He’ll be discussing its applications at the Science Forum on March 1.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science through a conversational presentation.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in Room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. Science Forum presentations are free and open to the public.

Electron microscopes, similar to optical microscopes, are used to reveal the structure of small objects. Electron microscopes make use of the properties of electrons to magnify small objects for study instead of using light, as in optical microscopes.

“Electron microscopes have been around since the early 1930s. But only in the last thirteen years has the technology matured to the point that we can study materials literally atom by atom,” Idrobo said.

Idrobo uses electron microscopy to study, at the atomic scale, the chemical bonding and optical properties of graphene. Graphene is a pure-carbon substance similar to graphite, but lighter. These properties can be applied in the production of novel electronic devices and more efficient energy-related materials.

Future Science Forums will feature:

• March 8: Dr. Paul Campbell Erwin, professor and head of the Department of Public Health, presenting “John Snow and Cholera: The Foundation for Modern Disease Investigation.”
• March 15: Kevin Hoyt, director of UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center, presenting “The Proposed UT AgResearch Gas and Oil Well Research Project.”
• April 5: William T. Bogart, president of Maryville College and professor of economics there, discussing “Cargo Cult Economic Policy: Urban Development and Green Energy.”
• April 12: Stephanie K. Drumheller-Horton, instructor of earth and planetary sciences, presenting “Crocodylian Bite Marks in the Fossil Record.”
• April 19: Devon M. Burr, assistant professor of earth and planetary sciences, discussing “The Moon That Would Be A Planet: Saturn’s Giant Titan.”
• April 26: Joan Markel, curator of Civil War exhibits at the McClung Museum, presenting “Digging into Our Civil War Past.”

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit the Office of Research website.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

He will discuss the fire service and tell his stories at Friday’s Science Forum.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science through a conversational presentation.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in Room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. Science Forum presentations are free and open to the public.

Nix will talk about the “hot-potato baby” phenomenon that firefighters encounter.

He said that when firefighters or paramedics answer a call at a home with a sick or injured child, parents often bring the child outside instead of waiting.

“The parent presents us with a very sick child as soon as we get there,” he said. “Sometimes when we pull up, they come sprinting out.”

In contrast, when adults in the house are in need, they wait inside. Children are portable and often inspire more worry, Nix said.

Nix will also present a general history of the fire service and talk about the medical work he does.

Future Science Forums will feature:

• March 1: Juan-Carlos Idrobo, research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, discussing “Exploring the Universe One Atom at a Time.”
• March 8: Paul Campbell Erwin, professor and head of the Department of Public Health, presenting “John Snow and Cholera: The Foundation for Modern Disease Investigation.”
• March 15: Kevin Hoyt, director of UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center, presenting “The Proposed UT AgResearch Gas and Oil Well Research Project.”
• April 5: William T. Bogart, president of Maryville College and professor of economics there, discussing “Cargo Cult Economic Policy: Urban Development and Green Energy.”
• April 12: Stephanie K. Drumheller-Horton, instructor of earth and planetary sciences, presenting “Crocodylian Bite Marks in the Fossil Record.”
• April 19: Devon M. Burr, assistant professor of earth and planetary sciences, discussing “The Moon That Would Be a Planet: Saturn’s Giant Titan.”
• April 26: Joan Markel, curator of Civil War exhibits at the McClung Museum, presenting “Digging into Our Civil War Past.”

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit the Office of Research website.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

She will be discussing the mission at the Science Forum on Friday.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science through a conversational presentation.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in Room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. Science Forum presentations are free and open to the public.

Kah will talk about the mission’s goal to assess if any area of Mars is habitable or has been in the past. She will explain the makeup of the Curiosity rover, how it will assess habitability, and a few of its recent discoveries. She also will discuss why the mission chose Gale Crater for this excursion.

Kah’s job on the mission is co-investigator on several of the camera teams, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, California.

A few days a week, she works to help choose objects for the rover to photograph and makes sure that the cameras are programmed correctly.

“The remaining time I act as a full-fledged part of the science team as a geologist and an expert in interpreting both textural information and chemistry of rocks: participating in discussions and planning sessions, and interpreting the images and other data that come down,” she said.

