2005-2006 Penn State Lehigh Valley Lecture Series
The intent of the Lecture Series is to promote the awareness of current, frontier research or outstanding accomplishments in various disciplines among the student body at our campus by inviting distinguished guest speakers to share their knowledge, research agenda and excitement with our students. Given the diverse background of the student body, we ask that the presentation be given in a layman's style so students will be able to appreciate the underlying principles of the research findings. We strongly believe such events will be both educational and inspirational for our student body.
1:00-2:00 PM, April 12, 2006 (Wednesday)
ROOM 124A&B, Penn State Lehigh Valley
ROOM 124A&B, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Simulation of Atmospheric Gravity Waves and Effects in the Upper Atmosphere
Dr. Michael Hickey
College of Arts & Sciences
,Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
Hosted by
Dr. Tai-Yin Huang
Assistant Professor of Physics
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
Hosted by
Dr. Tai-Yin Huang
Assistant Professor of Physics
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
ABSTRACT
Atmospheric acoustic-gravity waves are ubiquitous features of the atmosphere. Produced by various tropospheric sources, these waves are able to propagate through the atmosphere, carrying both energy and momentum to high altitudes. The momentum deposition associated with the breaking of gravity waves in the mesosphere coupled with the rectifying effects of stratospheric winds and the effects of the Coriolis force leads to a global scale circulation from the summer to the winter polar regions. This in turn leads to upwelling over the high latitude summer region, with subsequent adiabatic expansion and cooling. Simultaneously, there is subsidence over the high latitude winter region, with subsequent adiabatic compression and heating. This leads to the curious phenomenon that the summer high latitude region is almost 100 K colder than the winter high latitude region, in spite of the fact that the summer is bathed in sunlight while the winter remains in darkness. The atmosphere is thus far removed from radiative equilibrium. Essentially, we have described a global-scale refrigerator, in which the motor is the atmospheric gravity waves.
Other interesting features of gravity waves are their effects on the chemistry of the mesopause region (near 90 km altitude), and the subsequent effects on chemiluminescent emissions (known as the nightglow). Observations of the nightglow using all-sky imaging techniques reveal the gravity waves as traveling bright wave fronts, from which certain wave parameters can be determined. Sometimes these observations reveal waves that appear to be ducted by the atmospheric temperature structure and by height-dependent background winds. Simulations of the ducting determined using a full-wave model and also a 2-D time-dependent nonlinear model will be presented and discussed.
Other interesting features of gravity waves are their effects on the chemistry of the mesopause region (near 90 km altitude), and the subsequent effects on chemiluminescent emissions (known as the nightglow). Observations of the nightglow using all-sky imaging techniques reveal the gravity waves as traveling bright wave fronts, from which certain wave parameters can be determined. Sometimes these observations reveal waves that appear to be ducted by the atmospheric temperature structure and by height-dependent background winds. Simulations of the ducting determined using a full-wave model and also a 2-D time-dependent nonlinear model will be presented and discussed.
Dr. Michael Hickey's Bio
In 1979 Dr. Hickey graduated with a BS (Honors) degree in physics from La Trobe University in Melbourne Australia. After finishing his PhD study of thermospheric gravity waves in early 1986, he came to the United States where he worked for the Universities Space Research Association on site at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center on the natural environment at orbital altitudes. He then continued this work for NASA at two small private companies before moving to the University of Alabama in 1993 as a senior research scientist. There he resumed full-time research of atmospheric gravity waves. He moved to Clemson University in South Carolina in 1998 where he became an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. In 2002 he moved to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he is now Professor of Physics and also the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He has published 40 peer-reviewed journal papers and has received funding from NASA and NSF exceeding $3 million. He received the 2005 Researcher of the Year award at Embry-Riddle. He is married with two children.
10:00-11:00 AM, March 24, 2006 (Friday)
ROOM 124D&E, Penn State Lehigh Valley
ROOM 124D&E, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Mosaic Tiling in Molecular Dimensions: A Stepwise Approach to Nanocomposite Thin Films
Dr. Gregory S. Ferguson
Departments of Chemistry and Materials Science & Engineering Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
Hosted by
Dr. Roger Egolf
Associate Professor of Chemistry
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
Hosted by
Dr. Roger Egolf
Associate Professor of Chemistry
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
ABSTRACT
We have developed chemical methods for building nanocomposite thin films by the sequential adsorption of organic polymers and inorganic materials from solution. These methods provide simultaneous control over thickness and composition, and can thus be used to produce uniform thin films with well-defined and tunable structures and properties. Much of our work has focused on the alternate adsorption of cationic polyelectrolytes and single sheets of anionic clay minerals onto surfaces to give multilayered films having structures that are sufficiently ordered in the stacking direction to diffract x-rays. Because electrostatic, rather than covalent, interactions are responsible for the stability of these structures, the method is quite versatile with respect to the choice of component materials and substrate. This talk will include a discussion of the synthesis of these multilayered films, their properties, as well as our recent extensions of the method to include other types of organic and inorganic materials.
Dr. Gregory S. Ferguson's Bio
Click here for further information.
