by Nikole Gianopoulos
The College of Science and Mathematics of the University of West Georgia held its annual Popular Lectures on Nobel Prizes on November 4, 2014 in the Townsend Center. The lectures were open to students, faculty, staff, and the public.
During the first week of every October, the Nobel committee announces the winners of its prestigious Nobel Prizes. Three out of the six prizes are in the sciences with one of each being in physiology or medicine, physics and chemistry, peace and literature, or economics.
Beginning in 2010, there has been a conduction of the Popular Lecture Series on that year’s Nobel prizes in the sciences. All College of Science and Mathematics faculty members familiar with the work of Nobel Prize winners were invited to give the lectures. This year the presentations were made by Dr. Melissa Johnson, biology; Dr. Doug Stuart, chemistry; and Dr. Ajith DeSilva, physics.
“I am very grateful to my colleagues for their efforts to popularize the sciences,” said Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, Dr. Farooq Khan.
This year’s Nobel Prize winners were showed the ways of how the brain makes cognitive maps, which has implications on our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. Similarly, the invention of long lasting LED bulbs has an impact on energy consumption and high resolution imaging of the cells, enhancing our understanding of cellular function and diseases.
Dr. Swamy Mruthinti, associate dean of the College of Science and Mathematics concluded, “It is fascinating to see how the work of Nobel laureates transcends the boundaries of science and has broader implication for the good of humanity.”
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