Vanier College is pleased to announce a series of Science Lectures during Science Week, March 18-22, 2024. Each day, will feature a lecture by a leading researcher in an area of current interest. From AI to aerospace research and astronomy, researchers will zoom in on hot issues and questions. Consult the complete program for more details. All lectures will take place in the Vanier Auditorium, A-103.
Starting off the week, on Monday morning, March 18th, Chen-Yang Su of McGill University, will discuss Using artificial intelligence for safer and more efficient blood donations. Chen-Yang Su will describe how, by looking at past donations, AI can help keep donors safe from negative health effects and enable them to donate blood more efficiently so that they can keep saving lives.
The following day, on March 19th, Roger Hajjar from the Vanier College Physics Department will present: The Sun-Earth-Moon Dance: A tale of eclipses. With a total eclipse coming up on April 8, he will go over why these happen, their cycle, their future, and the interest for the public and scientists. He will also discuss what to expect on April 8th and explore how best to observe the eclipse.
Roger Hajjar has been a member of the Physics department since 2021. He has also been a science animator at the Montreal Planetarium. Before that, Roger has been an astronomer at Notre Dame University - Louaize in Lebanon where he founded the only master's degree program in astrophysics in Lebanon and launched the Farid and Moussa Raphael Observatory.
On Thursday, March 21st Dr. Christie Lovat, Bieler School of Environment at McGill University, will present The Evolution of You. This seminar is a look into advances in our understanding of human evolution, how they were made, and what they say about where we are going into the future. This is the evolution of you.
On Friday morning, March 22nd, Professor Nikolas Provatas from the Department of Physics at McGill University, will discuss The Physics of Disasters. His talk will explore some popular disasters of the past century and explain their causes as well as explore how understanding the physics of materials has helped demystify the causes of such disasters and help prevent their reoccurrence.
Friday afternoon will close the week off with a talk by Professor Siva Nadarajah, McGill University. Grand Challenges and the Future of Aerospace will explore cutting-edge advancements and pivotal issues in the aerospace industry. Addressing challenges such as sustainable aviation, autonomous systems, and space exploration, the McGill research community aims to redefine the boundaries of aerospace technology and propel the aerospace industry into a dynamic and sustainable future.
Prof. Nadarajah is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University and the Director of the McGill Institute for Aerospace Engineering.
