Laurie Mulvey | Penn State World in Conversation Center
Dialogue fails to be constructive because it forgets about science--not the facts, but the method. World in Conversation is in the intermediate stages of building a revised approach to dialogue that not only requires facilitators, but also demands a kind of collaborative critical thinking that takes many of its cues from the scientific method.
It is easy to fold a piece of paper into a classic origami “crane”. However, it is difficult to fold a brittle silicon membrane. In this talk, I will show our work on foldable and deployable multifunctional origami made from advanced engineering materials with potential for applications in harsh environments (e.g. outer space) and biomedicine.
Lithium ion batteries are energy-storage devices that deliver power on demand. In this talk I will introduce new strategies to use the electrochemical cells within lithium ion batteries to harvest mechanical energies, thereby filling the gap of highly efficient mechanical energy harvesters at the low-frequency paradigm.
Harl Tolbert | Office of Technology Management
I will discuss the role patents play in research, development, technology and the economy—including the differing views specific fields of research and industry have on the value of patents. The role of patenting at academic institutions will also be discussed. We will examine the ways that patents have enhanced innovation, and how they sometimes are thought to impede collaboration and new discoveries.
What makes some people more creative than others? I will explore this question from a neuroscience perspective, presenting findings from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research that uses machine learning of brain data to predict a person's ability to come up with original ideas. The findings indicate that creative ability is characterized by cooperation between brain networks that do not typically cooperate, providing insight into the wiring of the creative brain with potential implications for creativity in the arts, sciences, and everyday life.
Lignin is a polymer produced by terrestrial plants that can be converted into chemicals and products by biorefining. Although many researchers have tried and failed to “make money from lignin” over the past century, its heterogenous structure presumably makes it ill-suited as a platform for new materials. My presentation will showcase our group’s successes using it in 3D printing, and I will highlight our path towards 100% renewable feedstocks for additive manufacturing.