Future Science Forums will feature:

• February 22: Lt. Robby Nix, critical care paramedic for the Rural Metro Fire Department, presenting “Firefighter Paramedics and the Hot Potato Baby—It’s Not What You Think.”
• March 1: Juan-Carlos Idrobo, research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, discussing “Exploring the Universe One Atom at a Time.”
• March 8: Dr. Paul Campbell Erwin, professor and head of the Department of Public Health, presenting “John Snow and Cholera: The Foundation for Modern Disease Investigation.”
• March 15: Kevin Hoyt, director of UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center, presenting “The Proposed UT AgResearch Gas and Oil Well Research Project.”
• April 5: William T. Bogart, president of Maryville College and professor of economics, discussing “Cargo Cult Economic Policy: Urban Development and Green Energy.”
• April 12: Stephanie K. Drumheller-Horton, instructor of earth and planetary sciences, presenting “Crocodylian Bite Marks in the Fossil Record.”
• April 19: Devon M. Burr, assistant professor of earth and planetary sciences, discussing “The Moon That Would Be A Planet: Saturn’s Giant Titan.”
• April 26: Joan Markel, curator of Civil War exhibits at the McClung Museum, presenting “Digging into Our Civil War Past.”

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit the Office of Research website.

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

He will talk about the perceptions and misconceptions of the condition at the Science Forum on Friday.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science through a conversational presentation.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in Room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. Science Forums are free and open to the public.

A broad range of testosterone levels can be considered normal in men, Namey said. Health issues can arise when testosterone levels fall dramatically. Beyond the expected sexual issues, low testosterone can lead to muscle wasting, osteoporosis, and depression. Namey believes that tests for low testosterone should be improved to take into account this broad range of health effects.

He has written several textbook chapters and papers as well as given lectures on this topic. Namey also writes for healthtap.com and is the top-rated physician in five of their health categories. He was listed in the 2004-05 Consumers’ Research Council of America’s Guide to America’s Top Physicians.

For more information about his work, visit drnamey.com.

Future Science Forums will feature:

• February 15: Linda C. Kah, Ken Walker Associate Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, discussing “Curiouser and Curiouser: NASA’s Curiosity Rover’s Mission in Gale Crater.”
• February 22: Lt. Robby Nix, critical care paramedic for the Rural Metro Fire Department, presenting “Firefighter Paramedics and the Hot Potato Baby—It’s Not What You Think.”
• March 1: Juan Carlos Idrobo, research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, discussing “Exploring the Universe One Atom at a Time.”
• March 8: Dr. Paul Campbell Erwin, professor and head of the Department of Public Health, presenting “John Snow and Cholera: The Foundation for Modern Disease Investigation.”
• March 15: Kevin Hoyt, director of UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center, presenting “The Proposed UT AgResearch Gas and Oil Well Research Project.”
• April 5: William T. Bogart, president of Maryville College and professor of economics there, discussing “Cargo Cult Economic Policy: Urban Development and Green Energy.”
• April 12: Stephanie K. Drumheller-Horton, instructor of earth and planetary sciences, presenting “Crocodylian Bite Marks in the Fossil Record.”
• April 19: Devon M. Burr, assistant professor of earth and planetary sciences, discussing “The Moon That Would Be a Planet: Saturn’s Giant Titan.”
• April 26: Joan Markel, curator of Civil War exhibits at the McClung Museum, presenting “Digging into Our Civil War Past.”

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. Click here for more information about the Science Forum.

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

He’ll be discussing that process and its applications at the Science Forum on Friday.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to share their research with the general public through a conversational presentation.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in Room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. Science Forum presentations are free and open to the public.

Weaver and his company use biomass—any plant-based material, including waste—to create hydrogen at a low cost.

“From that, we can use it all the ways we use energy,” he said. That means it can be used as a power source.

“We’ve had people come see it from all over the world,” Weaver said.

Future Science Forums will feature:

