October
Your Electric Grid—Your Electric Bill
Wednesday, October 1st, 1:15 to 2:45
This talk will use our electric bill as a ticket to tour our electric grid. Our electricity system is largely taken for granted but is foundational to how we operate as a society, how we adapt to changing power needs, and meet environmental challenges. We’ll cover the physical system, its governance, finances, and its social aspects. We will end by looking at the grid of tomorrow.
Bernard Pelletier, People’s Action for Clean Energy, “PACE"
Might Those Amazing Chatbots Really Have Minds?
Thursday, October 2nd, 1:15 to 2:45
Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence, particularly in the form of chatbots like ChatGPT, are impressive. This has led some to suggest that machines can at least think, or will likely do so in the near future. In this talk, the speaker will first review some of the more significant achievements in Artificial Intelligence, and consider whether that should convince us that these machines exhibit mentality. Answering this question will inspire us to reflect on what it is to have a mind, and to ponder the forms that mentality does take or could take in different creatures and even artifacts.
Mitchell Green, Department of Philosophy, UConn
Arctic Shifts: An Art-Science Animation
Tuesday, October 7th, 1:15 to 2:45
This presentation uses an art-science animation that combines scientific climate simulations and speculative story telling. It will reveal connections between our human activity and our ecosystem, and environmental changes occurring in the rapidly warming Arctic, the region of our planet warming most rapidly because of climate change.
Anne Lindemann, Digital Media and Design Department, UConn
Topology Optimization: Computational Tools to Sculpt Novel Structural Designs
Wednesday, October 8th, 1:15 to 2:45
Our speaker will present advances made by his group on the formulation of topology optimization techniques to design lightweight structures with superior performance. In these methods, the computer starts with a “blank” design and automatically determines the optimal shape of the structure given some design goal and requirements, usually producing organic or unintuitive designs that are highly structurally efficient.
Julian Novato, School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Manufacturing Engineering, UConn
Why Basic: AI Literacy Has Become Essential at All Stages of Life and How It Can Support Lifelong Learning
Tuesday, October 14th, 1:15 to 2:45
The speaker will relate a personal journey as a neurodivergent engineer and teacher. The talk will emphasize a strengths-based view of neurodiversity and why it matters for learners of every age to understand—including your grandchildren’s generation.
Arash Esmali Zagh, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UConn
Lifelong Learning Online Learning Opportunities at ECSU
Wednesday, October 15th, 1:15 to 2:45
This session will cover general lifelong learning possibilities, introducing members to the opportunities at Eastern CT State University. ECSU’s Graduate Division offers advanced degrees in Accounting, Applied Data Sciences, Education, and Management. Come hear more about online Graduate learning opportunities whether you are interested in pursuing a full program, or simply exploring a course or two through our non-degree offerings.
Ryan Colwell, Assistant Dean, School of Educational and Professional Studies/Graduate Division, ECSU
Tools for Studying the Future of Schooling in Connecticut: EdSight, Demographic Projections, CTREAP, and CoPilate Tools and Many More
Wednesday, October 22nd, 1:15 to 2:45
Through interactive discussion, we will examine how schools have changed during our lifetimes. We will survey the goals of schools in Eastern Connecticut, what educational statistics tell us about regional schools, and how societal change has influenced learning and teaching. Augmented Imagination (AI), changing demographics and teacher certification regulations, and societal attitudes to schools will lead to our predictions on the future of education.
David Stoloff, Education Department, ECSU
Who Cares for America? African Immigrants Laboring in U.S. Health and Long-Term Care
Tuesday, October 28th, 1:15 to 2:45
As the U.S. population ages, and as care needs become more complex, demand for paid care workers in home and institutional settings has increased. This presentation, based on the book Migrants Who Care introduces the little-known story of a group of West African immigrants who have been called upon to meet this need. The talk will invite a conversation about what it means to give and receive care across racial, class, gender, and citizenship lines.
Fumilayo Showers, Sociology Department, UConn
Satellite-based Monitoring of Arctic Permafrost Landscapes and Communities
Wednesday, October 29th, 1:15 to 2;45
The Arctic is warming up to four times faster than the global average, leading to increased vulnerabilities such as accelerated terrestrial and coastal erosion, significant threats to infrastructure, and the destabilization of its vast carbon soil reservoir. In this seminar, the speaker will discuss how satellite imagery and artificial intelligence can be leveraged to deepen our understanding of climate change, repercussions on Arctic permafrost landscapes, and communities.
Witharana Chandi, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment Eversource Energy Center, UConn