Why humans love music, this year’s solar eclipse, and bees — these are some of the topics that will be addressed during Saturday Morning Science.
The free, public programs will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Memorial Field House Room 2100. A light breakfast sponsored in part by Barry Bagels will be available prior to the talks.
Presented by the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Saturday Morning Science aims to educate, engage and entertain.
“We try to come up with topics that are of general public interest as well as interesting to us. Everyone should feel welcome to come,” Dr. Joseph Schmidt, UT professor of chemistry and an organizer of the event, said.
Listed by date, the programs and speakers are:
• Feb. 4 — “From Scorpion Skin to Photonic Devices: New Technology Inspired by Nature” by Bruno Ullrich, owner of Ullrich Photonics LLC, Wayne, Ohio.
• Feb. 18 — “From the River to Our Taps: The Poisoning of a City” by Monique Wilhelm, laboratory manager and lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Michigan in Flint.
• Feb. 25 — “From Science Labs to Your Homes: Be Citizen Scientists During the Solar Eclipse (Aug. 21)” by Dr. Kevin Czajkowski, UT professor of geography and lead director for Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment MISSION EARTH.
• March 18 — “From Petroleum to Fuel: Boiling Oil in Modern Times” by Aaron Coulter, process engineering manager at the Toledo Refining Co. LLC.
• April 1 — “From Pollen to Honey: What Are the Bees Telling Us?” by Joan Mandell, beekeeper and educator with Citybees Detroit and Green Toe Gardens.
• April 29 — “From the Stone Age to Today: Why Do Humans Love Music, and What Has Physics Got to Do With It?” by Dr. Steven Errede, professor emeritus of physics at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
“These programs are designed to pique interest in all ages. I hope the younger members who attend the talks think about science as a career,” Schmidt said.
He invited anyone with questions regarding the programs or topic suggestions for future programs to contact him at joseph.schmidt@utoledo.edu.
Free parking will be available in area 13 and the west parking ramp.
For more information about Saturday Morning Science, go to facebook.com/SaturdayMorningScience or contact Schmidt at joseph.schmidt@utoledo.edu.
