and his team develop hardware and software architectures to enable groundbreaking research, engaging in research and collaborations across diverse disciplines. At Café Sci, Nystrom will discuss researchers' use of PSC's newest resources, including "Bridges." "Bridges" is a data-intensive high-performance computing (HPC) system designed to empower new research communities, bring desktop convenience to HPC, expand campus access, and help researchers facing challenges in Big Data to work more intuitively. Funded by a $9.65 million National Science Foundation award, Bridges consists of three tiers of large-shared-memory resources, dedicated nodes for database, web, and data transfer purposes, high-performance shared and distributed data storage, powerful new CPUs and GPUs, and the new, uniquely powerful interconnection network. From a software perspective, Bridges supports widely-used data analytic software such as R, Java, Python, and MATLAB, integration of Spark and Hadoop with HPC, and virtualization. Nystrom will discuss the importance of converging Big Data and HPC and how Bridges is bringing HPC to nontraditional users and research communities. Nystrom is also a research physicist in the Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Math, and Physics and a PhD in Computational Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.   Recorded on Monday, March 7, 2016 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Neil Donahue Professor of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Director Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies at Carnegie Mellon University   If  You Can’t See It, It Doesn’t Exist: Connections of Air and Climate Pollution with Policy Decisions   Follow along with the slide show here. The effects of climate change, air pollution, and efforts by leaders to address these effects are pressing issues that pervade recent news-cycles – from climate talks in Paris to the increase in “red alert” days in Beijing. Dr. Neil Donahue will discuss “If  You Can’t See It, It Doesn’t Exist: Connections of Air and Climate Pollution with Policy Decisions.” Donahue is a Professor of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University; and a Science & Engineering Ambassador with the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. He directs the Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research. Climate pollution is mostly invisible and diffuse. More traditional air pollution — haze and smog — is visible and localized.  However, both cause a world of hurt, and addressing them together may be a key to making progress on both.  The “social costs” of pollution can be very high, with the costs of climate pollution distributed over the globe and over generations, while the social costs of air pollution bourn locally and immediately, including contribution to millions of deaths every year. Donahue will discuss the role of three current research activities towards enabling decision-makers to consider the costs and benefits of policies that could affect both pollution types.  The research includes fundamental experiments about fine atmospheric particles at CERN, the particle-physics research institute in Geneva; a collaboration to model the life-cycle of carbon in regional pollution in China; and development of a decision support tool for city policy makers to compare policy “intervention” options in terms of costs and effectiveness for climate and air-pollution benefits. Donahue seeks to understand how Earth's atmosphere works and how humans affect the atmosphere. He strives to help all graduating CMU students understand the climate problem and to apply their outstanding problem-solving skills to solutions of this enormous challenge. Donahue’s research focuses on the behavior of organic compounds in Earth's atmosphere. The world experts in his research group study what happens to compounds from both natural sources and human activity when they are emitted into the atmosphere. Recently, the group’s research has focused on the origin and transformations of very small organic particles, which play a critical role in climate change and human health. Particles scatter light, influence clouds, and kill roughly 50,000 people each year in the U.S., mostly of heart attacks. Donahue earned a degree in physics from Brown University and a doctorate in meteorology from MIT. He spent nine years as a research scientist at Harvard before returning to Pittsburgh in 2000.   Recorded on Monday, February 1, 2016 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Jose Padial William and Ingrid Rea Assistant Curator of Amphibians and ReptilesCarnegie Museum of Natural History   Expeditions and Species Discovery in the Amazon   Follow along with the slideshow here. For centuries, the Amazon has captivated naturalists, including a Pittsburgh-based scientist who has lead expeditions to tropical forests and discovered fascinating new species of amphibians and reptiles. Dr. Jose Padial, the William and Ingrid Rea Assistant Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, will discuss “Expeditions and species discovery in the Amazon”. The Amazon has been a top destination for naturalists attracted by the diversity of life forms occurring in these forests and by the endless possibilities for discovery. Most species of birds, mammals, frogs, fishes, and invertebrates known in the world live in the tropical rainforests of the Amazon. Still, many areas of the Amazon remain poorly explored, and scientists working in these areas are discovering dozens of new species each year. Padial will explain how he organized expeditions to the tropical forests of the Andes and the Amazon in Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia that uncovered new species of amphibians and reptiles. These discoveries involved traveling to remote locations in the jungle and using scientific methods such as comparative anatomy, DNA barcoding, or bioacustics. His discoveries are helping us to understand the enormous diversity of life forms in the Amazon. Padial, the William and Ingrid Rea Assistant Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, focuses on the systematics of amphibians and reptiles. He earned his PhD and bachelor’s degree in biology at University of Granada in Spain. He also studied zoology at Ruprecht-Karls University in Heidelberg, Germany, and at Institüt für Zoologie of the Albert-Ludwigs-University in Freiburg, Germany. The video mentioned during the talk shows daily at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History's Earth Theater. It will be linked here when it becomes available in its finished form online Recorded on Monday, December 7, 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Jeanne M. VanBriesen Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Carnegie Mellon University       Rain, Rivers, and Resources: How Watersheds Change Drinking Water   Follow along with the slide show here. How do everyday choices impact the water supply? Carnegie Mellon University professor and Carnegie Science Award winner Dr. Jeanne M. VanBriesen will discuss her research in ““Rain, Rivers, and Resources: How Watersheds Change Drinking Water” on Monday, Nov. 9, from 7 – 9 pm, at Carnegie Science Center.   Rivers teem with fish and plants, offer a space for recreation, and provide the source of the water we drink. Rain water, on its way to rivers, runs across watersheds. Watersheds are land surfaces that house activities such as mining, farming, producing electricity, and building homes. These activities pose a challenge to maintaining high quality water for ecosystems, recreation, and potable water supply. VanBriesen will talk about engineering systems that manage the quality and quantity of water resources. She’ll discuss how the choices people make around energy resources in our watersheds affect the options to treat drinking water.   VanBriesen, who serves on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board, is the Duquesne Light Company Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research is in environmental systems, including detection of biological agents in water systems and impacts of energy extraction.    She earned her bachelor’s degree in education and her master’s and doctorate degrees in civil engineering from Northwestern University. She is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Delaware and has served on the board of the Association for Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. Earlier this year, VanBriesen was awarded the Environmental Award in the Carnegie Science Awards program for her water quality research.   Recorded Monday, November 9, 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

This is the Q&A portion of the talk. The full talk is available in the previous podcast.   Jeanne M. VanBriesen Professor of Civil and Environmental EngineeringCarnegie Mellon University         Rain, Rivers, and Resources: How Watersheds Change Drinking Water     How do everyday choices impact the water supply? Carnegie Mellon University professor and Carnegie Science Award winner Dr. Jeanne M. VanBriesen will discuss her research in ““Rain, Rivers, and Resources: How Watersheds Change Drinking Water” on Monday, Nov. 9, from 7 – 9 pm, at Carnegie Science Center.   Rivers teem with fish and plants, offer a space for recreation, and provide the source of the water we drink. Rain water, on its way to rivers, runs across watersheds. Watersheds are land surfaces that house activities such as mining, farming, producing electricity, and building homes. These activities pose a challenge to maintaining high quality water for ecosystems, recreation, and potable water supply. VanBriesen will talk about engineering systems that manage the quality and quantity of water resources. She’ll discuss how the choices people make around energy resources in our watersheds affect the options to treat drinking water.   VanBriesen, who serves on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board, is the Duquesne Light Company Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research is in environmental systems, including detection of biological agents in water systems and impacts of energy extraction.    She earned her bachelor’s degree in education and her master’s and doctorate degrees in civil engineering from Northwestern University. She is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Delaware and has served on the board of the Association for Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. Earlier this year, VanBriesen was awarded the Environmental Award in the Carnegie Science Awards program for her water quality research.   Recorded Monday, November 9, 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

