What is it like to call the International Space Station home?

Just ask astronaut and Cal Poly engineering alum Greg Chamitoff, who will give a public presentation from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 8, in the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center at Cal Poly. Everyone is encouraged to attend this free event. Chamitoff will talk about his experience living on the International Space Station for approximately six months last year.

ETHICS OF FACEBOOK

Continuing the Technology and Ethics Lecture Series, the Ethics + Emerging Technologies Group holds its third talk on Monday, May 4, from 2-3:30 p.m., in the Graphic Arts Building, Room 103. The talk is free and open to the public.

Anthony F. Beavers, philosophy professor at the University of Evansville and visiting scholar at Indiana University, will explore less-obvious ethical issues arising from Facebook, the increasingly-popular social networking site. These go beyond the usual privacy concerns and include new worries such as whether Facebook redefines friendship in helpful or harmful ways, how its news feed influences which relationships will develop or will not, its impact on our sense of purpose and self-identity, and more.

For more information and a flyer, visit http://ethics.calpoly.edu/.

NanoCafe Pictures

Check out the great photos Kathy Chen's students took of the NanoCafe!
http://picasaweb.google.com/dr.kathchen/NanoCafe?authkey=Gv1sRgCO63tLKZroq0NQ&feat=directlink

Thank you Cal Poly!

Our last event of the year was fantastic. NanoCafe was a huge success with 78 participants, a carbon balloon nanotube, 6 tables of interactive nano examples, and more.

Thank you to all the speakers, moderators and students, plus a special thanks to all the library staff, students and faculty, that have made this inaugural year of the Science Cafe an amazing experience!!!

More to come Fall 2009! Stay tuned...

NanoCafe

Please join us next Wednesday!

WHAT: Just how small is "nano" anyhow, and why should you care? Is nanotechnology here yet? Could you be using nano products right now without even knowing it?

WHO: Cal Poly faculty Kathy Chen (Materials Engineering) and Jane Lehr (Women's & Gender Studies and Ethnic Studies) and special guest Frank Kusiak. Kusiak is an informal science educator and nanotech outreach specialist at Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science. His background is in instructional design and education via computer gaming and robotics.

WHEN: April 8, 3:30-4:30 pm

WHERE: Kennedy Library Second Floor Cafe Lounge. The Science Cafe is free and open to the public.

HANDS ON! As part of the Café event, on Wednesday morning, Kathy Chen and students in materials engineering will create a hanging, giant model nanotube made out of balloons in the Library, and guide participants in simple demos of nanotechnology during the cafe.

Are you ready?

Well this weeks even with Brian Wansink was a huge success with more than 60 participants. Are you ready for next week?

Science Cafe - How mindless eating works in government

Join us tomorrow for the Science Cafe at 3:30pm on the 2nd floor of library. Brian Wansink's discussion is titled "How mindless eating works in government." There will be a Healthy Foods and Used Sporting Equipment Drive in the Pac Plaza after his presentation.

Cal Poly Students Rock Out

Check out this fun YouTube video about nano by Cal Poly Students...Ferromagnetic Funk Fluid (a.k.a Evil Porcupine), Alex Stanley and Ryan Satchet, Cal Poly Records 2009
Note: Go to ~5 minutes to get the song.

Spring Quarter Science Cafe's

We have a couple of great Science Cafés lined up to launch the spring quarter.
******************************
APRIL 2: CORNELL TO WASHINGTON: HOW MINDLESS EATING WORKS IN GOVERNMENT

On Thursday, April 2, we will be hosting national bestselling author
Brian Wansink from 3:30-4:30pm, for an informal talk about his recent
stint in the US Department of Agriculture in relation to his work as
expert in nutritional science, behavior and food psychology

For more information, see: http://www.mindlesseating.org/
*****************************
APRIL 8: NANOCAFE: IS SMALL THE NEW BIG?

Wednesday, April 8, 3:30 - 4:30pm we will be hosting a Science Café on nanotechnology, featuring Frank Kusiak from the Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science and the NISE Network (Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network).

