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Media Advisory 12-027

From SuperSymmetry to Artificial Leaves

NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences 2012-2013 Distinguished Lecture Series begins Monday, Nov. 19

Photo showing a man standing inside the ATLAS Barrel Toroid Magnet at CERN.

The image above depicts the ATLAS Barrel Toroid Magnet at CERN.


November 15, 2012

This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.

The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences invites media and members of the public to attend its 2012-2013 series of distinguished lectures, a slate of presentations that cover a suite of some of the most-discussed topics in science.

The first talk on Nov. 19, 2012, features renowned physicist and science communicator S. James Gates of the University of Maryland, who is also a member of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Known for his clear and concise explanations of string theory and other cutting edge fields in physics, his current talk will focus on SuperSymmetry and its relation to the search for the Higgs boson.

All lectures will be held in room 110 at NSF, 4201 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Va., which is easily accessible from the Ballston Metro station. Visitors are welcome; no access badges are required. Please note that these lectures are not simulcast or accessible remotely. For additional information, contact Josh Chamot.

Complete Schedule of Lectures

November 19, 2:00 p.m., Room 110
SUSY and the Lords of the Ring (SUSY stands for SuperSymmetry)
Prof. S. James Gates (University of Maryland)

December 17, 2:00 p.m., Room 110
Is a Limit to the Median Length of Human Life Imminent?
Prof. Joel Cohen (Rockefeller University)

January 14, 2:00 p.m., Room 110
The Artificial Leaf
Prof. Daniel Nocera (Harvard University)

February 25, 2:00 p.m., Room 110
Diversity, Technology, and the Modern Research University
Prof. Christine Ortiz (MIT)

March 25, 2:00 p.m., Room 110
From the Higgs to the Realm of the Unknown
Prof. Joe Incandela (University of California Santa Barbara; CERN, Switzerland)

April 22, 2:00 p.m., Room 110
Polyhedral Geometries in Crystalline Membranes: From the Living World to Nanoscience
Prof. Monica Olvera de la Cruz (Northwestern University)

June 19, 2:00 p.m., Room 110
Magical Power of Transition Metals in Catalyzing Cross-Coupling Chemical Reactions
Prof. Ei-ichi Negishi (Purdue University); Nobel laureate

About the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences

The Mathematical and Physical Sciences directorate comprises the divisions of Astronomical Sciences, Chemistry, Materials Research, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities. These divisions provide the basic structure for support of disciplinary and interdisciplinary research and education. The scope of scientific and educational activity supported is enormous, ranging from phenomena at cosmological distances, to environmental science on the human scale, through quantum mechanical processes in atomic and subatomic physics, to phenomena of the unimaginably small. Researchers explore abstract ideas, concepts, and structures of mathematics as well as more tangible "stuff" that includes the materials used in our everyday lives. Their tools range from desktop instruments to synchrotron light sources, accelerators, radio and optical telescopes and high magnetic fields. The rapid development of computational and communications capabilities also is leading to the development of a new set of tools that support data-enabled science.

-NSF-

Media Contacts
Joshua A. Chamot, NSF, (703) 292-7730, email: jchamot@nsf.gov

Program Contacts
Andrew J. Lovinger, NSF, (703) 292-4933, email: alovinge@nsf.gov

The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

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