Love … its not what you think it is
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
6:30-8:30 p.m. with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
Dr. Thomas Gualtieri is the medical director of the North Carolina Neuropsychiatry Clinics and author of several books and more than 100 scientific articles. He graduated from Columbia in 1969 and was trained in psychiatry and child psychiatry at the University of North Carolina. He was on the faculty at UNC for eleven years, where his research interests were in psychopharmacology and neuropsychiatry. Dr. Gualtieri is a pioneer in the field of computerized neurocognitive testing development and implementation. Among his recent books are Brain Injury and Mental Retardation: Neuropsychiatry and Psychopharmacology and Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Pharmacology. Currently, Dr. Gualtieri is writing Mild Cognitive Disorders and Your ex-husband is in this book.
Embracing the Future of Coal in a Changing Climate
Tuesday, October 18, 20116:30-8:30 p.m. with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
The US and China are the world’s biggest emitters of CO2 which is a major contributor to global climate change. The combusting of coal and petroleum are the leading activities generating these emissions, but coal continues to outgrow all other energy types as developing countries seek more electricity. Even the shift in transportation energy from petroleum towards electricity keeps demand for coal-based electricity high in many parts of the world.. With a vast coal infrastructure and more than a billion people who need energy, China is taking the lead on developing new, cleaner technologies for using coal as an energy source.
But will it work? Chinese and American scientists and engineers are working to develop technologies to retrofit existing coal burning plants that could result in up to 90% reduction in harmful emissions. New designs, like China’s “GreenGen” power plant could use coal while generating emissions cleaner than natural gas and, along with other renewable energy technologies, could dramatically decrease pollution.
Join our Café to hear about current technologies being developed in China and the US that could improve energy production at home and worldwide and why addressing climate is linked so closely to coal usage.
About our speaker: Albert Lin currently serves as Chairman and CEO of EmberClear, an energy project development firm with exclusive rights to certain chemistry technologies developed and controlled by Huaneng Power Group, China’s largest power utility. EmberClear’s ability to deploy technical solutions from China to create projects around the world has drawn international attention based on the high efficiency and environmentally positive results.
A new electricity generation plant in Good Spring, Pennsylvania, has been permitted and is working to secure customers so that construction may commence. The ability to have a near-zero emission commercial-scale solution for creating energy from coal is viewed to be a necessary goal for addressing global climate concerns and EmberClear has been working on several plants of this type around the world.
Albert Lin’s visit to Raleigh is made possible, in part, by “Earth: The Operators’ Manual”, (ETOM), a TV+online+on-site education and outreach project, supported by the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in ETOM are those of PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE / Geoff Haines-Stiles Productions, Inc., and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Science Foundation.
Past Science Cafe Topics
Up in Smoke
Tuesday, August 16, 2011, 6:30-8:30 p.m. with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
Why do things burn? What causes a seemingly small flame to become an inferno? What is a flashover or a backdraft? Do fires really behave the way they do in the movies? How can I keep my family safe? Fire is one of the most common and misunderstood elements in nature and in our lives. Each year more than 3,000 people die in home structure fires in the United States. Join us to learn more about the science of fire, as well as how to make yourself safer not just at home, but when you are out and about.
About our Speaker:
Ronald Campbell is Fire Prevention Coordinator/Deputy Fire Marshal with the City of Raleigh Fire Department. He is a third-generation firefighter and has a Master’s degree in educational administration. Currently he coordinates the city’s fire prevention programs and works out of the Fire Marshal’s Office.
Genetic research in the 21st century: from DNA to disease
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
6:30-8:30 p.m. with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
From solving crimes, to increasing crop production, to diagnosing and curing diseases, the study of genetics has become the key to finding answers for many of our modern day challenges and mysteries. But what is DNA? How do mutations happen? Do we all really understand how genetic studies are done and how they benefit our lives? Join us in a discussion about genetic research and in particular research on genetic diseases. What are the challenges and ethical questions that can arise in this area of science?
About the Speaker:
Dr. Jeffrey Stumpf earned his B.S. in Biology from Xavier University in Cincinnati and his Ph.D. in Genetics from Indiana University. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in the mitochondrial replication group. For ten years, Dr. Stumpf has studied genetics of DNA replication and repair and the origins of mutations. Dr. Stumpf’s current research focuses on using yeast genetics as a model system to study human mutations that cause mitochondrial disease. As a contributing writer to the Environmental Factor newsletter, Dr. Stumpf is interested in communicating genetics and DNA replication to scientists and nonscientists alike.
