1/9/2023 --- History of Gold Speaker: William H. Dick (Email: whdick42@tds.net) Sponsored By: William H. Dick (ID: 1822)All the Gold that was ever on the earth is still here, in the form of ores, jewelry, gold coins & storage and in industry. Gold coins have been used as a medium of exchange in Western Europe since the days of Charlemagne. Bill will cover the many other uses for this precious metal. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 1/16/2023 --- History, Neuroscience, and Ethics of Philanthropy Speaker: Jeff Rasley (Email: jeffrasley@gmail.com) Sponsored By: Jeff Rasley (ID: 735)This talk will be a very abridged version of the course on Philanthropy Rasley teaches in the Honors Program at Butler University, supported by Power Point. It will cover the 3 topics in the title. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 1/23/2023 --- A mathematical model of regeneration-depletion dynamics and catastrophic events Speaker: Dr. Horia Petrache (Email: hpetrach@iupui.edu) Sponsored By: Joe Abell (ID: 737)Complex physical systems often reach steady, persistent states followed by catastrophic events. Examples include market crashes, environmental disasters, depletion of resources, and loss of quantum information. This behavior is often unpredictable even when relevant factors are known. I will describe a stochastic mathematical model based on group structures that captures this particular type of behavior. The model shows how relatively long periods of apparent stability emerge followed by a sudden depletion of resources. One possible application of this model is in the development of computation methods for quantum computers which are currently under various stages of development. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 1/30/2023 --- What Becomes of All Those Recyclables - Plastics Recycling, Inc. Speaker: Chad Smith and Alex Ramion (Email: Chad@plastic-recycling.net) Sponsored By: Linda Karwisch (ID: 732)Finally learn what is being done to those plastic tubs, take home containers, lids, water bottles etc. Plastic Recycling, Inc. was established in 1988 and they are one of the largest providers of recycled plastic. The company makes supplies for the building industry and also customize compound materials to fit different business needs. Polystyrene blends, colored pellets and resin are the main products made from Polystyrene, Polypropylene, Homopolymer and Polyethylene. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 2/6/2023 --- Heinrich Schliemann: archaeologist, tomb robber, and citizen of Indianapolis. Speaker: John Langdon (Email: langdon@uindy.edu) Sponsored By: John Langdon (ID: 1823)Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890) is best known as the discoverer of Troy. It is much less well known that he lived for a short time in Indianapolis and loved it. This colorful character excited the world about archaeology and to accept a historical basis of the Iliad, but his science was poor and irresponsible. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 2/13/2023 --- Uncovering the Silenced Stories of Institutional Life: Suffering and Death at Indiana's Central State Hospital Speaker: Dr Jeremy Wilson (Email: wilsojer@iupui.edu) Sponsored By: Sarah Halter & Karen Bumb (ID: 1821)In November of 2020, construction on the site of the IMPD Canine Unit headquarters disturbed 13 graves in the old Central State Hospital cemetery adjacent to the Indiana Medical History Museum. During this presentation Dr. Wilson will present some of his team’s findings from their analysis of human remains excavated from those graves. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 2/20/2023 --- Total Solar Eclipse 2024! Speaker: Dan McGlaun (Email: Dan@eclipse2024.org) Sponsored By: Dr. Alan D. Schmidt (ID: 1825)Dan gave a superb presentation of his simulation software for the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse that will be seen in Indiana and various other cities to the Indiana Astronomical Society at the Mooresville, IN library January 21, 2024. He is all ready to give a fine presentation to Scientech when appropriate. Www.eclipse2024.org (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 2/27/2023 --- Elwood Haynes - Charter Member Speaker: William Dick (Email: whdick42@tds.net) Sponsored By: William Dick (ID: 1820)Elwood Haynes was mainly a metallurgist. He was born in Portland, In. (October 14, 1857 – April 13, 1925) was an American inventor, metallurgist, automotive pioneer, entrepreneur and industrialist. He invented the metal alloy stellite and independently co-discovered martensitic stainless steel along with Englishman Harry Brearley in 1912 and designed one of the earliest automobiles made in the United States. He is recognized for having created the earliest American design that was feasible for mass production and, with the Apperson brothers, he formed the first company in the United States to produce automobiles profitably. He made many advances in the automotive industry.
