College of DuPage hosts free STEMinar events this spring
The College of DuPage will host a series of STEMinars this spring on the College's Glen Ellyn campus, 425 Fawell Blvd.
The STEMinar Series, free and open to the public, will be presented on a variety of subjects by experts in a broad range of disciplines related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics..
The Spring 2018 STEMinar offerings feature the following speakers and topics:
• "Understanding the Universe Through Neutrinos" by Wes Ketchum: 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9, in the Health and Science Center, Room 1234.
During this STEMinar, Ketchum will provide a description of neutrinos and reveal current and future efforts to study these mysterious particles to help better understand the universe. An Associate Scientist at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Ketchum is a member of the MicroBooNE collaboration at Fermilab, and he has spent the last year working at CERN in Switzerland. In 2014, he won the Physics Slam with his presentation using claymation to show how different particles interact inside a liquid-argon particle detector, depicting them as multicolored monsters bumping into one another and creating electrons for the detector's sensors to pick up.
• "Neural Engineering - Designing Bionic Limbs Controlled by the Brain" by Eric J. Earley: 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23, in the Health and Science Center, Room 1234.
During this talk, Earley will present his research into biological engineering, which merges two traditionally separate fields of study: control of robotic prosthetic limbs and motor learning and adaptation. A Ph.D. candidate at Northwestern University in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Earley works under the direction of Dr. Levi Hargrove in the Neural Engineering for Prosthetics & Orthotics Lab located in the university's Center for Bionic Medicine.
• "Development of High-Energy Density Lithium-Ion Batteries at Argonne National Laboratory" by Dr. Andrew N. Jansen: 7 p.m. on Friday, March 9, in the Health and Science Center, Room 1234.
During his talk, Jansen will share processes and results stemming from research and development of high-energy density Lithium-Ion batteries. Jansen is a chemical engineer in Argonne's Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division who plans and conducts goal-oriented research and development on advanced battery systems, providing technical guidance and program direction.
• "Great Steps in the History of Life - The Origin of Limbed Vertebrates" by Dr. Ted Daeschler: 7 p.m. on Friday, April 20, in the Health and Science Center, Room 1234.
During this talk, presented in partnership with ESCONI, The Field Museum and Northern Illinois University, Daeschler describes two decades of paleontological exploration and research on Devonian-age vertebrate fossils from Pennsylvania, the Canadian Arctic and Antarctica, incorporating the methods of fossil discovery and the science behind exploring biotic diversity and the origin of limbed vertebrates. Curator and Professor at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Daeschler received a doctorate in geology from the University of Pennsylvania and has held recent research grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Geographic Society and a variety of other donors.
For more information about these events, contact College of DuPage STEM Outreach Coordinator Sara Spaniol at (630) 942-3021 or email mccubbinss@cod.edu.
The goal of STEM at College of DuPage is to enhance the quality of STEM instructional and outreach programs and to help current and future students prepare for careers in STEM fields. COD offers a broad range of academic programs designed to provide students with the educational background and training needed to successfully pursue an advanced degree or career in STEM. In addition, the program provides a variety of opportunities for professional development and events such as STEM-CON, an annual interactive, family-based celebration of all things STEM hosted at the college each spring.