David Brumley President & DirectorCarnegie Mellon Univeristy’s CyLab   Checking the World's Software for Exploitable Bugs   Follow along with the slide show here. To Carnegie Mellon University’s David Brumley, hacking is “not something just bad guys do.” Brumley, a professor and director of the CyLab Institute at Carnegie Mellon University will discuss the important science behind hacking at Carnegie Science Center’s next Café Scientifique on Monday, Oct. 5, from 7 – 9 pm. Brumley and his team at Carnegie Mellon’s CyLab (cyber security lab) envision a world in which software is automatically checked for exploitable bugs, giving people the ability to trust their computers. The demand for cybersecurity professionals is growing, and Carnegie Mellon University is working to train students interested in the field. Brumley is an associate professor who focuses on software security, with appointments in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and the Computer Science Department. He is the faculty mentor for the CMU Hacking Team Plaid Parliament of Pwning (PPP), which is ranked internationally as one of the top teams in the world. Brumley’s honors include a 2010 NSF CAREER award, a 2010 United States Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from President Obama, the highest award in the U.S. for early career scientists, and a 2013 Sloan Foundation award. Brumley is the 2015 winner of the Carnegie Science Award in the University/Post-Secondary Educator category. He was lauded for recognizing the need for novel approaches to STEM education, leading him to spearhead picoCTF, a national cyber security game and contest targeted at exciting young minds about computer security. Brumley attended the University of Northern Colorado for his bachelor’s degree in mathematics, Stanford University for his master’s degree in computer science, and, most recently, CMU for his PhD in computer science. At Stanford, he worked as a computer security officer, solving thousands of computer security incidents in a four-year span.   Recorded on Monday, October 5, 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Dave Speer President & Co-FounderMellonHead Labs   CATTfish and Flamingo, a new way to measure water quality from CMU Why does water quality matter to you? Carnegie Mellon University start-up MellonHead Labs will explain water quality issues and what part can we can play in the water economy. Dave Speer, president and co-founder of MellonHead Labs will speak about: Water quality issues facing Pittsburgh and the nation, how CMU is involved and water and environmental programs, how these programs function and are supported/funded, and the future of water quality monitoring, technology, and IoT (internet of things). CATTfish was created by the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University. The CATTfish system provides a simple and easy way to track water quality at home. In 2014, a new venture, MellonHead Labs, was formed to bring this innovative environmental sensing product to market. The sensor is used by both citizens and industry to track water quality changes over long periods of time and large geographic areas. Cloud-based visualization of large data sets allows easy interpretation of results. Speer is a fourth-generation Pittsburgher who attended University of Delaware for his undergraduate degree, George Washington University for graduate school, and Carnegie Mellon University for his business launch and start-up founding. Recorded on Monday, September 14, 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Dr. Timothy Pearce Assistant Curator & Head, Section of MollusksCarnegie Museum of Natural History   "Wily Land Snails of Pennsylvania:Where Do They Live and Which Are Rare?"   Follow along with the slideshow HERE. A local scientist's work is dramatically increasing what we know about Pennsylvania's 129 land snail species. For the Pennsylvania Land Snail Atlas Project, Dr. Timothy Pearce collected 17,472 records of Pennsylvania land snails from modern field work and museum specimens, documenting thousands of new county records. Many minute species are now known to be widespread, although they previously seemed to be rare. Dr. Pearce, assistant curator and head of the section of mollusks at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, will discuss his work in, "Wily Land Snails of Pennsylvania: Where Do They Live and Which Are Rare?" at Café Scientifique. Dr. Pearce gained an important historical perspective on ecology while working toward a master's degree in snail paleontology at University of California at Berkeley, then he continued studying snail ecology for a PhD at University of Michigan. During a year-long post-doctoral study in Madagascar, he helped find more than 600 undescribed land snail species. During his first curator job at the Delaware Museum, he was awarded that institution's first National Science Foundation grant. His current research at Carnegie Museum of Natural History ecological snail studies in the northeastern and northwestern regions of the United States and in Colombia, South America.   Recorded Monday, August 10th, 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Learning Science for Better Learning: Carnegie Mellon University's "Simon Initiative"   Dr. Marsha Lovett Director of the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational InnovationCarnegie Mellon University   Many students today receive a 19th-century education that is developed without the benefit of contemporary evidence-based research, Carnegie Mellon University's Dr. Marsha Lovett asserts. At Carnegie Science Center's next Café Sci, She'll discuss how a combination of education-based research plus innovations in educational technology can improve students' learning outcomes while further advancing our scientific understanding of how learning works. Carnegie Mellon University's Simon Initiative focuses on leveraging these opportunities and making a difference for local and global learners. The Simon Initiative focuses on the learner and how to improve learning. Dr. Lovett is co-coordinator of The Simon Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University and the director of the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation. Her remarks will present recent results, tools, and examples of how educational theories are being applied. Dr. Lovett has published more than 50 research papers and two books, Thinking with Data and How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. The latter is ranked third on The Chronicle's "Top 10 Books on Teaching" and has been translated into several languages. She has developed several innovative, educational technologies to promote student learning, including StatTutor and the Learning Dashboard. Dr. Lovett earned her doctorate in psychology from Carnegie Mellon University, and her bachelor's degree, also in psychology, is from Princeton University.   Recorded Monday, May 4th, 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

This is the Q&A portion of the evening.   Dr. David Snoke Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Pittsburgh   "What is Quantum Entanglement?" Dr. David Snoke, a local professor, will unpack the concept of "quantum entanglement." The concept is one of those things considered "spooky" about quantum mechanics. It leads to oddities, such as the famous thought experiment "Schrodinger's Cat," which is presumably in a state of being both dead and alive. Dr. Snoke, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh, will describe quantum entanglement, using a minimum of math, and will discuss modern experiments which lead to macroscopic entanglement. He'll discuss what these concepts mean (and don't mean) for our view of reality. Dr. David Snoke is the head of an experimental optics laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh, which studies basic effects of quantum mechanics in semiconductor structures, funded by the National Science Foundation. He has more than 120 publications in journals such as Nature, Science, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. He has published four scientific books, including two textbooks published by Pearson. In 2006, Dr. Snoke was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Prior to coming to the University of Pittsburgh in 1994, he worked in industry at the Aerospace Corporation in California and the Westinghouse labs in Pittsburgh, and he was an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute in Stuttgart, Germany. His Ph.D. in physics is from the University of Illinois, and his bachelor's degree, also in physics, is from Cornell University.   Recorded on Monday, April 13, 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Dr. David Snoke Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Pittsburgh   "What is Quantum Entanglement?" Dr. David Snoke, a local professor, will unpack the concept of "quantum entanglement." The concept is one of those things considered "spooky" about quantum mechanics. It leads to oddities, such as the famous thought experiment "Schrodinger's Cat," which is presumably in a state of being both dead and alive. Dr. Snoke, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh, will describe quantum entanglement, using a minimum of math, and will discuss modern experiments which lead to macroscopic entanglement. He'll discuss what these concepts mean (and don't mean) for our view of reality. Dr. David Snoke is the head of an experimental optics laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh, which studies basic effects of quantum mechanics in semiconductor structures, funded by the National Science Foundation. He has more than 120 publications in journals such as Nature, Science, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. He has published four scientific books, including two textbooks published by Pearson. In 2006, Dr. Snoke was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Prior to coming to the University of Pittsburgh in 1994, he worked in industry at the Aerospace Corporation in California and the Westinghouse labs in Pittsburgh, and he was an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute in Stuttgart, Germany. His Ph.D. in physics is from the University of Illinois, and his bachelor's degree, also in physics, is from Cornell University.   Recorded on Monday, April 13, 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