• February 8: Thomas C. Namey, former professor of medicine and nutrition and former associate director of the UT Nutrition Institute, presenting “Low Testosterone (‘Low T’): Implications for Men’s Health Far Beyond Sex.”
• February 15: Linda C. Kah, Ken Walker Associate Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, discussing “Curiouser and Curiouser: NASA’s Curiosity Rover’s Mission in Gale Crater.”
• February 22: Lt. Robby Nix, critical care paramedic for the Rural Metro Fire Department, presenting “Firefighter Paramedics and the Hot Potato Baby—It’s Not What You Think.”
• March 1: Juan-Carlos Idrobo, research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, discussing “Exploring the Universe One Atom at a Time.”
• March 8: Dr. Paul Campbell Erwin, professor and head of the Department of Public Health, presenting “John Snow and Cholera: The Foundation for Modern Disease Investigation.”
• March 15: Kevin Hoyt, director of UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center, presenting “The Proposed UT AgResearch Gas and Oil Well Research Project.”
• April 5: William T. Bogart, president of Maryville College and professor of economics there, discussing “Cargo Cult Economic Policy: Urban Development and Green Energy.”
• April 12: Stephanie K. Drumheller-Horton, instructor of earth and planetary sciences, presenting “Crocodylian Bite Marks in the Fossil Record.”
• April 19: Devon M. Burr, assistant professor of earth and planetary sciences, discussing “The Moon That Would Be a Planet: Saturn’s Giant Titan.”
• April 26: Joan Markel, curator of Civil War exhibits at the McClung Museum, presenting “Digging into Our Civil War Past.”

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit the Office of Research website.

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

Alabama lampmussels were considered to be all but extinct when Gerry Dinkins and two other scientists discovered some in the Emory River in Morgan County, Tennessee.

Dinkins is curator of malacology, or the study of mollusks, at the Frank H. McClung Museum. He’ll be talking about this discovery at the Science Forum on January 25.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to share their research with the general public through a conversational presentation.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in Room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. The Science Forum presentations are free and open to the public.

The Alabama lampmussel is “considered to be the rarest mussel in North America,” Dinkins said. In Alabama, they can be found in only one area, and their population is declining.

None were known to remain in Tennessee until their discovery in the Emory River two years ago.

Dinkins will also talk about the McClung Museum’s mollusk collection, which features 240 species of freshwater mussels.

Future Science Forums will feature:

• February 1: Samuel C. Weaver, president and CEO of Proton Power, Inc., Back to the Future: Biomass to Cheap Hydrogen
• February 8: Thomas C. Namey, former professor of medicine and nutrition and associate director of the UT Nutrition Institute, Low Testosterone (‘Low T‘): Implications for Men’s Health Far Beyond Sex
• February 15: Linda C. Kah, Ken Walker Associate Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curiouser and Curiouser: NASA‘s Curiosity Rover‘s Mission in Gale Crater
• February 22: Robby Nix, critical care paramedic for the Rural Metro Fire Department, Firefighter Paramedics and the Hot Potato Baby—It‘s Not What You Think
• March 1: Juan Carlos Idrobo, research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Exploring the Universe One Atom at a Time
• March 8: Dr. Paul Campbell Erwin, professor and head of the Department of Public Health, John Snow and Cholera: The Foundation for Modern Disease Investigation
• March 15: Kevin Hoyt, director of UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center, The Proposed UT AgResearch Gas and Oil Well Research Project
• March 22, 29: no meetings, Spring Break
• April 5: William T. Bogart, president of Maryville College and professor of economics, Cargo Cult Economic Policy: Urban Development and Green Energy
• April 12: Stephanie K. Drumheller-Horton, instructor of earth and planetary sciences, Crocodylian Bite Marks in the Fossil Record
• April 19: Devon M. Burr, assistant professor of earth and planetary sciences, The Moon That Would Be A Planet: Saturn‘s Giant Titan
• April 26: Joan Markel, curator of Civil War exhibits at the McClung Museum, Digging Into Our Civil War Past

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science through a conversational presentation.

Hume’s presentation will be in room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. The presentation will be forty minutes long followed by a question-and-answer session. It is free and open to the public.

Hume, who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of voice and speech sound disorders, will talk about the anatomical structures that create the sound and tone of the voice and ways to maintain vocal health.

“Our voices are vulnerable to environmental effects, occupational demands, and aging,” she said. “The good news is that many voice problems are preventable through education and modification of behaviors.”

She defines professional voice users as “anyone who relies on his or her voice to meet occupational demands, such as teachers, lawyers, coaches, and ministers.”

The Science Forum is sponsored by the Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit the Office of Research website.

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

He’ll be discussing some of the aspects of its history that he finds most significant at the Science Forum on Friday.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science through a conversational presentation.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. It is free and open to the public.

Heller said he’ll be taking “sort of a quirky look at the history of photojournalism,” part technical and part creative.

He will discuss technological advances in photography beginning in the 1860s, particularly those related to printing photos in newspapers, such as half-tone reproduction.

