Courtesy of LLNL
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL's) popular lecture series, "Science on Saturday," will return on Feb. 1 and continue through Feb. 22 at Las Positas College in Livermore, California.
This series features four engaging lectures under the theme "Up in the Air." Each lecture will be presented by leading LLNL scientists alongside high school science teachers. Geared towards middle and high school students, the talks will start at 10 a.m. and last for one hour. Below is the schedule of lectures, which can also be found on the Science on Saturday web page.
- Feb. 1: "Autonomous Sensors: Flying into the Future," presented by LLNL scientists Brian Wihl, Claire Knight and Antonio Correa Barrios, and Monte Vista High School teacher Rodger Johnson. This lecture will cover the integral role of drones in various sectors, highlighting their applications in package delivery, agricultural monitoring, public safety and disaster response. It emphasizes the versatility of drones and their ability to reach difficult areas, which is transforming industries such as logistics, filmmaking and environmental conservation. The Autonomous Sensors team will discuss the nature of autonomous systems, the manufacturing process of drones, and their current applications in addressing significant contemporary challenges. Click here for more details.
- Feb. 8: "Taking the Twinkle Out of Stars: The Engineering of Adaptive Optics," presented by LLNL scientists Lisa Poyneer and Aaron Lemmer, and Granada High School teacher Tom Shefler. This lecture will explore the quest for answers about the universe beyond Earth's atmosphere and the challenges posed by the turbulent atmosphere that distorts light and images. It introduces Adaptive Optics, a technology that corrects these distortions in real time, enabling the observation of otherwise unobservable celestial objects, such as planets around distant stars. Attendees will hear from engineers involved in designing and building adaptive optics systems. The discussion will cover how specialized sensors measure atmospheric distortions, the role of advanced algorithms and computer control in predicting corrections, and how adjustable mirrors can make over a thousand corrections per second to eliminate the twinkling of stars. Click here for more details.
- Feb. 15: "Space telescopes: Observing the X-ray Universe," presented by LLNL scientists Megan Eckart and Natalie Hell, and retired San Ramon Valley Unified School District teacher Stan Hitomi. This lecture will delve into the exploration of space and the mysteries of our cosmic origins, focusing on the study of light from distant stars and galaxies. It emphasizes the use of X-ray light, which allows researchers to investigate the hottest and most extreme environments, such as those surrounding black holes. The talk will highlight space-based X-ray observatories, including the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), discussing their design and how they contribute to uncovering the secrets of the universe. Click here for more details.
- Feb. 22: "The Carbon Garden: Sowing Seeds for Carbon Capture," presented by LLNL scientists Kari Finstad and Shannon Brown, and Tracy High School teacher Erin McKay. This lecture will focus on the importance of understanding the role of plants and soil in the Earth's carbon cycle for developing effective natural solutions to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. It introduces a new initiative at LLNL that explores the potential of deep-rooted native California plants planted in a dedicated carbon garden. These plants absorb carbon dioxide and channel it into the soil, where various processes help sequester the carbon. The site is equipped with advanced instrumentation to continuously measure the carbon flow between the plants and the soil. The talk will also cover the use of accelerator mass spectrometry to quantify the carbon stored in the soil, providing insights into this innovative climate initiative occurring at LLNL. Click here for more details.
Science on Saturday is sponsored by LLNL's Science Education Program. Pre-registration is required as seating is limited. The presentations and tours are free to attend.
The lecture series will be available to view at a later date on the LLNL YouTube Channel
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