  Solid-State Lighting: Energy-Efficient Alternative? Professor Robert F. Davis Department of Materials Science and Engineering Carnegie Mellon University In the future, when we flip a light switch, could it turn on a solid-state light, rather than an incandescent or fluorescent bulb? Incandescent and fuel-based lamps convert less than 5 perfect of the energy they consume into visible light; the remainder emerges as heat. Fluorescent lamps achieve a conversion efficiency of about 30 percent. Each is an engine for converting the earth’s energy resources mostly into waste heat, pollution, and greenhouse gases. The increasingly precious energy resources and the significant threat of climate change demand that we reduce the energy and environmental cost of artificial lighting. Solid-state lighting is the direct conversion of electricity to visible white light using semiconductor materials and light emitting diodes. It has the potential to be the much-needed energy efficient technology of the future. Currently being tested in some environments, solid-state lighting needs more research, engineering, and technological development to increase efficiency, lower its heat generation, and achieve a light color that’s accurate and pleasing to the human eye. Robert F. Davis is John and Clare Bertucci Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. He received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. His research interests include: growth and characterization of wide band gap semiconductor thin films and devices; growth and characterization of chemical sensors; and atomic layer deposition of inorganic materials. He has edited or co-edited seven books, authored or co-authored more than 270 chapters in edited proceedings or in books, published more than 400 peer reviewed papers in archival Journals and given more than 170 invited presentations. Recorded Monday, March 9th 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA

Dr. Stephen F. Smith Research professor in the Robotics Institute and Director of the Intelligent Coordination and Logistics LaboratoryCarnegie Mellon University   Smart Traffic Signals Traffic congestion in United States metropolitan areas is an increasing problem, now estimated to cost travelers $121 billion annually in lost time and fuel consumption, and to release 56 billion pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. In this talk, Dr. Stephen F. Smith will describe recent research aimed at addressing this problem through smart traffic signals. A smart traffic signal perceives approaching traffic in real time and dynamically allocates green light time to move all current traffic through the intersection as efficiently as possible. Signal plans are coordinated with neighboring smart signals. Smith will summarize how this technology works, present results obtained from an initial experimental deployment of smart traffic signals in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and discuss future opportunities for smart signal systems to exploit emerging connected vehicle technology (which will shortly enable direct communication between traffic signals and vehicles) to enhance the safety and mobility of urban travelers. Smith is a research professor in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, where he is director of the Intelligent Coordination and Logistics Laboratory. Smith's research focuses on the theory and practice of next-generation technologies for planning, scheduling, coordination, and optimization. For the past several years, he has directed the SURTRAC (Smart URban TRAffic Control) adaptive traffic signal control project, which has developed a decentralized system for real-time optimization of urban traffic flows. Current research with SURTRAC focuses on optimization of traffic flows involving passenger vehicles, buses, pedestrians, and bicyclists, and on integration of smart signal control with connected vehicle technology.   Recorded Monday, February 2, 2015 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA

Additive Manufacturing: What It Is, How It Works, and Why We Should Care Follow along with the slideshow here. Dr. Howard A. Kuhn Adjunct ProfessorUniversity of Pittsburgh Additive Manufacturing, or 3D Printing, is a hotbed of modern innovation and entrepreneurial activity that is beginning to affect nearly every facet of our lives. Dr. Howard A. Kuhn will trace the evolution of the technology and illustrate the seemingly infinite array of geometrical features this technology makes possible. Kuhn will describe and display a variety of current and emerging applications, with emphasis on uses of additive manufacturing in the biomedical field. Dr. Howard A. Kuhn is an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh, teaching courses in manufacturing, product realization, entrepreneurship, and additive manufacturing. He also conducts research on additive manufacturing of biomedical devices for tissue engineering at the university. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Kuhn serves as technical adviser for the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. He is also research consultant at The Ex One Company, developing materials, processes and equipment for additive manufacturing of metal and ceramic components by three-dimensional printing.   Recorded Monday, December 1st, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

*This is the Q&A portion of Dr. Kuhn's presentation. Additive Manufacturing: What It Is, How It Works, and Why We Should Care Dr. Howard A. Kuhn Adjunct ProfessorUniversity of Pittsburgh Additive Manufacturing, or 3D Printing, is a hotbed of modern innovation and entrepreneurial activity that is beginning to affect nearly every facet of our lives. Dr. Howard A. Kuhn will trace the evolution of the technology and illustrate the seemingly infinite array of geometrical features this technology makes possible. Kuhn will describe and display a variety of current and emerging applications, with emphasis on uses of additive manufacturing in the biomedical field. Dr. Howard A. Kuhn is an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh, teaching courses in manufacturing, product realization, entrepreneurship, and additive manufacturing. He also conducts research on additive manufacturing of biomedical devices for tissue engineering at the university. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Kuhn serves as technical adviser for the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. He is also research consultant at The Ex One Company, developing materials, processes and equipment for additive manufacturing of metal and ceramic components by three-dimensional printing.   Recorded Monday, December 1st, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Dr. Arthur Kosowsky Professor of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of Pittsburgh   "The Beginning of the Universe... and Dust in Our Galaxy"   (Follow along with the slide show here) Arthur Kosowsky, a top expert in cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, will speak about a new discovery made using the BICEP telescope at the South Pole earlier this year. A team of physicists noticed a subtle change in the CMB, which is hypothesized to be the result of gravitational waves by a sudden cosmic expansion during the very earliest moments of the universe. Despite the buzz this discovery has generated, more analysis is needed to determine whether the signal is evidence of the first moments of the universe, or whether it has a much more local source – such as dust grains in our own galaxy, aligned by magnetic fields. More data will be required to determine the cause of the change. If the signal is indeed from the first moments of the universe, it opens a remarkable window into physics at a scale we will never be able to probe with experiments on Earth, and it can tell us what happened when the universe was a trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second old. Kosowsky will talk about the science behind these ideas, what kinds of observations need to be done to decide the source of what we are seeing in the microwave sky, what this might tell us about the universe, and what kinds of future physics experiments and theories it might prompt. Arthur Kosowsky is a professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his PhD in physics from the University of Chicago in 1994 and has been on the faculty of Pitt since 2005. He is the author of many scientific papers about the universe, and particularly how the cosmic microwave background radiation tells us about the properties of the universe and about fundamental physics. He is also a member of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) project, which has built a custom-designed 6-meter microwave telescope with superconducting bolometric detectors to observe the microwave sky from the Atacama desert in the Chilean Andes. Recorded on Monday, November 10th, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Dr. Cynthia Morton Carnegie Museum of Natural HistoryCurator of Botany   Assuring Urban Forest Health and Sustainability via Tree Genetic Diversity   Follow along with the slide show here! As a botanist, Dr. Cynthia Morton, curator of botany at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, has worked locally and internationally to collect specimens for phylogenetic analysis of molecular and morphological data. The range of projects include redefining the citrus family, constructing genomic maps, cleaning ground water, and investigating park and nursery tree genetics. Her work in 2008 compared the level of genetic variation in London Plane trees already existing in the Pittsburgh area with trees of the same species currently available from three commercial nurseries. The genetic diversity was far greater in the older urban tree samples compared to the nursery samples, indicating that the nursery industry has been selectively cloning to produce new trees. While cloning trees is in itself a benign practice, doing so on a mass scale without a proper understanding of the implications of drastically reducing the genetic diversity of urban forests is ill-advised. A greater understanding of urban tree genetic diversity will allow policy makers, city planners, environmental agencies, and the nursery industry to make informed decisions and recommendations to improve practices for maintaining a robust tree landscape for the future. An urban environment rich with trees is highly valued for its aesthetic qualities as well as its environmental benefits, such as reducing summer cooling costs, carbon sequestration, intercepting airborne pollutants, and reducing storm water runoff. In the United States, urban forests are estimated to contain about 3.8 billion trees, with an estimated structural asset value of $2.4 trillion. Billions of federal, local and private dollars are spent annually on management, labor, and the trees themselves as part of tree revitalization projects, and millions more are spent by individual homeowners to improve their environment and property values. Despite this multi-billion dollar urban tree economy, little work has been done to understand urban tree genetic diversity as an issue of vulnerability, or to examine the long-term impacts of urban tree genetic diversity on the sustainability of the urban environment. Morton's research has been featured in newspapers, videos, and in peer-reviewed scientific articles.   Recorded Monday, October 6, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