Photojournalism couldn’t get its start, he said, “until there was a way to reproduce photos in print.”

He will show some early examples of photos in newspapers and discuss changes that have occurred over time.

This fall’s last Science Forum will be November 30. Sue Hume, clinical associate professor of audiology and speech pathology, will present “Good Vibrations—Care and Use of the Professional Voice.”

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit the Office of Research website.

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

She’ll be discussing her work at the UT Science Forum on Friday, November 9.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science through a conversational presentation.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is 40 minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. It is free and open to the public.

Boyer’s presentation will cover research she did in Hawaii and New Caledonia. She’ll discuss large-scale overall trends in extinct and endangered species and major threats to tropical birds.

She said she’s interested in understanding why species become extinct. In studying fossil records, she and other scientists have discovered that some bird species have become extinct without being documented. Because it happened relatively recently, human contact was probably involved.

She also wants to explore why biodiversity is helpful to humans and what the detriments of losing it could be.

Future Science Forums will feature:

• Nov. 16: Rob Heller, professor of journalism and electronic media, will discuss “A Brief Yet Incomplete History of Photojournalism.”
• Nov. 30: Sue Hume, clinical associate professor of audiology and speech pathology, will present “Good Vibrations—Care and Use of the Professional Voice.”

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit the Office of Research website.

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

He’ll discuss the latest finds from the site at the Science Forum on Friday.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science through a conversational presentation.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. It is free and open to the public.

Dessel is co-field director of the site, called Tell Tayinat. His presentation will focus on archaeological finds dating to the Iron Age, between 1200 and 500 BCE. The finds— which he calls “spectacular”— include a seventh century temple with temple archives and monumental statues including a five-meter statue of a king with an inscription on the back in Luwian, an extinct Middle Eastern language.

Future science forums will feature:

• November 9: Alison G. Boyer, research assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, will present Trouble in Paradise: Extinction and Conservation of Tropical Island Birds.
• November 16: Rob Heller, professor of journalism and electronic media, will discuss A Brief Yet Incomplete History of Photojournalism.
• November 23: no meeting, Thanksgiving break.
• November 30: Sue Hume, clinical associate professor of audiology and speech pathology, will present Good Vibrations—Care and Use of the Professional Voice.

The Science Forum is sponsored by the Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit the Office of Research website.

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@utk.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

JR Shute

J.R. Shute, co-founder and co-director of Conservation Fisheries Inc., has been studying endangered fish for more than twenty-five years.

He’ll be discussing the importance of protecting rare species of fish at Friday’s Science Forum at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science through a conversational presentation.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is 40 minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. It is free and open to the public.

Shute began studying rare fish as a graduate student at UT, when a professor asked him to help with a fish restoration project in Abrams Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Later, Shute helped found Conservation Fisheries, which has a hatchery to raise endangered species of fish.

He will talk about propagation of non-game and rare species of fish in East Tennessee. He will also discuss how Conservation Fisheries monitors area fish, why species become endangered, and what people can do.

Shute said that most people don’t know how many different species of fish can be found in Tennessee—around 315.

“A lot of people don’t realize. Even people who work in the area don’t realize what an amazing diversity we have here,” he said.

Future science forums will feature:

• November 2: J.P. Dessel, Steinfeld Associate Professor of Near Eastern history and archaeology, will discuss The State of the Ancient State: New Finds in Southeastern Turkey.
• November 9: Alison G. Boyer, research assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, will present Trouble in Paradise: Extinction and Conservation of Tropical Island Birds.
• November 16: Rob Heller, professor of journalism and electronic media, will discuss A Brief Yet Incomplete History of Photojournalism.
• November 30: Sue Hume, clinical associate professor of audiology and speech pathology, will present Good Vibrations—Care and Use of the Professional Voice.

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit the Office of Research website.

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@utk.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

ABR President Dana Dodd and Joel Zachry, a biologist who does task rescue for ABR, will speak at the forum on October 19.

The Science Forum is a weekly brown bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science in a way they can understand.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. It is free and open to the public.

ABR is an organization that rescues injured and orphaned black bear cubs and cares for them with as little human contact as possible until they can be returned to the wild. ABR has rescued 186 bears, and 90 percent of those bears have successfully gone back to the wild. Five bears have had to go to zoos or other non wild homes because they are too accustomed to being with people.