Sponsored by the Department of Materials Engineering and the National
Science Foundation's "Nanodays" program, Kusiak will give a talk on
"Nano 101." Cal Poly professors Kathy Chen (Materials Engineering) and
Jane Lehr (Women's and Gender Studies, Ethnic Studies) will facilitate
hands-on demos of nanotechnology and a discussion of how
nanotechnology affects our lives.

For more on Nanodays or on Frank Kusiak, see:
http://www.nisenet.org/nanodays
http://www.nisenet.org/users/fkusiak

Please join us!

Ethics of Cyberweapons

Dr. Neil Rowe will be speaking on the Ethics of Cyberweapons as part of the Cal Poly Technology & Ethics Lecture Series. The talk will discuss the ethical issues related to warfare using cyberweapons: software weapons (viruses, hacking, etc.).

When: Friday, April 10, 11am-12:30pm
Where: Philips Hall, Room 124 (5:124)

Is there a way to be notified about new events?

If you want to be notified about the Science Cafe please sign up for our listserv

This list is for announcements of news and events related to the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Science Café at the Kennedy Library.

The Galapagos: not as Darwin saw them

Thursday, February 12
3-4pm
Library Cafe Lounge (2nd floor next to Julians)

"Darwin 200" will feature conversation with Christy Strand, Cal Poly Biological Science Assistant Professor, "The Galapagos: not as Darwin saw them."

Plus, you won't want to miss meeting a very special guest...

Cake, coffee, and tea will be served!
The event is free and open to all.

High Tea for Darwin's 200th Birthday

Darwin would have turned 200 years old February 12th. Join us for conversation and birthday cake to celebrate the work of this influential naturalist.

The program will feature a 10-minute talk by a Cal Poly faculty member and subsequent audience conversation and questions.

WHEN:
February 12th, 3:00p-4:00pm

WHERE:
Kennedy Library, 2nd Floor Cafe Lounge

WHO:
Moderator
Francis X. Villablanca, Cal Poly Biological Science Associate Professor

Speaker
Christy Strand, Cal Poly Biological Science Assistant Professor
"The Galapagos: not as Darwin saw them"


What is the future of research on the Galapagos?
--> Bring Your Unique Perspective on the Future

What might Darwin say about society today?
--> Stretch and Get Creative

How have Darwin's ideas shaped society?
--> Think About Them

Va-va-voom!: Improbable Vehicles Drive Home a Point at Kennedy Library

INAUGURAL PROGRAM: "Improbable Vehicles" will introduce work produced at and around Cal Poly on unusual vehicles of all kinds.

The program will feature four 10-minute talks by Cal Poly faculty, staff, and students, alternating with audience conversation and questions. Moderated by JOHN DUNNING, Cal Poly Research Scholar.

WHEN:
JANUARY 28th, 4:30p-6:00pm

WHERE:
KENNEDY LIBRARY, 2ND FLOOR CAFÉ LOUNGE

WHO:
ART MACCARLEY
"My Methanol Motorcycle"

ELECTRIC VEHICLE ENGINEERING CLUB
"RX7 Race Car Speeds Forward"

CAL POLY ROSE FLOAT
"Seaside Amusement"

HUMAN POWERED VEHICLE
"Athena Pedals to First Place"

ABOUT:
:: Thematically, without the oil crisis (resource substitution) the methanol motorcycle is improbable;

:: without batteries (technical push), the electric car is improbable;

:: without fiber composite materials (technical push), the human powered vehicle is improbable;

:: and without the Rose Parade (social demand), the float is improbable.

What are Driving Forces and Creativity behind these Vehicles?
--> Think About Them.

What will be Future Driving Forces and Creativity?
--> Bring Your Unique Perspective on the Future

What are Future Improbable Vehicles?
--> Stretch and Get Creative

Science Cafe Launch

Cal Poly's Science Cafe Launches with "Improbable Vehicles"

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

4:30pm-6:00pm

Library Café Lounge

(2nd floor of Kennedy Library next to Julian’s)

Join campus scholars and students for snacks and conversations about methanol motorcycles, electric race cars, human powered vehicles, and Cal Poly’s rose float.