UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Ainissa Ramirez, award-winning scientist and acclaimed science communicator, will give a free lecture at 7 p.m. on Jan. 22 at the State Theatre.
Her presentation is part of the Mark Luchinsky Memorial Lecture series, which is free and open to Penn State students, faculty, staff and community residents. Complimentary tickets can be reserved online in advance of the lecture.
Ramirez will present, "Igniting Curiosity: Empowering Future Leaders and Global Citizens." Attendees will hear her perspective on how scientific inquiry transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. Ramirez’s presentation will also highlight subject matter from her book "The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another," which details eight inventions and how they shaped the human experience. The talk will include a question-and-answer session with the audience, and copies of "The Alchemy of Us" will be available for purchase at the lecture.
“Ainissa possesses an extraordinary combination curiosity, scientific skills and an ability to communicate complex topics and ideas to broad audiences,” said Patrick T. Mather, dean of Schreyer Honors College. “Schreyer Honors College is ecstatic that she will help us honor University Scholar Mark Luchinsky by sharing her thoughts on how scientific inquiry transcends cultural and geographic boundaries.”
Ramirez holds a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a doctorate from Stanford, both in materials science and engineering. She began her career as a scientist at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey, where she created award-winning inventions and received six patents. She then joined the faculty at Yale, became an associate professor of mechanical engineering and started her work as a STEM advocate with the mission to make science understandable to audiences of all ages.
Ramirez has spoken internationally on the importance of making science fun and has served as a science advisor to the American Film Institute, WGBH/NOVA, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and several science museums. She also hosts a science podcast called Science Underground. In addition to "The Alchemy of Us," Ramirez authored "Save our Science" and co-authored "Newton’s Football."
This year, the Mark Luchinsky Memorial Lecture is sponsored by Schreyer Honors College, along with the Presidential Leadership Academy, Schreyer Honors College Student Council, the Materials Research Institute, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Multicultural Resource Center.