One ABR bear, Ursula, is at the Knoxville Zoo.

ABR also focuses on educating people about black bear rescue, which is what Dodd and Zachry will do at the Science Forum.

Dodd said it’s important for people in East Tennessee to know how to live safely in black bear country.

“If we teach people to do the right thing, bears get in less trouble, and they don’t need us as much,” she said.

Future science forums will feature:

• October 26: J.R. Shrute, co-director and co-founder of Conservation Fisheries, Inc., will present Saving the Imperiled Fishes of Southern Appalachia.
• November 2: J.P. Dessel, Steinfeld Associate Professor of Near Eastern history and archaeology, will discuss The State of the Ancient State: New Finds in Southeastern Turkey.
• November 9: Alison G. Boyer, research assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, will present Trouble in Paradise: Extinction and Conservation of Tropical Island Birds.
• November 16: Rob Heller, professor of journalism and electronic media, will discuss A Brief Yet Incomplete History of Photojournalism.
• November 23: no meeting, Thanksgiving break
• November 30: Sue Hume, clinical associate professor of audiology and speech pathology, will present Good Vibrations—Care and Use of the Professional Voice.

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit research.utk.edu.

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@utk.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

The Science Forum is a weekly brown bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science in a way they can understand.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. It is free and open to the public.

Giannone believes that the production of biofuels is important to the nation’s future.

“As a nation, we are far too dependent on fossil fuels,” he said. “This dependence will inevitably lead to future challenges, especially with regard to economics, the environment, and even national security.”

His research is part of the Department of Energy’s BioEnergy Science Center, which focuses on developing second generation biofuels, produced from the green part of plants rather than grain from corn or sucrose from sugar cane. These types of biofuels don’t compete with the food supply.

In his presentation, Giannone will explain the idea of biomass recalcitrance, which has to do with the way plants’ cell walls can make it difficult for scientists to obtain the sugars needed to produce biofuels. Then, he’ll introduce the different types of bacteria which can help break down those cell walls, some of which can be found in Yellowstone National Park. Finally, he will explain proteomics, which deals with identification and characterization of cell proteins, which can help answer questions about bioethanol production.

Future science forums will feature:

• October 12: no meeting, fall break
• October 19: Dana Dodd, president of the Appalachian Bear Rescue, will talk about Saving Orphan Bears and Returning Them to the Wild.
• October 26: J.R. Shrute, co-director and co-founder of Conservation Fisheries Inc., will present Saving the Imperiled Fishes of Southern Appalachia.
• November 2: J.P. Dessel, Steinfeld Associate Professor of Near Eastern History and Archaeology, will discuss The State of the Ancient State: New Finds in Southeastern Turkey.
• November 9: Alison G. Boyer, research assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, will present Trouble in Paradise: Extinction and Conservation of Tropical Island Birds.
• November 16: Rob Heller, professor of journalism and electronic media, will discuss A Brief Yet Incomplete History of Photojournalism.
• November 23: no meeting, Thanksgiving break
• November 30: Sue Hume, clinical associate professor of audiology and speech pathology, will present Good Vibrations—Care and Use of the Professional Voice.

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information visit research.utk.edu.

—

C O N T A C T :

Mark Littmann (865-974-8156 littmann@utk.edu)

G. Michael Clark (865-974-6006, clarkgmorph@utk.edu)

The Science Forum is a weekly brown bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research and the general public to learn about science in a way they can understand.

The weekly presentations begin at noon on Fridays in room C-D of the Arena Dining area of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session. It is free and open to the public.

Ostermeier’s talk, titled “Governing the Environment in Complex Times,” will include a discussion of challenges in land use, biodiversity, and climate. He will then discuss the implications of those challenges for environmental policymakers and how the government, the private sector, and citizens can work together to address these issues, both locally and worldwide.

“My area of work is natural resource policy,” Ostermeier said, “and so these are topics that I have been working with for some time.”

