The latest news from the frontlines in the battle against ebola and research in reconstructing evolutionary history are just two of the topics of Santa Monica College’s Spring 2015 Distinguished Scientists Lecture Series, beginning this Tuesday, March 10.
All talks – designed for lay audiences – are free and held on the Santa Monica College main campus at 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. Seating is on a first-arrival basis.
The Spring 2015 line-up of lectures is:
• March 10: Steve McAndrew: “Ebola and Infectious Diseases: A Local and International Perspective” at 11:15 a.m. in Art Lecture Hall 214. Head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Emergency Operations for the Ebola Virus Response-Sierra Leone will discuss his work in fighting the frightening illness. This special event is sponsored by the SMC Associates (www.smc.edu/associates), SMC Office of Public Programs, and SMC Global Citizenship Council, and also part of the SMC Global Connections Series.
• March 12: Dr. Louise Hamlin: “Land of Sea and Ice” at 11:15 a.m. in Science Lecture Hall 140. Engineer and biologist who spent 9 months living among seals, seabirds, and a small band of fellow scientists in Antarctica will show images and talk about the complex ecosystems of the coldest continent, recent changes to its climate, and the ongoing research aimed at understanding what the future will bring. This presentation is sponsored by the SMC Associates (www.smc.edu/associates) and the SMC Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Sciences departments.
• April 9: Courtney Mattison: “Connecting Art & Science” at 11:15 a.m. in Humanities & Social Science Lecture Hall 165. Ocean Artivist (artist-activist) whose large-scale ceramic coral reef installations have been exhibited at science and art venues that include the headquarters of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (Washington, DC) – as well as the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (Washington, DC), and the Tang Museum (Saratoga Springs, NY) – will discuss the interrelationships of art and science. This lecture is sponsored by the SMC Art Department, SMC Earth Science Department, and the SMC Associates (www.smc.edu/associates), and also part of the SMC Art Lecture Series.
• May 7: Nick Demopoulos: “Science/Music/Art” at 11:15 a.m. in Humanities & Social Science Lecture Hall 165. Musician who is also a music technologist – and creates instruments/interfaces that emit sound and light and add a strong visual component to his performances – will discuss the relationships and influences that Science, Music and Art have had on his performance career, and share some of the innovations and inventions that he has produced along the way. This presentation is sponsored by the SMC Art Department and SMC Associates (www.smc.edu/associates), and also part of the SMC Art Lecture Series.
• May 19: Dr. David Jacobs: “Adventures in Evolutionary Biology” at 11:15 a.m. in Science Lecture Hall 140. Professor in the UCLA Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology will discuss his research in reconstructing evolutionary history through combining information from the fossil record or large-scale physical process with molecular approaches. This lecture is sponsored by the SMC Associates (www.smc.edu/associates) and the SMC Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Sciences departments.
For more information, call 310.434.4003.