RSVP to katey.ahmann@ncdenr.gov
Black Holes: Relentless Attraction of Gravity
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
6:30-8:30 p.m. with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
Television and movies often portray black holes as tunnels for time travel or as cosmic vacuum cleaners sucking up all light and matter within their vast reach. What in fact are black holes? How do we know that they even exist? Join us to learn about recent NASA X-ray observations of these phenomena, and about the work being done at NCSU that models the accretion of "normal" stars into black holes as well as the existence of super-massive black holes believed to be found in most galaxies.
About our speaker: John Blondin is an Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor of Physics at North Carolina State University where he has introduced many students to astrophysics research, mentoring over 75 undergraduate research projects. Dr. Blondin received his doctoral degree in Astronomy and Astrophysics from The University of Chicago in 1987. He is the recipient of an NSF CAREER award and a Sigma Xi Research Award, as well as being named a Cottrell Scholar, an NCSU Alumni Outstanding Teacher, and a Fellow of the American Physical Society. Dr. Blondin’s research focuses on computational gas dynamics, using the largest supercomputers in the world to study interacting binary stars, accretion disks around compact objects, planetary nebulae, supernovae and supernova remnants.
RSVP to katey.ahmann@ncdenr.gov
Prevention of Heart Disease: Managing Risk Factors
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
6:30-8:30 p.m. with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Why is heart disease different in women versus men? Why are some people more prone to heart disease than others? Is a healthy diet and exercise enough to prevent it? Will statins prevent heart disease in healthy people? What role does second hand smoke really play? Prevention is key to minimizing the impact of heart disease on our bodies, our longevity and our quality of life. We'll explore the risk factors, the role of genetics and the things we can do to minimize heart disease.
About our Speaker: Deepak Pasi, M.D. is a board certified cardiologist and completed fellowships in both cardiology and interventional cardiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has practiced cardiology for twenty five years and is a member of Rex Heart & Vascular Specialists in Raleigh.
Where Have All the Frogs Gone?
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Time: 6:30-8:30pm with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
Since the 1980s, dramatic reductions in amphibian populations (including population crashes and mass localized extinctions) have been noted from locations all over the world. Currently, the loss of these animals (especially frogs) is thought to be one of the most critical threats to global biodiversity. Many of the causes are still poorly understood, and the topic is the subject of much ongoing research. Join us to discuss what is known and what is yet to be known about the global loss of such an important group of animals.
About our Speaker: Bryan Stuart is currently the Curator of Herpetology at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. In 2006, Stuart received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois-Chicago working in a collaborative program with the Field Museum. He remains a Research Associate and close collaborator with the Field Museum and also completed a two-year postdoctoral program at UC-Berkeley before joining the Museum staff here in Raleigh. Stuart has authored and co-authored numerous publications about reptiles and amphibians in several prominent scientific journals, such as Herpetologica and Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. He travels often and extensively in Southeast Asia as well as Africa for his current research and study of herpetological biodiversity.
Please RSVP to katey.ahmann@ncdenr.gov
Growth in North Carolina – Smart or Not Smart?
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
Join us for a discussion about Smart Growth, an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in the center of a city to avoid urban sprawl. In a time when climate change and all of its causes are becoming more and more apparent, the value of Smart Growth planning is becoming an important long-range regional consideration for sustainability. Its goals are to achieve a unique sense of community and place; expand the range of transportation, employment, and housing choices; equitably distribute the costs and benefits of development; preserve and enhance natural and cultural resources; and promote public health.
This café is co-sponsored by UNC-TV as part of their Blueprint America project. Blueprint America is an ongoing PBS multi-platform media initiative that can be accessed at www.pbs.org/blueprintamerica.
The project is being supported with a major grant from The Rockefeller Foundation. This science café will be broadcast live and on tape by WCOM-103.5.
About our Speaker: Dan Douglas is Director of Urban Planning and Design at KlingStubbins Architects where he focuses his efforts on projects that weave together Economic Development, Sustainability, Urban Design and Civic Participation. He recently completed a citizen-driven Retail Vision and Strategic Plan for Long Beach, California and is currently working on a new Development Framework and Investment Strategy for downtown Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Prior to joining KlingStubbins Dan served for seven years as Director of Raleigh's Urban Design Center where he directed the formation of downtown urban design policy, reviewed all private projects within the downtown area, coordinated public initiatives across all city departments and created the strategies to guide its revitalization. While at the Center, he also facilitated the design process for the reopening of Fayetteville Street, led the design and programming for downtown’s signature high-tech public space (City Plaza), and was the senior planner on the working group for the new Convention Center. Additionally, Dan wrote the Livable Streets Downtown Strategic Plan and the South End Master Plan – leveraging over $2.5 billion dollars of new investment.
