2008 Woodie Awards
UCF hosts series of physics lectures
Jenna Rew
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: News
UCF officials plan to host a series of lectures on mathematical physics beginning March 1.
The lectures aim to inform the public about the importance of mathematical physics in uncovering answers about the universe. In a UCF News and Information article that ran on Feb. 11, Stephen Goldman, the science activist and Orlando entrepreneur whose donations will fund the series, said, "We want to allow people to see some of the exciting and beautiful things that are going on in the theoretical side of physics and math."
Mathematical physics is a theoretical science that uses advanced math to answer tough questions about nature. The lectures will discuss, "how the universe came to be and what's going to happen to it," said Costas Efthimiou, the UCF physics professor organizing the series.
Pierre Ramond, a physics professor at the University of Florida, will start off the series with his lecture, Simplicity, Mathematics and the Fundamental Laws of Nature, at 6 p.m. on March 1 in the Pegasus Ballroom of the Student Union.
"My task as an educator is to expand the intellectual horizons of students," said Ramond, who plans to simplify the lecture material so that the public can understand his topic.
"The Universe is like a large Lego piece," he said. "The language of the beauty does not resonate with most people."
Ramond said he will not be using any mathematical equations to explain his work and will provide audience members with pictures and a lot of commentary to help make the material easier to understand.
Other scheduled speakers include: Lee Smolin, author of Three Roads to Quantum Gravity and Life of the Cosmos, on March 27; Gary Shiu, best known for his research in "String Phenomenology," on April 10; Sylvester James Gates, who has co-authored over 120 research papers and been featured on the PBS show Nova, on April 17; and Tristan Hubsch, who has given more than 50 lectures worldwide and wrote A Bestiary for Physicists, on Sept. 11.
For more information about the series, visit http://heplectures.physics.ucf.edu or contact Efthimiou at 407-823-0179.?
The lectures aim to inform the public about the importance of mathematical physics in uncovering answers about the universe. In a UCF News and Information article that ran on Feb. 11, Stephen Goldman, the science activist and Orlando entrepreneur whose donations will fund the series, said, "We want to allow people to see some of the exciting and beautiful things that are going on in the theoretical side of physics and math."
Mathematical physics is a theoretical science that uses advanced math to answer tough questions about nature. The lectures will discuss, "how the universe came to be and what's going to happen to it," said Costas Efthimiou, the UCF physics professor organizing the series.
Pierre Ramond, a physics professor at the University of Florida, will start off the series with his lecture, Simplicity, Mathematics and the Fundamental Laws of Nature, at 6 p.m. on March 1 in the Pegasus Ballroom of the Student Union.
"My task as an educator is to expand the intellectual horizons of students," said Ramond, who plans to simplify the lecture material so that the public can understand his topic.
"The Universe is like a large Lego piece," he said. "The language of the beauty does not resonate with most people."
Ramond said he will not be using any mathematical equations to explain his work and will provide audience members with pictures and a lot of commentary to help make the material easier to understand.
Other scheduled speakers include: Lee Smolin, author of Three Roads to Quantum Gravity and Life of the Cosmos, on March 27; Gary Shiu, best known for his research in "String Phenomenology," on April 10; Sylvester James Gates, who has co-authored over 120 research papers and been featured on the PBS show Nova, on April 17; and Tristan Hubsch, who has given more than 50 lectures worldwide and wrote A Bestiary for Physicists, on Sept. 11.
For more information about the series, visit http://heplectures.physics.ucf.edu or contact Efthimiou at 407-823-0179.?