Future science forums will feature:

• October 5: Rich Giannone, who works in the chemical sciences division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will present “Yellowstone’s Hot Bacteria and the Future of Biofuels.”
• October 12: no meeting, fall break
• October 19: Dana Dodd, president of the Appalachian Bear Rescue, will talk about “Saving Orphan Bears and Returning Them to the Wild.”
• October 26: J.R. Shrute, co-director and co-founder of Conservation Fisheries, Inc., will present “Saving the Imperiled Fishes of Southern Appalachia.”
• November 2: J.P. Dessel, Steinfeld associate professor of Near Eastern History and Archaeology, will discuss “The State of the Ancient State: New Finds in Southeastern Turkey.”
• November 9: Alison G. Boyer, research assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, will present “Trouble in Paradise: Extinction and Conservation of Tropical Island Birds.”
• November 16: Rob Heller, professor of journalism and electronic media, will discuss “A Brief Yet Incomplete History of Photojournalism.”
• November 23: no meeting, Thanksgiving break
• November 30: Sue Hume, clinical associate professor of audiology and speech pathology, will present “Good Vibrations—Care and Use of the Professional Voice.”

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information, visit research.utk.edu.

—

C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, amy.blakely@utk.edu)

Holly Gary (865-974-2225, hgary@utk.edu)

The first program will feature Nathan Lee, assistant professor of radiation oncology, presenting A New Radiation Therapy for Cancer in Pet Animals. Other topics this semester range from electric cars to bears to vocal care.

The Science Forum presentations begin at noon on Fridays in room C-D of Thompson-Boling Arena. Attendees can bring lunch or purchase it at the arena. Each presentation is forty minutes long and is followed by a question-and-answer session.

The UT Science Forum was started in 1933 by UT professors who wanted to keep up with the many types of research happening on campus. A group was formed, and professors took turns briefing each other on their work.

“I think the forum has continued because there is so much cutting-edge research at UT, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and other local facilities that people want to hear about,” said Mark Littmann, journalism professor and forum program chairman.

The goal of the weekly presentations is to explain science in a way that anyone can understand.

“This is not just for scientists, engineers, and health professionals. It’s also for everyone who has an interest in science but can’t follow a technical talk full of jargon,” Littmann said. “This is a chance for people to hear science presented at a level that they can understand and ask distinguished researchers questions about.”

The Science Forum still exists as a club, although membership in the forum is not required to attend the lectures; they are free and open to the public.

Alan Heilman, professor emeritus in botany, serves as the Science Forum’s president; Sandra Twardosz, a professor in child and family studies, is vice president; and Mike Clark, an associate professor of earth and planetary sciences, is secretary-treasurer.

This week’s Science Forum features Lee, who has worked in the College of Veterinary Medicine for two years, helping to develop a new treatment system for cats and dogs with cancer, called Intensity Modulating Radiation Therapy.

The College of Veterinary Medicine previously had a radiation therapy program, but it shut down more than ten years ago.

Lee said the Science Forum will help him spread the word about the new program.

“A lot of people don’t know about it,” he said. “It’s only available at a handful of universities.”

His discussion will explain what radiation oncology is and the benefits of using it.

Here’s a look at the Science Forums for the rest of the fall semester:

September 21: Christopher Cherry, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, will present Electric Cars in China—Only as Clean as Their Coal.

September 28: David Ostermeier, professor of forestry, wildlife, and fisheries will discuss Governing the Environment in Complex Times.

October 5: Rich Giannone, who works in the chemical sciences division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will present Yellowstone’s Hot Bacteria and the Future of Biofuels.

October 12: Fall break.

October 19: Dana Dodd, president of the Appalachian Bear Rescue, will talk about Saving Orphan Bears and Returning Them to the Wild.

October 26: J.R. Shrute, codirector and cofounder of Conservation Fisheries Inc., will present Saving the Imperiled Fishes of Southern Appalachia.

November 2: J.P. Dessel, Steinfeld Associate Professor of Near Eastern History and Archaeology, will discuss The State of the Ancient State: New Finds in Southeastern Turkey.

November 9: Alison G. Boyer, research assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, will present Trouble in Paradise: Extinction and Conservation of Tropical Island Birds.

November 16: Rob Heller, professor of journalism and electronic media, will discuss A Brief Yet Incomplete History of Photojournalism.

November 23: Thanksgiving break

November 30: Sue Hume, clinical associate professor of audiology and speech pathology, will present Good Vibrations—Care and Use of the Professional Voice.

The Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. For more information about the Science Forum, visit the website.

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C O N T A C T :

Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)

Gordon will speak about “Shattered Relationships: Understanding Betrayal and Forgiveness in Intimate Relationships” at noon on April 29 in Thompson-Boling Arena Dining Room C-D at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The program is free and open to the public; attendees are welcome to bring their lunches or purchase lunch at the Café at the Arena.