This is the Q&A portion of Dr. Morton's presentation. Dr. Cynthia Morton Carnegie Museum of Natural HistoryCurator of Botany   Assuring Urban Forest Health and Sustainability via Tree Genetic Diversity As a botanist, Dr. Cynthia Morton, curator of botany at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, has worked locally and internationally to collect specimens for phylogenetic analysis of molecular and morphological data. The range of projects include redefining the citrus family, constructing genomic maps, cleaning ground water, and investigating park and nursery tree genetics. Her work in 2008 compared the level of genetic variation in London Plane trees already existing in the Pittsburgh area with trees of the same species currently available from three commercial nurseries. The genetic diversity was far greater in the older urban tree samples compared to the nursery samples, indicating that the nursery industry has been selectively cloning to produce new trees. While cloning trees is in itself a benign practice, doing so on a mass scale without a proper understanding of the implications of drastically reducing the genetic diversity of urban forests is ill-advised. A greater understanding of urban tree genetic diversity will allow policy makers, city planners, environmental agencies, and the nursery industry to make informed decisions and recommendations to improve practices for maintaining a robust tree landscape for the future. An urban environment rich with trees is highly valued for its aesthetic qualities as well as its environmental benefits, such as reducing summer cooling costs, carbon sequestration, intercepting airborne pollutants, and reducing storm water runoff. In the United States, urban forests are estimated to contain about 3.8 billion trees, with an estimated structural asset value of $2.4 trillion. Billions of federal, local and private dollars are spent annually on management, labor, and the trees themselves as part of tree revitalization projects, and millions more are spent by individual homeowners to improve their environment and property values. Despite this multi-billion dollar urban tree economy, little work has been done to understand urban tree genetic diversity as an issue of vulnerability, or to examine the long-term impacts of urban tree genetic diversity on the sustainability of the urban environment. Morton's research has been featured in newspapers, videos, and in peer-reviewed scientific articles.   Recorded Monday, October 6, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Dr. Katherine Freese George E. Uhlenbeck Professor of PhysicsUniversity of Michigan AuthorThe Cosmic Cocktail   Cosmic Cocktail: Three Parts Dark Matter Dr. Katherine Freese, a pioneer in the study of dark matter, discusses her book, "The Cosmic Cocktail," which documents the inside story of the epic quest to solve one of the most compelling mysteries of modern science – what is the universe made of?  

Craig Nelson, Author "The Age of Radiance: The Epic Rise and the Dramatic Fall of the Atomic Era" With a biographer's penchant for detail, author Craig Nelson will chronicle the historical figures of the atomic age, including its "Forgotten Women." His lecture will keep visitors guessing at every turn. Nelson is the author of "The Age of Radiance: The Epic Rise and Dramatic Fall of the Atomic Era," "Rocket Men" (a New York Times bestseller), "Thomas Paine: Enlightenment, Revolution, and the Birth of Modern Nations," among other works. Nelson, a historian, will offer new understanding of the era, focusing on its forgotten heroes and heroines who have impacted all of our lives. For example, Albert Einstein called Lise Meitner, the first female university professor in the history of Germany, "our Curie." The Viennese head of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute's Physics department made one of the great discoveries of modern science on Christmas in 1938: Nuclear fission. But she was written out of history, first by the Nazis for being a Jew, and then by the post-war Germans for being a woman. Heisenberg called her nothing more than an assistant. Her worktable was mounted at Munich's German History Museum and labeled as being the desk of her great antagonist. She was denied the Nobel prize. But the physics community would enact a precise form of eternal vengeance – giving her a spot on the periodic table – while ensuring that her great foe could never achieve this honor. Learn more about Craig Nelson at www.craignelson.us Recorded on Monday, August 4, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

This is the Q&A portion of Craig Nelson's talk, "The Age of Radiance." With a biographer's penchant for detail, author Craig Nelson will chronicle the historical figures of the atomic age, including its "Forgotten Women." His lecture will keep visitors guessing at every turn. Nelson is the author of "The Age of Radiance: The Epic Rise and Dramatic Fall of the Atomic Era," "Rocket Men" (a New York Times bestseller), "Thomas Paine: Enlightenment, Revolution, and the Birth of Modern Nations," among other works. Nelson, a historian, will offer new understanding of the era, focusing on its forgotten heroes and heroines who have impacted all of our lives. For example, Albert Einstein called Lise Meitner, the first female university professor in the history of Germany, "our Curie." The Viennese head of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute's Physics department made one of the great discoveries of modern science on Christmas in 1938: Nuclear fission. But she was written out of history, first by the Nazis for being a Jew, and then by the post-war Germans for being a woman. Heisenberg called her nothing more than an assistant. Her worktable was mounted at Munich's German History Museum and labeled as being the desk of her great antagonist. She was denied the Nobel prize. But the physics community would enact a precise form of eternal vengeance – giving her a spot on the periodic table – while ensuring that her great foe could never achieve this honor. Learn more about Craig Nelson at www.craignelson.us Recorded on Monday, August 4, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Dr. Alison Barth Associate professor Carnegie Mellon University Department of Biological Science How do our experiences change us? How are memories stored and retrieved? Scientists believe the answers lie in how connections between neurons, called synapses, can be strengthened or weakened over time. The brain contains about 100 billion neurons and 1 quadrillion synapses, so figuring out which ones are changed during learning is the ultimate needle-in-the-haystack problem. Learn how contemporary neuroscientists are tackling this age-old question, using sophisticated, state-of-the-art techniques for neuronal imaging as well as the recording of tiny electrical impulses from task-related neurons. Figuring out what regulates learning promises new methods to boost memory and improve perception or performance. Alison Barth, associate professor in Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Biological Science, will give an introduction to brain plasticity, explaining how molecules become linked to the mind. Dr. Barth studies the organization of and plasticity of neocortical circuits in rodents. Her work centers on how synapses are altered by behavioral experience. She's the recipient of numerous awards, and she holds a patent for the fosGFP transgenic mouse. She is an inventor on multiple applications for other neuroscience-related methods and treatments. Recorded Monday, June 2, 2014, at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