This talk will precede the tour of the Elwood Haynes museum in Kokomo scheduled for May 15. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 3/6/2023 --- Lou Gehrig and The World’s Most Feared Disease Speaker: Robert Pascuzzi, MD (Email: rpascuzz@iupui.edu) Sponsored By: Karen Bumb (ID: 1818)Using Lou Gehrig’s personal story, the essential features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis will be illustrated and serve as a framework for new developments in the progress towards effective treatment. Stunning results from Lou Gehrig’s own participation in an investigational treatment for ALS will illustrate critical pearls and pitfalls in the design, implementation, and interpretation of clinical trials for ALS and other degenerative brain diseases. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 3/13/2023 --- Things you may know and not know about the moon Speaker: Kurt Williams Sponsored By: Jeff Rasley (ID: 1842)Given the solar eclipse coming next year and NASA's plans to return to the moon, Kurt will be giving a presentation on the moon. Things you may know, things you may not know and all things fun and interesting. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 3/20/2023 --- The Rise and Fall of the Monsters of the Midway, and why there was a Nuclear Reaction after the Fall Speaker: Jeff Rasley (Email: jeffrasley@gmail.com) Sponsored By: Jeff Rasley (ID: 1834)From 1892 until the 1930s the Monsters of the Midway dominated college football, but in 1939 the University of Chicago dropped varsity football. Football was resurrected in 1969, but something incredible happened under the abandoned grandstands of Stagg Field during the interregnum - the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction directed by UChicago Prof. Enrico Fermi. Jeff will describe how the history of UChicago, football, and Fermi's experiments are related, along with anecdotes about the important characters involved.
(The power point talk is based on Jeff's book, "Monsters of the Midway 1969: Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, Viet Nam, Civil Rights, and Football.") (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 3/27/2023 --- My Holocaust Journey -
Dodging the Auschwitz gas chamber and surviving three other concentration camps
Speaker: Frank Grunwald Sponsored By: Ed Koolish (ID: 1828)Frank Grunwald was just six years old when German troops invaded his home country of Czechoslovakia in the spring of 1939. Three years later in the summer of 1942 he and his family were transported from their home in Prague to the ghetto of Terezin and a year and a half later to the Auschwitz extermination camp in Poland. Here he encountered the infamous Josef Mengele.
He miraculously survived Auschwitz and after more than a year was transported to Austria where he survived three other concentration camps prior to his liberation by the American Armed Forces. His talk will cover this personal journey.
(Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 4/3/2023 --- Indianapolis Cultural Trail Speaker: Karen Haley (Email: rhillkartel@indyculturaltrail.org) Sponsored By: William H. Dick (317-753-8380) (ID: 1833)The Indy Cultural has been acclaimed worldwide. It is a walking/biking trail in downtown Indianapolis, with gardens and artworks. It was funded by Gene and Marilyn Glick. The original trail has had some additions. Indy is proud to have ths great trail in Indianapolis. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 4/10/2023 --- The Pharaoh's Treasure Speaker: William H. Dick (Email: whdick42@tds.net) Sponsored By: William H. Dick (ID: 1840)Was it Pyramids? Or Monuments? Or Gold? Or the Nile?
No, it was Papyrus, the precursor of pour modern paper.