Gordon makes a distinction between what forgiveness is and is not.

“Forgiveness is a process, an opportunity to gain an understanding about your partner, your relationship, and yourself, a release from being dominated by negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors,” Gordon said. “Forgiveness is not reconciling, forgetting, or excusing the affair, an immediate or one-time event.”

Gordon will be using evidence gathered from her research in collaboration with other colleagues to speak on the topic.

The UT Science Forum is a weekly event where academic, medical, and research professionals share their knowledge and unique insights in their fields. Different science topics will be discussed with a question-and-answer session at the end of each forty-minute presentation.

The UT Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research.

For questions about the UT Science Forum, contact Mark Littmann, littmann@utk.edu or 974-8156, or Mike Clark, clarkgmorph@utk.edu or 974-6006.

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C O N T A C T:

Whitney Holmes (865-974-5460, wholmes7@utk.edu)

Dr. Mitchell H. Goldman, assistant dean for research, professor, and chairman of the department of surgery at the UT Graduate School of Medicine will be speaking on “Research at UT’s Graduate School of Medicine” on April 15 at noon in Thompson-Boling Arena Dining Room C-D. The program is free and open to the public; attendees are welcome to bring their lunches or purchase lunch at the Café at the Arena.

Goldman will overview translational research—taking problems that are seen in the clinic to the laboratory and looking for treatments, diagnostic tests, mechanisms, and impact upon the patient.

“We are translating from the patient to the lab to the patient,” Goldman said. Most of the people who attend the UT Science Forum are scientists and students.

“One goal of my lecture would be to offer students and scientists a way to work with the graduate school,” Goldman said. “We went to encourage collaboration and establish lines of communication with the UT Knoxville campus and ORNL.”

The UT Science Forum is a weekly event where academic, medical, and research professionals share their knowledge and unique insights in their fields. Different science topics will be discussed with a question-and-answer session at the end of each forty-minute presentation.

The UT Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. Upcoming presentations include:

April 29: Kristina Gordon, associate professor of psychology, presents “Shattered Relationships: Understanding Betrayal and Forgiveness in Intimate Relationships.”

For questions about the UT Science Forum, contact Mark Littmann, littmann@utk.edu or 974-8156, or Mike Clark, clarkgmorph@utk.edu or 974-6006.

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C O N T A C T:

Whitney Holmes (865-974-5460, wholmes7@utk.edu)

Wyatt, associate professor of nursing, will be speaking on the topic, “Enginurse: A New Breed of Nurse and Engineer Scholar,” at noon on April 1 in Thompson-Boling Arena Dining Room C-D. The program, part of the UT Science Forum, is free and open to the public. Attendees are welcome to bring their lunches or purchase lunch at the Café at the Arena.

An enginurse has the varied technology skills of an engineer to navigate complex health information systems while building solutions for the health care environment.

“For example, I have an engineer partner and between the two of us we build systems, multimedia and applications that improve outcomes for patients and those who care for patients,” Wyatt said.

The UT Science Forum is a weekly event at which academic, medical and research professionals share knowledge and unique insights from their fields. Different science topics will be discussed with a question-and-answer session at the end of each 40-minute presentation.

The UT Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. Upcoming presentations include:

April 8: Gary Pulsinelli, associate professor of law, presents “Muggles vs. Goblins: Who Should Own Creative Property?”

April 15: Dr. Mitchell H. Goldman, assistant dean for research, professor and chairman of the Department of Surgery in the UT Graduate School of Medicine, presents, “Research at UT’s Graduate School of Medicine.”

April 29: Kristina Gordon, associate professor of psychology, presents “Shattered Relationships: Understanding Betrayal and Forgiveness in Intimate Relationships.”

For questions about the UT Science Forum, contact Mark Littmann, littmann@utk.edu or 974-8156, or Mike Clark, clarkgmorph@utk.edu or 974-6006.

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C O N T A C T:

Whitney Holmes (865-974-5460, wholmes7@utk.edu)

At the end of second grade, Heilman’s teacher gave him a small pot of soil and sunflower seeds that grew to be eight feet tall over the summer, which amazed him. In high school, Heilman used a microscope in his biology class, became fascinated by the details and strived to capture that close-up approach with photography.