This is the Q&A portion of Dr. Barth's presentation. Dr. Alison Barth Associate professor Carnegie Mellon University Department of Biological Science How do our experiences change us? How are memories stored and retrieved? Scientists believe the answers lie in how connections between neurons, called synapses, can be strengthened or weakened over time. The brain contains about 100 billion neurons and 1 quadrillion synapses, so figuring out which ones are changed during learning is the ultimate needle-in-the-haystack problem. Learn how contemporary neuroscientists are tackling this age-old question, using sophisticated, state-of-the-art techniques for neuronal imaging as well as the recording of tiny electrical impulses from task-related neurons. Figuring out what regulates learning promises new methods to boost memory and improve perception or performance. Alison Barth, associate professor in Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Biological Science, will give an introduction to brain plasticity, explaining how molecules become linked to the mind. Dr. Barth studies the organization of and plasticity of neocortical circuits in rodents. Her work centers on how synapses are altered by behavioral experience. She's the recipient of numerous awards, and she holds a patent for the fosGFP transgenic mouse. She is an inventor on multiple applications for other neuroscience-related methods and treatments. Recorded Monday, June 2, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Matthew C. Lamanna, Ph.D. Assistant Curator Section of Vertebrate Paleontology Carnegie Museum of Natural History Birds are today's most diverse group of land-living backboned animals. They comprise more than 10,000 species. But their origins remain poorly understood. Lamanna's expeditions have unearthed dozens of exquisitely-preserved avian fossils – many of them including soft-tissues such as feathers and skin – from ~120 million-year-old sediments in the Changma Basin of northwestern Gansu Province, China. More recently, Lamanna and his team have conducted expeditions to latest Cretaceous exposures in the James Ross Basin of the Antarctic Peninsula in search of what may be the world's most ancient neornithines. Dr. Lamanna studied at Hobart College and the University of Pennyslvania. He serves as an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Geology and Planetary Science at University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Lamanna has extensive paleontological field experience in Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, China, Egypt, and the United States. In 2000, he co-led a research team that unearthed Paralititan stromeri, one of the largest dinosaurs yet discovered, in Egypt's Bahariya Oasis. More recently, Lamanna served as chief scientific advisor to Carnegie Museum of Natural History's $36M dinosaur exhibition, Dinosaurs in Their Time, which opened in 2008. Recorded on Monday, May 5, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

This is the Q&A portion of Matthew Lamanna's talk, The Origin of Modern Birds. Matthew C. Lamanna, Ph.D. Assistant Curator Section of Vertebrate Paleontology Carnegie Museum of Natural History Birds are today's most diverse group of land-living backboned animals. They comprise more than 10,000 species. But their origins remain poorly understood. Lamanna's expeditions have unearthed dozens of exquisitely-preserved avian fossils – many of them including soft-tissues such as feathers and skin – from ~120 million-year-old sediments in the Changma Basin of northwestern Gansu Province, China. More recently, Lamanna and his team have conducted expeditions to latest Cretaceous exposures in the James Ross Basin of the Antarctic Peninsula in search of what may be the world's most ancient neornithines. Dr. Lamanna studied at Hobart College and the University of Pennyslvania. He serves as an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Geology and Planetary Science at University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Lamanna has extensive paleontological field experience in Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, China, Egypt, and the United States. In 2000, he co-led a research team that unearthed Paralititan stromeri, one of the largest dinosaurs yet discovered, in Egypt's Bahariya Oasis. More recently, Lamanna served as chief scientific advisor to Carnegie Museum of Natural History's $36M dinosaur exhibition, Dinosaurs in Their Time, which opened in 2008. Recorded on Monday, May 5, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Margee Kerr, "Scare-ologist" at ScareHouse Using her background in sociology, Margee Kerr will explain why we enjoy fear. She will focus on the biological, psychological, and sociological reasons we can, and do, enjoy thrilling and scary activities and material. From roller coasters and haunted attractions to scary movies and video games, her talk will explain the many upsides to fear and how our consumption of and engagement with scary material has changed over the last 100 years. Margee Kerr currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA where she teaches courses in sociology for the University of Pittsburgh. She grew up outside of Baltimore and attended Hollins University in Roanoke, VA where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in 2002. Moving to Pittsburgh for graduate school, she studied Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh completing her Masters degree in 2004 and her PhD in 2009. Margee has extensive experience in research, co-authoring scholarly articles on the history of medicine and doctor/patient communication. She is also a nationally recognized expert on professional haunted houses. She was a featured presenter at The American Sociology Association's annual meeting in 2005, HauntCon (National Haunted Attraction Convention) in 2012, and at TransWorld (the largest national haunted attraction convention in the world) in 2013. Margee works year-round for ScareHouse consulting with the creators and owners on how to be scientifically scary and in developing, implementing, and analyzing data on customers and employees. In 2012 Margee helped to create, write, and host the Scare U web series with the ScareHouse which aired in October of 2012. Scare U presents fast-paced and entertaining lessons all about fear, covering everything from the evolution of the fight or flight response to the fear of zombies and clowns, to why people love to be scared. Margee is turning her research into why people enjoy fear into a book with PublicAffairs Press, tentatively titled SCREAM: Adventures in the upside of fear due for publication in 2015. Follow Margee's adventures researching fear on her blog at www.margeekerr.com. Recorded Monday, April 7th, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

This is the Q&A portion of Margee Kerr's talk. Margee Kerr, "Scare-ologist" at ScareHouse Using her background in sociology, Margee Kerr will explain why we enjoy fear. She will focus on the biological, psychological, and sociological reasons we can, and do, enjoy thrilling and scary activities and material. From roller coasters and haunted attractions to scary movies and video games, her talk will explain the many upsides to fear and how our consumption of and engagement with scary material has changed over the last 100 years. Margee Kerr currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA where she teaches courses in sociology for the University of Pittsburgh. She grew up outside of Baltimore and attended Hollins University in Roanoke, VA where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in 2002. Moving to Pittsburgh for graduate school, she studied Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh completing her Masters degree in 2004 and her PhD in 2009. Margee has extensive experience in research, co-authoring scholarly articles on the history of medicine and doctor/patient communication. She is also a nationally recognized expert on professional haunted houses. She was a featured presenter at The American Sociology Association's annual meeting in 2005, HauntCon (National Haunted Attraction Convention) in 2012, and at TransWorld (the largest national haunted attraction convention in the world) in 2013. Margee works year-round for ScareHouse consulting with the creators and owners on how to be scientifically scary and in developing, implementing, and analyzing data on customers and employees. In 2012 Margee helped to create, write, and host the Scare U web series with the ScareHouse which aired in October of 2012. Scare U presents fast-paced and entertaining lessons all about fear, covering everything from the evolution of the fight or flight response to the fear of zombies and clowns, to why people love to be scared. Margee is turning her research into why people enjoy fear into a book with PublicAffairs Press, tentatively titled SCREAM: Adventures in the upside of fear due for publication in 2015. Follow Margee's adventures researching fear on her blog at www.margeekerr.com. Recorded Monday, April 7, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA

