Archive
Hidden Shapes – The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Geometric Thinking
Presented by Florian Frick and Prasad Tetali
April 9, 2025
While the field of geometry is ancient, discoveries of its utility beyond the geometric realm are relatively recent. Professor Florian Frick will explain the unreasonable effectiveness of geometric thinking, in particular for mathematical and scientific problems that appear removed from geometry at first sight. Examples of this phenomenon range from economics and algorithm complexity to data science.
Watch the recording of: Florian Frick, associate professor of mathematical sciences and Prasad Tetali, professor and department head of mathematical sciences.
Tracing Our PFAS Footprint: Detecting and Interpreting Synthetic Fluorinated Organics in Our Environment and Bodies
Presented by Bruce Armitage and Carrie McDonough
November 13, 2024
Synthetic fluorinated organics from commercial products have been detected in human blood since the late 1970s. The complex chemistry of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) has made it challenging to fully understand their presence in humans and animals. This talk will explore the sources, exposure routes, and accumulation mechanisms of PFASs, aiming to predict and prevent environmental degradation and adverse health outcomes. Dr. McDonough will present the latest scientific insights into the PFAS body burden and discuss promising research directions and unresolved questions.
Watch the recording of: Carrie McDonough, assistant professor of chemistry and Bruce Armitage, professor and department head co-director of chemistry.
Unveiling the Secrets of Cells: Physics at the Intersection of Life and Disease
Presented by Huaiying Zhang and Fangwei Shi
September 26, 2024
This session was hosted by Mellon College of Science Interim Dean Curtis Meyer and featured Professors Huaiying Zhang and Fangwei Si, whose groundbreaking research is deepening our understanding of the building blocks of life. Dr. Zhang outlined how changes in cells impact the development of cancer and how we might use these insights to discover new treatments. Dr. Si shared his work utilizing physics to understand the intelligence of bacteria, to better understand how life emerges from nonliving matter.
Watch the recording of: Huaiying Zhang, assistant professor of biological sciences and Fangwei Shi, assistant professor of physics.
Decoding the Mind: Uncovering Neural Mechanisms of Health and Disease using Machine Learning
Presented by Veronica Hinman and Eric Yttri
June 11, 2024
Everything you feel, think, and do is the result of interactions between millions of cells in your brain. Eric Yttri and his lab at CMU are applying new tools to understand how neurons across different brain areas interact to orchestrate decisions and movement. To aid this study, they have developed new analysis platforms to extract a range of behaviors from video and link them to the complex neural dynamics they measure. With these techniques and insights in hand, they are developing new approaches to combating diseases like stroke, Parkinson’s, and OCD.
Watch the recording of the first Threads of Inquiry webinar: Veronica Hinman, head of the department of biological sciences and Eric Yttri, assistant professor of biological sciences.