Millennium Café

Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is a powerful technique for determining the structures of diverse biological systems, ranging from individual proteins and viruses to entire cells and tissue sections. This method involves flash-freezing samples in liquid nitrogen, followed by high-resolution imaging with advanced electron microscopes. The resulting images are then computationally processed to reconstruct detailed 3D structures, revealing the precise arrangement of molecules and atoms. By providing near-atomic resolution structural information, cryo-EM offers critical insights into biological functions, viral infection mechanisms, and protein aggregates associated with diseases like Alzheimer's. This presentation will highlight the capabilities of cryo-EM, discuss current challenges in sample preparation and data analysis, and explore potential collaborations across scientific disciplines.

Wen Jiang |  Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Flooding is the most frequent and costly disaster to occur in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Climate change is expected to exacerbate heavy rainfall in our region, and aging flood protection infrastructure in under-resourced communities compound concerns about future flooding. This talk will focus on the components of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability that are making Pennsylvania riskier when it comes to severe flooding.

Kaleigh Yost  |  Civil & Environmental Engineering

The Millennium Café will return April 1, 2025.

The Millennium Café will return April 1, 2025.

Enjoy your spring break.

More than 100 communities in Pennsylvania critically depend on levees for flood safety. Levee infrastructure needs to adapt to changing flood conditions, but most communities lack the resources to do so. We are developing transdisciplinary approaches to address this nationwide challenge which involve scholars, government officials, and practitioners. This talk will focus on the unintended impacts and hidden costs of levees—a new dimension of the challenge that needs recognition to make sustainable progress.

Alfonso Mejia
Civil & Environmental Engineering