Lectures
Penn State Intercom......February 13, 2003
Talk examines human
limits to exploring Mars
A
free public lecture, "What Price a Martian? Human Limits to Exploring
the Red Planet," will be given by Jim Pawelczyk, assistant professor of
physiology and kinesiology and a former mission specialist on a space
shuttle mission, as part of the 2003 Penn State Lectures on the Frontiers
of Science.
Pawelczyk will speak from 11 a.m. to about 12:30 p.m. Feb. 15 in 100 Thomas Building on the University Park campus. The series, "Beyond Earth: Living on Other Worlds," is designed to be a free minicourse for the enjoyment and education of residents in Central Pennsylvania communities.
Drawing on both his research and his experience with NASA, Pawelczyk will answer the question of whether technology can overcome the limitations of human physiology to enable long-term habitation on nearby planets. His research focuses on the dynamic regulation of blood pressure and how atrophy caused by disuse affects the regulation of blood pressure.
Pawelczyk flew aboard the 90th NASA mission of the space shuttle in April and May of 1998, conducting neuroscience experiments that addressed changes in the development of the nervous system, balance, blood-pressure regulation, sleep and control of movement during space flight.
VOICES 2003 conference
includes interactive theater
VOICES 2003, an annual networking conference for female graduate students in science and engineering, will be held from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 16 at The Nittany Lion Inn on the University Park campus. This year's conference, sponsored by the Women in the Sciences and Engineering (WISE) Institute, the Penn State chapter of Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) and NASA's PA Space Grant Consortium, includes a special interactive theater performance on climate issues by the University Ensemble, directed by Barry Kur, professor of theater.
Pre-registration is requested and includes a fee of $5 for students and $10 for non-students. In addition to female graduate students, the conference is open to undergraduate students, faculty and professionals to network and interact with peers and colleagues.
For more information or to request a brochure and registration form, call Katie Rung at (814) 865-3342, e-mail cxg1@psu.edu or check the Web at http://www.psu.edu/dept/wise/.
Phosphorus loss in soil
topic for presentation
Peter Vadas, soil scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will give a presentation at 3:35 p.m. Feb. 14 in 101 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building on the University Park campus.
His topic will be "Investigating Phosphorus Loss from Agricultural Soils: From the Lab to the Model."
The host is the Department of Crop and Soil Services. Call (814) 863-1601.
Turn-of-the-century
book production explored
The Penn State Center for the History of the Book and the Pennsylvania Center for the Book are sponsoring the lecture, "'Books Worthy of our Era?' Technology and Fine Book Production in fin-de-siècle France" by Willa Silverman, associate professor of French and Jewish Studies, at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, in the Mann Assembly Room, 103 Paterno Library on the University Park campus.
Silverman's talk will address the ambivalence displayed by bibliophiles and fine book producers toward the numerous technological innovations transforming the book at the turn of the 20th century.
For information, e-mail Silverman at wzs1@psu.edu or call (814) 863-9660.
Lament for humanities
focus of Feb. 17 luncheon
The Comparative Literature Luncheon, a weekly informal lunchtime gathering of students, faculty and other members of the University community, has announced the next speaker in this semester's series.
John Moore, associate professor of English, will speak on "A Lament for Humanities .001" on Monday, Feb. 17.
The events begin with lunch from 12:15 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. in 102 Kern Building on the University Park campus. Participants may bring their lunch or buy something in Kern Cafeteria. The speaker will begin at about 12:40 p.m. The events are free to the public.
For information, e-mail Daniel Walden at dxw8@psu.edu.