Science Seminar

everyone is welcome!


October 6, 2017

Bob Baugher

Why Can't I Get Things Done?

Do you put things off? Do you have tasks, goals, and even life dreams that don't seem to get accomplished? Welcome to being human! Don't put off coming to this presentation when we examine how the Psychology of Behavior Modification can help us overcome that dreaded problem: procrastination...




October 13, 2017

Jacob Selander, Faculty, Geology

Recent Subduction-Related Earthquakes: What/ Why/ How in Mexico, and similarities with the Pacific Northwest

The recent earthquakes in Mexico (M 8.1 in Pijijiapan, September 8 and M 7.1 in Ayulta, September 19, 2017) are directly related to the subduction of the Cocos Plate underneath North America, but not the classic "Megathrust" events associated with this particular setting that first come to mind such as the M 8.0 1985 Mexico City earthquake or the M 9.1 2011 Tohoku event in Japan. In this talk, I will cover the geologic and tectonic setting of southern Mexico, the mechanics of these various subduction-zone related earthquakes, why Mexico City is especially prone to strong shaking during earthquakes, and the similarities between earthquakes in Mexico and those we can expect in the Pacific Northwest.




October 27, 2017

Briana Gabel

Skeletons and Specimens

The process of skeleton articulation and specimen preservation is one of the most important aspects of any research or educational facility, yet it remains widely unknown to visitors. Articulated skeletons allow for a sense of scale, as well as a close look at anatomical characteristics otherwise unobservable. Wet and dry specimens allow for a close look at animals that may otherwise go unnoticed, or for the study of taxonomical characteristics. Through a variety of techniques, the preparation of deceased specimens can serve a greater purpose long after death. This seminar will briefly describe some of the techniques and challenges that are often utilized in curatorial sciences, including skeleton extraction and articulation, specimen preservation and display techniques.




November 3, 2017

Vince Rouux & Melissa Roth

Devoloping and Testing Lunar Technologies in a Controlled Simulation Lab Using Simulants Built from the Particle Level Up

Technology sent to the moon quickly degrades due to the abrasive nature of the regolith on the surface of the moon. Our company, Off Planet Research, has created a process to produce a lunar highland simulant that better emulates actual lunar regolith. While most simulants are basalt based, we are the first group to use a rare material on Earth, anorthosite, which is a major component of lunar regolith. We are also trying to capture the physical characteristics of the regolith as well, which is heavily influenced by agglutinates. Agglutinates are made from the impact of micro-meteorites on the moon resulting in the melting of the soil which combines with other particles. Current testing facilities are far from adequate as several are exposed to the elements or lack important physical characteristics of the lunar regolith. Our efforts include using our verified simulant in a lunar surface simulation laboratory to conduct lunar research.




November 17, 2017

Austin Roberts

Math Careers

A discussion of potential careers for mathematicians and the types of math problems they solve




December 1, 2017

Alison Reibel

Google It: Understanding How Search Engines Work and How to Use Them Effectively

We use search engines every day for all kinds of information needs. Our results come so rapidly that we have little time to question how they got to us. And there are so many that we cannot possibly see them all. In this talk I will discuss how google works as a gatekeeper to define what we see, investigate how this affects us, and share some tips on how users can limit searches to efficiently find the information they want or need.




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