UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Research Unplugged speaker series, a collaboration between Penn State's Office of Government and Community Relations and Schlow Centre Region Library, will include a number of events in October.
The free talks — from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. every Thursday in October, in the Downsbrough Community Room in Schlow Library — are open to the public and include free refreshments.
Oct 5: "Cacao for Peace: Can the Chocolate Tree Bring Peace to Colombia?, with Mark Guiltinan and Siela Maximova, Department of Plant Science
The cacao tree provides income to millions of farmers in developing countries and provides the raw ingredient for making chocolate. As part of a USAID and USDA project seeking to assist farmers in increasing cacao production levels, Guiltinan and Maximova will share stories of their interactions with the local indigenous populations living in Colombia.
Oct 12: "Art and 3-D Printing: The Possibilities of Clay," with Tom Lauerman, School of Visual Arts
Join us as we dive into a world where art and science collide, as Lauerman demonstrates his unique approach to 3-D printing with clay, and discusses its development and compelling applications in design, architecture and engineering.
Oct 19: "Democratic Emotions: From Resentment to Gratitude," with Jeremy Engels, Department of Communication Arts and Sciences
There is no way around it — emotions are foundational to politics. In this talk, Engels will discuss two emotions long associated with democracy: resentment and gratitude. While he once thought resentment could be the answer, he will argue that it is gratitude where we should place our hope. This talk was rescheduled from the spring semester.
Oct 26: "Hacking in the 21st Century: Data Integrity in an Era of Cyber Siege," with Sascha Meinrath, Palmer Chair of Telecommunications
While an integral and helpful part of our lives, technology can come with its own host of frustrating problems. From ID theft and hacking of personal information, to changes in the economy itself, Meinrath will investigate the current trends in technological development, and discuss what can be done to change course and protect ourselves from the dark side of today's digital Faustian bargains.