The Pharoah and Egypt has a 4,000 year monoply on Papyrus. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 4/17/2023 --- Antarctica:Personal Encounters with the white continent Speaker: James Lowery (Email: Jlowery2@gmail.com) Sponsored By: Dr. Alan Dale Schmidt (ID: 741)A
Presentation by: James Lowery
3402 Altamont Road
Birmingham, AL 35205
Home (205) 252-5337 Cell (205) 908-0179
Jlowery2@gmail.com
Method: Video and PowerPoint presentation
Audio-visual Equipment Needed (if necessary, the presenter can bring these):
Laptop Computer
Computer Projector
Screen
Summary of Presentation:
This presentation features a drone video produced by the ship’s crew on Mr. Lowery’s sixth trip to Antarctica. He will narrate the video and will talk about first-hand experiences in Antarctica – and, yes, including penguins. The science of “dynamic soaring” as used by the seabirds of the Southern Ocean will be explained.
The presentation is from the standpoint of a “tourist traveler” or “amateur scientist” and includes science and wildlife of the region – seabirds, penguins, whales, seals – as well as views of the land, ice, icebergs, and glaciers.
(Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 4/24/2023 --- TOUR--- Tour of Plastic Recycling, Inc Speaker: Chad Smith (Email: Chad@plastic-recycling.net) Sponsored By: Linda Karwisch (ID: 1827)As a follow-up to our January 30 program, Chad Smith has invited interested club members to tour the Speedway recycling facility. It would be individual transportation to a nearby location with no cost for the tour. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 5/1/2023 --- The Indianapolis Art Center Speaker: Mark Williams (Email: mwilliams@indplsartcenter.org) Sponsored By: Jeff Rasley (ID: 1832)Mark will provide an update on the Indianapolis Art Center, including an overview of the free community exhibitions and outreach programs offered. It will include a “thank you to the Foundation for its grant in 2022”, and some show and tell photos of the use of the money. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 5/8/2023 --- Investigating human and environmental sustainability through music technology and acoustics Speaker: Dr. Tim Hsu (Email: hsut@iu.edu) Sponsored By: Joe Abella (ID: 1846)The field of acoustics is inherently interdisciplinary, impacting life sciences, arts, engineering, physics, and many other diverse fields. This talk provides a window into how human and environmental sustainability can be addressed through sound, music, and technology. We will look at how sound can affect health, where one common negative outcome to noise exposure is hearing loss and tinnitus. Other negative health effects have been observed through unnecessary noise exposure. However, sound can also potentially be used constructively as a screening tool, as we explore using machine learning methods to uncover the sonic fingerprint of vocal health concerns. Furthermore, environmental sustainability can be addressed through novel acoustic panel design. Here, sustainable materials and design examples are shown that challenge the current material standards used in acoustic products. These new acoustic diffusor designs here inherently link form and function, thereby allowing easier collaboration between architects and acousticians.
(Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 5/15/2023 --- TOUR--- Elwood Haynes Museum, Kokomo, IN Speaker: Bill Dick - 317-753-8380 (Email: whdick42@tds.net) Sponsored By: William Dick, Hank Wolfla (ID: 1830)Elwood Haynes was a charter member of Scientech Club.
He drove the first car in the U.S. in 1894. Later, he invented stainless steel and the alloy Stellite.
The museum was his home and on display are four autos that Haynes and the Appersons built, as well as additional objects relating to his historic career. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 5/22/2023 --- The Sex Lives of Insects" Speaker: Sarah Gray (Email: sarahingarden@comcast.net) Sponsored By: Linda Karwisch (ID: 1838)Sarah is from Great Britain and lived in Indiana from sometime. She will present a interesting talk on the importance of insects matting and their role in the fertilization of flowers and vegetables across our growing zones here and afar. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) 6/5/2023 --- Why did our ancestors become bipedal? Speaker: John Langdon (Email: langdon@uindy.edu) Sponsored By: John Langdon (ID: 1835)This is arguably the most important question in human evolution. Although dozens of hypotheses have been advanced over the past 150 years, the discussion is frought with misconceptions about mammalian locomotion and about the process of evolution. Mostly, anthropologists were seeking a simplistic answer to a complex problem. I will present an approach that should yield a more fruitful understanding of the origins of the human lineage. (Log In to view our Scribe's Summary of the Presentation.) |