Heilman, professor emeritus of botany, will be discussing “Looking and Seeing – 60 Years Photographing Plants” at the UT Science Forum on March 25 at noon in Thompson-Boling Arena Dining Room C-D. The program is free and open to the public; attendees are welcome to bring their lunches or purchase lunch at the Café at the Arena.

“People look at things, but they don’t see them,” Heilman said. “Photography has slowed me down. I see a lot more because I’m not in a hurry.”

The UT Science Forum is a weekly event where academic, medical and research professionals share their knowledge and unique insights in their fields. Different science topics will be discussed with a question-and-answer session at the end of each 40-minute presentation.

The UT Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. Upcoming presentations include:

April 1: Tami H. Wyatt, associate professor of nursing, presents “Enginurse: A New Breed of Nurse and Engineer Scholar.”

April 8: Gary Pulsinelli, associate professor of law, presents “Muggles vs. Goblins: Who Should Own Creative Property?”

April 15: Dr. Mitchell H. Goldman, assistant dean for research; professor and chairman of the Department of Surgery in the UT Graduate School of Medicine, presents, “Research at UT’s Graduate School of Medicine.”

April 29: Kristina Gordon, associate professor of psychology, presents “Shattered Relationships: Understanding Betrayal and Forgiveness in Intimate Relationships.”

For questions about the UT Science Forum, contact Mark Littmann, littmann@utk.edu or 974-8156, or Mike Clark, clarkgmorph@utk.edu or 974-6006.

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C O N T A C T:

Whitney Holmes (865-974-5460, wholmes7@utk.edu)

Taylor, a distinguished professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, will speak at the UT Science Forum on “The Discovery of Water on the Moon and Its Significance for Mankind” on Jan. 28 at noon in Thompson-Boling Arena Dining Room C-D. The program is free and open to the public; attendees are welcome to bring their lunches or purchase lunch at the Café at the Arena.

In addition to discussing the most recent discovery of water on the moon, Taylor will talk about past discoveries as well. Discovery of water on the moon combats previous thoughts about how the moon was formed in the beginning.

“Before our research, we thought the Earth and moon had the same volatiles after the Giant Impact, just at greatly different quantities. Our work brings to light another component in the formation that we had not anticipated — comets,” Taylor said.

The UT Science Forum is a weekly event where academic, medical and research professionals share their knowledge and unique insights in their fields. Different science topics will be discussed with a question-and-answer session at the end of each 40-minute presentation.

The UT Science Forum is sponsored by the UT Office of Research. Upcoming presentations include:

• Feb. 4: Stephen Levy, technical director of the Tennessee Solar Energy Association, presents “How Realistic Is the Dollar-a-Watt Goal for Solar Power?”
• Feb. 11: Bronson Messer, acting director of Science at Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, presents “The Fate of the Martial Star: How Will Betelgeuse Die?”
• Feb. 18: Sharon Thompson, director for the Center for Agriculture and Food Security and Preparedness in the College of Veterinary Medicine, presents, “The Potential for Food Terrorism.”
• Feb. 25: Jay Whelan, professor and head of the Nutrition Department, presents “Will Eating an Extra Serving of Broccoli Help Prostate Cancer?”
• March 4: Kim DeLozier, supervisory wildlife biologist (retired) of the National Park Service, presents “Bears, Boars, and Bulls — 32 Years of Wildlife Management in the Smokies.”
• March 25: Alan Heilman, professor emeritus of botany, presents “Looking and Seeing — 60 Years of Photographing Plants.”
• April 1: Tami H. Wyatt, associate professor of nursing, presents “Enginurse: A New Breed of Nurse and Engineer Scholar.”
• April 8: Gary Pulsinelli, associate professor of law, presents “Muggles vs. Goblins: Who Should Own Creative Property?”
• April 15: Dr. Mitchell H. Goldman, assistant dean for research; professor and chairman of the Department of Surgery in the UT Graduate School of Medicine, presents, “Research at UT’s Graduate School of Medicine.”
• April 29: Kristina Gordon, associate professor of psychology, presents “Shattered Relationships: Understanding Betrayal and Forgiveness in Intimate Relationships.”

For questions about the UT Science Forum, contact Mark Littmann, littmann@utk.edu or 974-8156, or Mike Clark, clarkgmorph@utk.edu or 974-6006.

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CONTACT

Whitney Holmes (865-974-5460, wholmes7@utk.edu)