January 28 • Erin McKenney, Ph.D.,
The Public Science Lab, Ph.D., Duke University, M.S., North Carolina State University
Food, Guts, and Bugs: Keys to a Cultured Life
Dr. Erin McKenney studies how microbial communities form over time and how they adapt to their environments. In this presentation, she will discuss how ecology and nutrition impact the gut microbiomes of over 22 species, with implications for promoting health and understanding disease. Her interest in microbial cultures, such as those in fermented foods, have provided an opportunity to investigate the relationship to human cultures. Microbial cultures also provide accessible systems for studying microbiology without formal laboratory equipment. By combining citizen science and global collaborations, Erin brings research into the classroom to empower students of all ages.
February 18 • Frederick Davis, Ph.D.,
Chair and Professor of History at Purdue University
Rachel Carson and the Wonder of Nature
Rachel Carson’s bestselling exposé of the ecological and health risks of chemical pesticides arguably started the US environmental movement. Her comprehensive work addressed national, global environmental issues, including extensive research in Florida. Carson’s work led to the banning of DDT in the US, while this might be the most notable outcome of her work, the breadth of her message holds much more widespread importance.
March 18 • Kat Volk, Ph.D.,
Department of Planetary Sciences & Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona
Interstellar Visitors: What We’ve Learned from 1I/’ Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov presented
In 2017 and 2019, astronomers observed the first confirmed interstellar visitors to our solar system: 1I/’Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. These small objects were long ago tossed out of the planetary systems of their birth, and they happened to cross paths with our Sun at the right time to be detected by telescopic surveys. Dr. Kat discussed why there are so many small objects loose in the galaxy for our solar system to encounter, why ‘Oumuamua’s shape and apparent lack of a cometary coma was so surprising, why we think of the cometary 2I/Borisov as more “normal”, and the prospects for discovering more of these kinds of objects in the near future.
April 15 • Jen Locke, Ph.D.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering, Ohio State University
The Role of the Environment in Accelerating Material Failure: Real World Examples and How Research Addresses the Challenges
Dr. Jen Locke’s research aims to understand the processes that lead to failures promoted by the environment so that one can properly design against it or mitigate the problem. Dr. Locke discussed the important role metal/environment interactions play in engineered structure performance by presenting real world material failures that have occurred because of the interactions of corrosion and stress. Active research in Locke’s lab was also presented to highlight how on-going academic research can be used to improve understanding of and prevent corrosion and EAC related failure.
To view an outline of past Horizons events, click here