A series of informal, public discussions with cutting-edge, award-winning SFU science researchers is coming to New Westminster for the first time this fall.
Café Scientifique is a discussion series connecting research to important issues of interest to the community.
The first session on Sept. 25 features a discussion on the mystery of mass by Dugan O'Neil, SFU associate professor of physics, chief science officer at Compute Canada and deputy spokesperson of ATLAS-Canada
O'Neil will discuss mass and where it comes from – a question that particle physicists have been obsessed with for over 50 years.
“A person's mass might be the sum total of their muscle, bone, fat, blood, and a car's mass is the sum of its steel, glass, plastics," O'Neil said, "but a fundamental particle has nothing inside. So, how can it have mass, and what is mass anyway?”
O’Neil will discuss how the world's largest machine—the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, Switzerland –has given us an answer.
On Oct. 22, the topic is bees.
Elizabeth Elle, professor and chair of SFU's biological sciences department, will discuss recent declines in bee populations and concerns about how they will impact natural and agricultural systems.
Elle will talk about what we can do to help with pollinator conservation and examine whose responsibility pollinator conservation should be.
On Nov. 19, the topic is "It's a materials world – from sticks and stones to nanotechnology, how materials have changed our world," presented by Neil Branda, Chemistry professor, SFU Canada research chair and the executive director of 4D LABS , a research centre for advanced materials and nano-scale devices.
Branda will discuss modern society's increasing dependence on the development and use of advanced materials.
Café Scientifique could continue in New West in the spring if the fall events are well attended, according to SFU communications officer Diane Mar-Nicolle.
All sessions will be held in a private room at Boston Pizza (1045 Columbia St.) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. with refreshments available for purchase.
Everyone is welcome to attend; reserve a free seat by emailing: [email protected]
Café Scientifique could continue in New West in the spring if the fall sessions are well attended, according to SFU communications officer Diane Mar-Nicolle.