In his first story, "Ouch! Let Me See Where It Hurts," Dr. Pollock will explore aspects of the basic biology of chronic pain and how in some cases, it arises from a dynamic interplay of the nervous system and the immune system. Along with his colleagues he has found that specially formulated nano-particles can be used to label immune cells that can then be visualized in live animals revealing where the pain is originating. He'll look at some of the data that demonstrates this technique and discuss how such techniques may be able to deliver drug therapy precisely to the site of pain in the future. In his second story, "So, This Is How We Learn," Dr. Pollock will talk about why science literacy is so important and how he uses stories to reveal fundamental principles of science in museum exhibits, video games, Apps, digital dome animated shows and television dramas for kids. Through these productions, Dr. Pollock, along with his team of experts, have specifically tested how well people learn and what they learn. He'll look at some of the data and discuss how he thinks some of our learning will be happening in the not so distant future. Dr. John Archie Pollock is a graduate of Syracuse University with a B.S in Physics and a second major in Philosophy, an M.S. in Physics and a Ph.D. in biophysics. During his time at CALTECH in Pasadena CA, Dr. Pollock established a research program that focused on studying the developmental biology of the nervous system, work that he continues to the present. After nearly six years at CALTECH, Dr. Pollock moved to Carnegie Mellon University in 1989 to serve as assistant, then associate professor of biological sciences and director of graduate programs. In 2001, Dr. Pollock moved his research laboratory to Duquesne University to serve as an associate professor of biological sciences. At Duquesne University, he has continued his research on neural development and has initiated a new basic science research program investigating chronic pain. Another dimension of Dr. Pollock's work has been development of a broad collection of STEM and health literacy teaching resources for children and the general public that are used in museums, schools and broadcast television. His scholarly work on the assessment and evaluation of these pieces explores how people learn from multimedia. Recorded Monday, March 10, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

In his first story, "Ouch! Let Me See Where It Hurts," Dr. Pollock will explore aspects of the basic biology of chronic pain and how in some cases, it arises from a dynamic interplay of the nervous system and the immune system. Along with his colleagues he has found that specially formulated nano-particles can be used to label immune cells that can then be visualized in live animals revealing where the pain is originating. He'll look at some of the data that demonstrates this technique and discuss how such techniques may be able to deliver drug therapy precisely to the site of pain in the future. In his second story, "So, This Is How We Learn," Dr. Pollock will talk about why science literacy is so important and how he uses stories to reveal fundamental principles of science in museum exhibits, video games, Apps, digital dome animated shows and television dramas for kids. Through these productions, Dr. Pollock, along with his team of experts, have specifically tested how well people learn and what they learn. He'll look at some of the data and discuss how he thinks some of our learning will be happening in the not so distant future. Dr. John Archie Pollock is a graduate of Syracuse University with a B.S in Physics and a second major in Philosophy, an M.S. in Physics and a Ph.D. in biophysics. During his time at CALTECH in Pasadena CA, Dr. Pollock established a research program that focused on studying the developmental biology of the nervous system, work that he continues to the present. After nearly six years at CALTECH, Dr. Pollock moved to Carnegie Mellon University in 1989 to serve as assistant, then associate professor of biological sciences and director of graduate programs. In 2001, Dr. Pollock moved his research laboratory to Duquesne University to serve as an associate professor of biological sciences. At Duquesne University, he has continued his research on neural development and has initiated a new basic science research program investigating chronic pain. Another dimension of Dr. Pollock's work has been development of a broad collection of STEM and health literacy teaching resources for children and the general public that are used in museums, schools and broadcast television. His scholarly work on the assessment and evaluation of these pieces explores how people learn from multimedia. Recorded Monday, March 10, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Jake Marsico, Master of Tangible Interaction Design Candidate at Carnegie Mellon University steps in to answer the questions, what is computational design and what is the CoDe Lab? What do craft, tectonics, aesthetics, interaction, and architecture techniques that navigate between digital and analog have in common? SciTech Days are a special kind of field trip for middle and high school students that features the growth areas of Pittsburgh: biotech & health, nanotechnology & advanced materials/processes, information technology & robotics, and eco-tech (think environment & energy). Recorded Friday, March 7, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Amidst great fanfare, three American racing airplanes were shipped to France to fly in the prestigious Gordon Bennett Race in the fall of 1920. None completed a single lap of the race. American aviation plunged to a nadir. The Pulitzer Trophy Air Races, endowed by his sons in memory of publisher Joseph Pulitzer, lifted American aviation to the top. In 1923, after the first three of six Pulitzers and an American racer setting world speed records, a French magazine lamented American "pilots have broken the records which we, here in France, considered as our own for so long." Winning speeds increased 60 percent to 249 mph, and Pulitzer racers set closed course and straightaway speed records in 1922, 23, and 25. The winning racers in the 1922 and 25 Pulitzers, mounted on floats, won the most prestigious international air race – the Schneider Trophy Race for seaplanes in 1923 and 25. More than a million people saw the Pulitzers; millions more read about them and watched them in newsreels. Commercially, the Pulitzer racers’ successes promoted sales of American airplanes, engines, propellers, and other equipment both domestically and internationally. This first book about the Pulitzers highlights businessmen, generals and admirals who saw racing as a way to drive aviation progress, designers and manufacturers who produced record-breaking racers, and dashing pilots who gave the races their public face. It emphasizes the roles played by the communities that hosted the races - Garden City (Long Island), Omaha, Detroit and Mt. Clemens, Michigan, St. Louis, and Dayton. The book concludes with an analysis of the Pulitzers' importance, their end, and why their story has languished in obscurity for 85 years. Michael Gough (PhD, Brown University, biology) was a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine and the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He was a program manager at the Office of Technology Assessment, United States Congress, served on and chaired national committees dealing with various risk assessment controversies in the White House, at the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and testified before congressional committees 30 times. Before his retirement, he worked at middle-of-the road and libertarian think tanks and consulted in toxic substances legal proceedings. He published 30 papers in basic science, about the same number of articles about technology assessment and health risk assessment in technical journals, and two dozen newspaper op-eds. His book Dioxin, Agent Orange [Plenum Press, 1986] sold about 6,000 copies, and he has co-authored and edited other books. Since his retirement, he has volunteered at aviation museums and as a teacher of English as a Second Language. He has written articles about airplane racing in the 1910s and 20s and presented talks about them. His book, The Pulitzer Air Races: American Aviation and Speed Supremacy, 1920-1925 [McFarland & Co] was published in May 2013. http://www.amazon.com/dp/078647100X/ref=rdr_ext_tmb Recorded Monday, February 3, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