13:00-14:00 PM, January 18, 2006 (Wednesday)
RM 124A-B, Penn State Lehigh Valley
RM 124A-B, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Sacred Text Topic of Discussion at Penn State Lehigh Valley
Panelists:
Rabbi Jonathan Gerard, Temple Covenant of Peace, Easton
Mr. Amir Famili, Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley
Father Michael Piovane, St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Trexlertown
Hosted by
Dr.Margaret Christian
Associate Professor of English
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
Mr. Amir Famili, Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley
Father Michael Piovane, St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Trexlertown
Hosted by
Dr.Margaret Christian
Associate Professor of English
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
Panelists will include Rabbi Jonathan Gerard, Temple Covenant of Peace, Easton; Mr. Amir Famili, Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley; and Father Michael Piovane, St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Trexlertown. The Koran, the Hebrew Bible, and the Christian Bible will be discussed. Each panelist will offer a brief presentation that will answer questions such as “What is your religion’s sacred text and where did it come from?” “Are there rules about how the text should be handled?” “Who is qualified to interpret the sacred text?” “How does your religious service use the sacred text?” The panel discussion will not only give attendees a better understanding of different religions, but will also help them better understand current events.
12:00-13:00 PM, December 7, 2005 (Wednesday)
Atrium, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Atrium, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Influenza - Facts and Myths
Dr. Jeffrey A. Jahre
MD, FACP, Chief - Department of Medicine
Chief - Section of Infectious Disease, St. Luke's Hospital
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Hosted by
Dr. Jacqueline McLaughlin
Assistant Professor of Biology
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
Chief - Section of Infectious Disease, St. Luke's Hospital
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Hosted by
Dr. Jacqueline McLaughlin
Assistant Professor of Biology
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
13:00-14:00 PM, October 12, 2005 (Wednesday)
Atrium, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Atrium, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Artificial Generation of Acoustic and Gravitational Waves in the Atmosphere
Dr. Bernard Eastlund
Chief Technical Officer and founder of Eastlund Scientific Enterprises Corporation
Hosted by
Dr. Tai-Yin Huang
Assistant Professor of Physics
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
Hosted by
Dr. Tai-Yin Huang
Assistant Professor of Physics
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
ABSTRACT
Weather modification with electromagnetic radiation was suggested by the speaker in patents as a consequence of research for ARCO Corporation. This lecture will discuss the basis for those suggestions and describe a follow on concept sponsored by the European Space Agency called the "Thunderstorm Solar Power Satellite." Recent development of a method and apparatus to artificially create acoustic and gravitational waves in the atmosphere and applications to weather modification research will be described.
Dr. Eastlund's Bio
Dr. Eastlund is a physicist with a B.S. degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He holds twenty-three patents as inventor and co-inventor, including several which underlie commercially-significant products and several related to national security. He is an expert on weather modification and industrial applications of intense ultraviolet light. Between 1971 and 1974, he was chief technical officer and founder of Fusion Systems Corporation, where he invented the core technology, a microwave powered ultraviolet light source. He has recently been awarded three patents for applications of high temperature plasmas to thin film manufacturing and radioactive waste separation. He conceptualized, designed, and developed "cable-free" technology for delivering electrical power downhole in oil and gas wells without the use of cables. Visit Eastlund Scientific Enterprises Corporation for further information.
View his Powerpoint Presentation
Pictures of the lecture series event
Read latest news articles about weather modification and Dr. Eastlund's research following the links:
SPACE.com -- U.S. Military Wants to Own the Weather, Who Controls the Weather?, and Herding Hurricanes
Pictures of the lecture series event
Read latest news articles about weather modification and Dr. Eastlund's research following the links:
SPACE.com -- U.S. Military Wants to Own the Weather, Who Controls the Weather?, and Herding Hurricanes
September 28, 2005 (Wednesday)
Atrium, Penn State Lehigh Valley
Atrium, Penn State Lehigh Valley
"Life" in Tanzania: The Quest for Water
Dr. Jacqueline McLaughlin
Assistant Professor of Biology
Lehigh Valley Campus
The Pennsylvania State University
Hosted by
Dr. Tai-Yin Huang
Assistant Professor of Physics
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley Campus
The Pennsylvania State University
Hosted by
Dr. Tai-Yin Huang
Assistant Professor of Physics
The Pennsylvania University, Lehigh Valley
ABSTRACT
Given the near-universality of organic materials and energy of some kind or other, water is the deciding element on planet Earth. Simply put, without water there is no life. The purpose of this talk is to expose the audience to the diversity of 'life' in selected ecosystems of Tanzania, Africa including Lake Manyara, Lake Victoria, Serengeti National Park, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Areas, and relate this life to available water. Special emphasis will be placed on the impact humans have had on the biodiversity of these environments and the present-day global water conservation issues having direct impact. The culture and history of this region of the world will also be addressed.
Dr. McLaughlin's Bio
Dr. Jacqueline McLaughlin is an award-winning instructor and researcher in the fields of Biology and Biology education. She is an Assistant Professor of Biology at The Pennsylvania State University, Lehigh Valley campus, where she instructs courses in biodiversity and evolution, human physiology, development, and environmental science. Dr. McLaughlin has led numerous experiential field courses throughout Pennsylvania, Alaska, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Australia, Peru,
Tanzania, and Costa Rica, and has gained international reputation for her innovative teaching methods. Research by McLaughlin has revealed that problem-centered field experiences enhance the students' knowledge of biodiversity, increase their understanding of how humans impact ecosystems and influence how they would make behavioral and/or policy decisions relative to biodiversity in the future. She also developed and directs the international professional development program CHANCE, for in-service and pre-service PA high school teachers.
Further
details about the talks will be added later.
