Lawrence Krauss
The Physics of Star Trek
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
8:00 pm (Reserved seats held until 7:50 pm)
Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, Main Seminar Room
Beginning with a Bang, internationally known physicist Lawrence Krauss will guide you on a warp speed journey through the Star Trek universe, which he uses as a launching pad to offer a glimpse of the fascinating world of modern physics. Through the use of slides, props and video clips, as well as wit and charm, the author of The Physics of Star Trek will deal with topics ranging from time travel to warp speed, from the Big Bang to the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence. The lecture will also feature selections from his Top Ten Physics Bloopers from the series, gleaned in part from many of the most distinguished physicist-trekkers in the world. Krauss is a seasoned lecturer and author with vast experience communicating his joy of physics to popular audiences. For Trekkers and non-Trekkers alike, this charming and accessible lecture will add a whole new dimension to your view of the Star Trek universe, and your appreciation of the universe in which we actually live.Prof. Lawrence M. Krauss is Ambrose Swasey Professor of Physics, Professor of Astronomy, and Chair of the Physics Department at Case Western Reserve University. He is an internationally known theoretical physicist with wide research interests, including the interface between elementary particle physics and cosmology, where his studies include the early universe, the nature of dark matter, general relativity and neutrino astrophysics. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1982 then joined the Harvard Society of Fellows. In 1985 he joined the faculty of Physics at Yale University, and moved to take his current appointment in 1993. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Prof. Krauss is the author of over 180 scientific publications, as well as numerous popular articles on physics and astronomy. In addition, he is the author of six popular books, including the national bestseller, The Physics of Star Trek., and his most recent book Atom: An Odyssey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth...and Beyond. He has lectured to popular audiences at such places as the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Natural History in New York and appears frequently on radio and television around the world. Prof. Krauss is the recipient of numerous awards for his research, writing, and lecturing. These include include the Gravity Research Foundation First Prize Award(1984), and the Presidential Investigator Award(1986). In February 2000, in Washington D.C., Prof. Krauss was awarded the American Association for the Advancement of Science's 1999-2000 Award for the Public Understanding of Science and Technology , joining previous awardees Carl Sagan(1995) and E.O.Wilson(1994). In April 2001, he received the Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize of the American Physical Society. The citation reads "For outstanding contributions to the understanding of the early universe, and extraordinary achievement in communicating the essence of physical science to the general public". In April 2001 the American Institute of Physics announced that Krauss had been awarded the 2001 Andrew Gemant Award, given annually to "a person who has made significant contributions to the cultural, artistic, or humanistic dimensions of physics". Previous awardees include Freeman Dyson, Steven Weinberg, and Stephen Hawking. In 2002 Krauss was awarded the American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award, for his book, "Atom".