This is the Q&A portion of the talk with Michael Gough. Amidst great fanfare, three American racing airplanes were shipped to France to fly in the prestigious Gordon Bennett Race in the fall of 1920. None completed a single lap of the race. American aviation plunged to a nadir. The Pulitzer Trophy Air Races, endowed by his sons in memory of publisher Joseph Pulitzer, lifted American aviation to the top. In 1923, after the first three of six Pulitzers and an American racer setting world speed records, a French magazine lamented American "pilots have broken the records which we, here in France, considered as our own for so long." Winning speeds increased 60 percent to 249 mph, and Pulitzer racers set closed course and straightaway speed records in 1922, 23, and 25. The winning racers in the 1922 and 25 Pulitzers, mounted on floats, won the most prestigious international air race – the Schneider Trophy Race for seaplanes in 1923 and 25. More than a million people saw the Pulitzers; millions more read about them and watched them in newsreels. Commercially, the Pulitzer racers’ successes promoted sales of American airplanes, engines, propellers, and other equipment both domestically and internationally. This first book about the Pulitzers highlights businessmen, generals and admirals who saw racing as a way to drive aviation progress, designers and manufacturers who produced record-breaking racers, and dashing pilots who gave the races their public face. It emphasizes the roles played by the communities that hosted the races - Garden City (Long Island), Omaha, Detroit and Mt. Clemens, Michigan, St. Louis, and Dayton. The book concludes with an analysis of the Pulitzers' importance, their end, and why their story has languished in obscurity for 85 years. Michael Gough (PhD, Brown University, biology) was a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine and the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He was a program manager at the Office of Technology Assessment, United States Congress, served on and chaired national committees dealing with various risk assessment controversies in the White House, at the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and testified before congressional committees 30 times. Before his retirement, he worked at middle-of-the road and libertarian think tanks and consulted in toxic substances legal proceedings. He published 30 papers in basic science, about the same number of articles about technology assessment and health risk assessment in technical journals, and two dozen newspaper op-eds. His book Dioxin, Agent Orange [Plenum Press, 1986] sold about 6,000 copies, and he has co-authored and edited other books. Since his retirement, he has volunteered at aviation museums and as a teacher of English as a Second Language. He has written articles about airplane racing in the 1910s and 20s and presented talks about them. His book, The Pulitzer Air Races: American Aviation and Speed Supremacy, 1920-1925 [McFarland & Co] was published in May 2013. http://www.amazon.com/dp/078647100X/ref=rdr_ext_tmb Recorded Monday, February 3, 2014 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Anca Dragan Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute A unique aspect of the Quality of Life Technology Center (QoLT) Center is its strength in all the relevant disciplines, which include robotics, rehabilitation science, human computer interaction, geriatrics, social sciences, and health care policy. Through their people, QoLT is connected to some of the world’s leading health systems, and technological and clinical research facilities. People design robots to make our lives better, often in unique ways. Your presenter Anca Dragan (who is part of QoLT) is a doctorate student at Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute and a member of the Personal Robotics Lab. Her research lies at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and human-computer interaction. SciTech Days are a special kind of field trip for middle and high school students that features the growth areas of Pittsburgh: biotech & health, nanotechnology & advanced materials/processes, information technology & robotics, and eco-tech (think environment & energy). Recorded November 5, 2013 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Eric J. Beckman Chemical Engineering Department University of Pittsburgh Many consumers would agree that using truly environmentally friendly products is a good thing. However, having to wade through a sea of less-than-accurate "green" advertising claims as well as the perception that greener products don't work as well or are more expensive than their conventional cousins has left customers feeling blue. The widespread use of misleading green claims has produced rampant skepticism regarding industry’s ability to design truly greener products leading some economists to conclude that without government support, greener products can't survive. Eric Beckman hopes to change that. Beckman believes it is possible to achieve real eco-innovation, where performance is enhanced even as the environmental footprint of a product is reduced. Beckman will discuss some of what he describes as the fundamental guiding principles of eco-innovation including developing and marketing products in a way that leaves customers saying, "It's green too? Cool!" Eric Beckman received his BS in chemical engineering from MIT in 1980, and a PhD in polymer science from the University of Massachusetts in 1988. Dr. Beckman assumed his faculty position at the University of Pittsburgh in 1989, was promoted to associate professor in 1994, and full professor in 1997. He received a Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation in 1992, and the Presidential Green Chemistry Award in 2002. He previously served as Associate Dean for Research for the School of Engineering and Chairman of Chemical Engineering. In 2003, Dr. Beckman co-founded the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, a school of engineering institute that examines the design of more sustainable infrastructure. In 2005, he co-founded Cohera Medical Inc. to commercialize surgical adhesive technology developed at the University. Dr. Beckman took an entrepreneurial leave of absence from the University in 2007-2009 to help move the products to market. Dr. Beckman's research group examines the use of molecular design to solve problems in green product formulation and in the design of materials for use in tissue engineering. He has published over 175 papers and has received more than 40 US patents. Recorded at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA on Monday, December 2, 2013.

This is the Q&A portion of the evening. *A correction from the Q&A: Zipcar's IPO was in April 2011. Zipcar common stock traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "ZIP" until 14 March 2013, when Avis Budget Group acquired Zipcar for US$500 million in cash. Eric J. Beckman Chemical Engineering Department University of Pittsburgh Many consumers would agree that using truly environmentally friendly products is a good thing. However, having to wade through a sea of less-than-accurate "green" advertising claims as well as the perception that greener products don't work as well or are more expensive than their conventional cousins has left customers feeling blue. The widespread use of misleading green claims has produced rampant skepticism regarding industry’s ability to design truly greener products leading some economists to conclude that without government support, greener products can't survive. Eric Beckman hopes to change that. Beckman believes it is possible to achieve real eco-innovation, where performance is enhanced even as the environmental footprint of a product is reduced. Beckman will discuss some of what he describes as the fundamental guiding principles of eco-innovation including developing and marketing products in a way that leaves customers saying, "It's green too? Cool!" Eric Beckman received his BS in chemical engineering from MIT in 1980, and a PhD in polymer science from the University of Massachusetts in 1988. Dr. Beckman assumed his faculty position at the University of Pittsburgh in 1989, was promoted to associate professor in 1994, and full professor in 1997. He received a Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation in 1992, and the Presidential Green Chemistry Award in 2002. He previously served as Associate Dean for Research for the School of Engineering and Chairman of Chemical Engineering. In 2003, Dr. Beckman co-founded the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, a school of engineering institute that examines the design of more sustainable infrastructure. In 2005, he co-founded Cohera Medical Inc. to commercialize surgical adhesive technology developed at the University. Dr. Beckman took an entrepreneurial leave of absence from the University in 2007-2009 to help move the products to market. Dr. Beckman's research group examines the use of molecular design to solve problems in green product formulation and in the design of materials for use in tissue engineering. He has published over 175 papers and has received more than 40 US patents. Recorded at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA on Monday, December 2, 2013.

Explore digital dreaming with Matt Stewart, who earned his master's degree from Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC). Learn about a graduate program that combines technology and fine arts to creates new processes, tools, and vision for storytelling and entertainment. During this workshop, Stewart will share his experiences at ETC, which allowed him to work on a variety of projects in the field of themed entertainment. His projects included interactive installation at the Give Kids the World Resort, an exploration of 3D printing while studying in Barcelona, and tinkering with embedded electronics. He is also the co-business owner of Digital Dream Labs, LLC, which has created an interactive tabletop experience, called DREAM-TABLETOP, that combines puzzle blocks with a virtual environment. The program aims to teach children abstract computer science principles, such as objects, properties (size, action), arrays (colors), and variables in a fun and tangible way. Prior to moving to Pittsburgh, Stewart received his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University. There he built his own recumbent bicycle, and gained experience through internships at Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream and Northrop Grumman Corporation. SciTech Days are a special kind of field trip for middle and high school students that features the growth areas of Pittsburgh: biotech & health, nanotechnology & advanced materials/processes, information technology & robotics, and eco tech (think environment & energy). Recorded November 7, 2013 at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