The Human-Animal Bond
Tuesday June 15, 2010 Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Discussions beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
Animals touch our daily lives -- from the pets we keep, to the food we eat, to the health care advances we enjoy. Current animal welfare concerns include pet overpopulation, rescue and care of animals in disasters, treatment of food animals, biomedical research involving animals, and the affects of global urbanization and environmental change on wildlife. Our evolving human-animal bond and the mandate to be good stewards of animal welfare are at the heart of these concerns. Join our discussion about how the integration of veterinary medicine and animal science, as well as ethics and public policy, can dictate how successfully these concerns are addressed, and how the diverse needs of humans and animals are met on a local and global scale.
About the Speaker
Dr. Dianne Dunning is a clinical associate professor and the director of the Animal Welfare, Ethics and Public Policy Program (AWEPP) at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. Through professional education, public service, research and public policy development, AWEPP seeks to explore and address issues including pet abandonment, animal abuse and fighting, companion animal loss and grief, and the link between animal health and human well being.
Clash of the Titans; energy, environment, and the economy
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm with discussions beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
There are approximately 250 million cars on U.S. roads today, fueled primarily by imported oil, and demand is growing. The electric utilities are in the midst of a "Smart Grid" revolution, driven by new technology, increased demand, and need for higher reliability and security.
The U.S. government, along with the auto and electric utility industries, are currently striving for electrification of the transportation sector by way of plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles. All-electric vehicles can provide significant oil savings, improved air quality, reduced energy costs to consumers, increased energy diversity, and support for the electric grid. But are U.S. drivers ready to go all electric?
About the Speaker: Rogelio Sullivan is the Associate Director of the Advanced Transportation Energy Center and also of the Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management Systems Center (FREEDM) at NCSU. The two research centers are working in partnership with industry to develop technologies that can effectively create the "energy internet"; which will support widespread utilization of renewable energy, plug in electric vehicles, and greater consumer participation in the energy marketplace.
Mr. Sullivan is an engineer with more than 20 years of research and development management experience in advanced transportation systems such as hybrids, batteries, lightweight materials, advanced combustion engines, and vehicle auxiliary systems.
Forgetting Something?
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
6:30-8:30 pm with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
All of us misplace our car keys now and again. Most of us get lost while driving from time to time. We all have been to cocktail parties and have run into someone familiar whose name just escapes us. We often toss off such events as “senior moments.” These trivial events trouble us because they reflect a short circuiting of brain function. Do they mean anything serious is wrong with us or are they just annoying bumps in the road? Are they warnings of bad things to come such as dementia? This evening we will discuss the issues of memory loss, dementia, and aging.
About the Speaker: S. Mitchell Freedman, MD, FAAN, is a member of the medical staff at
Dog Genome teaching Scientists New Tricks
Tuesday, Nov 17, 2009
6:30-8:30 pm with discussion beginning at 7:00 followed by Q&A
Location: The Irregardless Café, 901 W. Morgan Street, Raleigh 833-8898
This year, roughly 66,000 people will be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, while another 22,000 will be diagnosed with cancers of the brain. In parallel, our pet dogs also suffer from a range of similar spontaneous cancers. For thousands of years, humans and dogs have shared a unique bond—breathing the same air, drinking the same water, and living in the same environment. During the 21st century this relationship is now strengthened into one that may hold intriguing biomedical possibilities. Using the 'One Medicine' concept—the idea that human and animal health relies on a common pool of medical and scientific knowledge and is supported by overlapping technologies and discoveries; research is revealing that the dog genome may hold the keys to unlocking some of nature’s most intriguing puzzles about human cancer.
About the Speaker: Dr. Matthew Breen, professor of genomics in the NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine, co-directs the Clinical Genomics Core of the Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research at NC State. Dr. Breen’s lab http://www.breenlab.org/ helped map the canine genome in 2004 and the internationally known research scientist has conducted studies and published articles on numerous comparative medicine investigations of canine and human cancers including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, meningioma, and other cancers of the brain. A member of the Cancer Genetics Program at the