This is the Q&A portion of the talk by Dr. Andrew Watson. Healthcare traces its roots back to around 400 BC and the era of Hippocrates, when doctors began realizing how face-to-face treatments could aid in healing. Through the evolution of healthcare we have gone from learning about basic circulation to the role of genetics. The march of time has seen the advent of ever more complicated surgeries, organ transplants and now even video-based procedures. But, with all of the modernization of healthcare and scientific research, we never predicted the digital age and its impact on the face-to-face visit and healthcare. In less than a decade, we've seen patients became empowered with wireless broadband, smart phones, early sensor data and most importantly a global interconnectedness. Traditional geographical boundaries are melting away and the access to information, individuals, and intelligence is at our fingertips. Join Dr. Andrew Rose Watson as he discusses how we are on the cusp of perhaps the greatest paradigm shift in history in how we view healthcare and treat patients. Watson will speak about how care may shift outside traditional locations and how the digital age will empower patients like never before. Dr. Andrew Rose Watson is the Medical Director of the Center for Connected Medicine, The Center, located in Pittsburgh, is a joint venture between global healthcare leaders including GE, IBM, UPMC, Verizon and Alcatel-Lucent. The Center is the only collaborative national executive briefing center in healthcare. A fourth-generation surgeon and the sixth in his family, Watson attended Trinity College and subsequently earned his Master's degree at the University of Oxford in England studying 17th century British architectural history. He attended medical school at Columbia University in New York and returned to Pittsburgh for his surgical training and minimally invasive fellowship at UPMC. Currently he practices in the division of colorectal surgery and specializes in minimally invasive inflammatory bowel disease surgery. More than 75% of Dr. Watson's time is focused on healthcare thought leadership discussions, telemedicine and information technologies. Currently he is a Vice-President of the UPMC International and Commercial Services Division and is an Executive Director for Telemedicine. Recorded at the Carnegie Science Center on Monday, November 11, 2013.

Healthcare traces its roots back to around 400 BC and the era of Hippocrates, when doctors began realizing how face-to-face treatments could aid in healing. Through the evolution of healthcare we have gone from learning about basic circulation to the role of genetics. The march of time has seen the advent of ever more complicated surgeries, organ transplants and now even video-based procedures. But, with all of the modernization of healthcare and scientific research, we never predicted the digital age and its impact on the face-to-face visit and healthcare. In less than a decade, we've seen patients became empowered with wireless broadband, smart phones, early sensor data and most importantly a global interconnectedness. Traditional geographical boundaries are melting away and the access to information, individuals, and intelligence is at our fingertips. Join Dr. Andrew Rose Watson as he discusses how we are on the cusp of perhaps the greatest paradigm shift in history in how we view healthcare and treat patients. Watson will speak about how care may shift outside traditional locations and how the digital age will empower patients like never before. Dr. Andrew Rose Watson is the Medical Director of the Center for Connected Medicine, The Center, located in Pittsburgh, is a joint venture between global healthcare leaders including GE, IBM, UPMC, Verizon and Alcatel-Lucent. The Center is the only collaborative national executive briefing center in healthcare. A fourth-generation surgeon and the sixth in his family, Watson attended Trinity College and subsequently earned his Master's degree at the University of Oxford in England studying 17th century British architectural history. He attended medical school at Columbia University in New York and returned to Pittsburgh for his surgical training and minimally invasive fellowship at UPMC. Currently he practices in the division of colorectal surgery and specializes in minimally invasive inflammatory bowel disease surgery. More than 75% of Dr. Watson's time is focused on healthcare thought leadership discussions, telemedicine and information technologies. Currently he is a Vice-President of the UPMC International and Commercial Services Division and is an Executive Director for Telemedicine. Recorded at the Carnegie Science Center on Monday, November 11, 2013.

Illah Reza Nourbakhsh The ambition of modern robotics goes beyond copying humans, beyond the effort to make walking, talking androids that are indistinguishable from people. Future robots will have superhuman abilities in both the physical and digital realms. They will be embedded in our physical spaces, with the ability to go where we cannot, and will have minds of their own, thanks to artificial intelligence. They will be fully connected to the digital world, far better at carrying out online tasks than we are. In his new book Robot Futures, the Illah Reza Nourbakhsh considers how we will share our world with these creatures, and how our society could change as it incorporates a race of stronger, smarter beings. Nourbakhsh imagines a future that includes adbots offering interactive custom messaging; robotic flying toys that operate by means of "gaze tracking"; robot-enabled multimodal, multicontinental telepresence; and even a way that nanorobots could allow us to assume different physical forms. In Robot Futures, Nourbakhsh follows each glimpse into the robotic future with an examination of the underlying technology and an exploration of the social consequences of the scenario. Nourbakhsh is the director of the Community Robotics, Education and Technology Empowerment (CREATE) lab and head of the Robotics Masters Program in The Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. His current research projects explore community-based robotics, including educational and social robotics and ways to use robotic technology to empower individuals and communities. His other past projects include serving as a robotics group leader at NASA/Ames Research Center as well as the founder and chief scientist of Blue Pumpkin Software, Inc., which was acquired by Witness Systems, Inc. Nourbakhsh earned his bachelor's, master's and doctorate in computer science at Stanford University and has been a faculty member of Carnegie Mellon since 1997. Recorded at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA on September 9, 2013.

Illah Reza Nourbakhsh This is the Q&A portion of Dr. Nourbakhsh's presentation on 'Robot Futures'. The ambition of modern robotics goes beyond copying humans, beyond the effort to make walking, talking androids that are indistinguishable from people. Future robots will have superhuman abilities in both the physical and digital realms. They will be embedded in our physical spaces, with the ability to go where we cannot, and will have minds of their own, thanks to artificial intelligence. They will be fully connected to the digital world, far better at carrying out online tasks than we are. In his new book Robot Futures, the Illah Reza Nourbakhsh considers how we will share our world with these creatures, and how our society could change as it incorporates a race of stronger, smarter beings. Nourbakhsh imagines a future that includes adbots offering interactive custom messaging; robotic flying toys that operate by means of "gaze tracking"; robot-enabled multimodal, multicontinental telepresence; and even a way that nanorobots could allow us to assume different physical forms. In Robot Futures, Nourbakhsh follows each glimpse into the robotic future with an examination of the underlying technology and an exploration of the social consequences of the scenario. Nourbakhsh is the director of the Community Robotics, Education and Technology Empowerment (CREATE) lab and head of the Robotics Masters Program in The Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. His current research projects explore community-based robotics, including educational and social robotics and ways to use robotic technology to empower individuals and communities. His other past projects include serving as a robotics group leader at NASA/Ames Research Center as well as the founder and chief scientist of Blue Pumpkin Software, Inc., which was acquired by Witness Systems, Inc. Nourbakhsh earned his bachelor's, master's and doctorate in computer science at Stanford University and has been a faculty member of Carnegie Mellon since 1997. Recorded at Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA on September 9, 2013.

Georgena Terry Founder, Terry Precision Bicycles for Women CEO, Heart of Steel Bicycles Have you ever ridden on a bike that just felt right – or that just felt wrong? At its heart, a bicycle frame is an exercise in trigonometry. As with dominoes, changing one element often has effects on the other elements. The body of the rider also has to fit into the equation. There's no better way to understand these relationships than by designing a bicycle frame. Georgena Terry will help you understand this very simple, yet very sophisticated machine, based on her background in mechanical engineering and her experience in designing bicycles. The next time you look at your bike, you'll see it through different eyes. Learn why women's bodies often call for different bike design than men's, and why some bikes might wear you out more than others. And if you're in the market for a new bicycle, you'll be prepared to understand the meaning behind all the numbers. Recorded at Carnegie Science Center on Monday, July 8, 2013.