Spring 2024 Evening Talks:
4/15 Dr. Joseph Rothrock’s Service in The Civil War (recording): Later in his life Joseph Rothrock became known as the father of forestry in Pennsylvania. While creating the State Forest network and the Bureau of Forestry, he also founded the Pennsylvania Forest Academy at Mont Alto, which is now Penn State Mont Alto. As a young man, Rothrock interrupted his botanical studies at Harvard to serve as a soldier in the Civil War, where he was gravely injured in battle and rose to the rank of Captain. Peter Linehan, associate professor of forest technology, will discuss Rothrock’s military record and show how his military service influenced his approach to public service and how he envisioned the forestry profession he was helping to create.
3/26 Around the World with Geography (recording): Hunter Mitchell shares highlights of his academic and professional journey since his first year of college at Mont Alto. Mitchell majored in Geography, graduating from Penn State University Park in 2019. Several study abroad research programs (mostly in Africa and Asia) defined his trajectory for wanting to travel and study the Earth. After graduating, he spent a few years in industry surveying and mapping all over- including Antarctica! He is currently pursuing a graduate degree at Oregon State University, studying geomatics and geodesy, and applying his research to projects with the National Geodetic Survey. Enjoy his world adventures!
3/13 The Enthymeme: Rhetoric’s Secret Weapon (recording): Drawing upon Aristotle’s magnum opus on the art of persuasion, Rhetoric, this presentation focuses on the enthymeme—a common and effective form of argumentation that can be used for ethical or dubious purposes. David Seitz, associate professor of communications, defines the enthymeme and explores its nature, utility, and prevalence in everyday discourse.
Spring 2024 Virtual Planetarium Show (recording):
7:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 12 [included some cultural videos from oneskyproject.org]
Spring 2024 In-Person Planetarium Shows (Registration Link):
7 – 7:45 p.m. & 8 – 8:45 p.m. in 115 Allied Health Building on Thursdays, Jan. 18 & April 25, Fridays, Jan. 19 & April 26
Fall 2023 Evening Talks (Press release):
10/5 Great American Solar Eclipses: Sun… Moon… You! (recording): What is an eclipse? What is the difference between total, annular, partial, solar, and lunar eclipses and how do they occur? How do solar eclipses feature different areas of the sun? Kim Herrmann, associate professor of physics and astronomy, answers these questions, provides an overview of the sun and astronomical transits, and describes two solar eclipses (Oct. 14, 2023 and April 8, 2024) across the United States. She includes safe ways to observe them and maps of the two paths.
9/14 The Enduring Appeal of the Internal Combustion Engine (recording): In order to reduce society’s carbon emissions and transition away from burning fossil fuels, we will need to phase out the internal combustion engine in vehicles. Though electric cars are fundamentally simpler in design and have been around almost as long as the car itself, the internal combustion engine has dominated vehicle sales for more than one hundred years. As we hopefully and finally make the needed transition to electric vehicles, Jacob Moore, associate professor of engineering, focuses not on the electric vehicle, but instead on the internal combustion engine. How does it work? How did it become the standard for vehicles worldwide? Why hasn’t anything been able to unseat this technology as the standard for so long?
Fall 2023 Virtual Planetarium Show: 11/29 (recording)
Spring 2023 Evening Talks:
4/12 Adventures in World Cultures (recording): Are you curious about cultural differences between our local area and countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe? Anne Devney, assistant teaching professor of nursing, shares stories of brief encounters with cultures from some of the 24 countries she has personally experienced via travel, including, but not limited to, Japan, India, Russia, and Finland. Note: due to some technical difficulties, this presentation was rescheduled from fall 2022.
3/28 Novel Directing Groups for Iridium Catalyzed Aromatic C-H Borylations (recording): Activation of most carbon hydrogen (C-H) bonds is difficult as they are unreactive towards standard reaction conditions. Iridium catalyzed C-H borylations allow for the direct conversion of C-H bonds into C-B bonds. The resulting boronic esters can be used to create a multitude of functional groups. This talk covers the fundamentals of iridium catalyzed borylations as well as some of the current work being done in this field by the Maleczka and Smith collaboration at Michigan State University. No background in chemistry is needed although it would he helpful. Thomas Oleskey attended Penn State Mont Alto from 2012 to 2014 before graduating from York College of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in science. Currently he is a 5th year PhD student at Michigan State University planning to graduate in 2023. He also shares some insight from his academic journey focusing on his path through graduate school.
2/22 The Physics of Whispering Gallery Mode Microresonators (recording): Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) Microresonators are optoelectronic devices made from dielectric (insulating) material. Their unique geometry allows for prolonged light lifetime within the dielectric cavity and enhanced light-matter interaction. These devices show promising applications to chemical and biological sensing. This talk introduces the fundamentals of WGM microresonator optoelectronic theory, including reviewing several topics from introductory physics. Any previous physics knowledge will be useful, but is not required. There won’t be any quiz at the end! Konnor Koons attended Penn State Mont Alto from 2019 to 2021 and expects to graduate from Penn State in May 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in physics and a nanotechnology minor. He also shares some insight from his academic journey, including pros and cons to being a Schreyer Scholar.
Spring 2023 Virtual Planetarium Show: 3/16 (Einstein’s contributions to physics and astronomy plus the Feb-March 2023 conjunction between Jupiter and Venus briefly)
Fall 2022 Evening Talks (Press release):
11/2 “At the End of the Day”: The Rhetorical Power of “Truth Markers” (recording): David Seitz, associate professor of communications, draws upon basic rhetorical theory, to showcase common “truth markers” people use for persuasive purposes in everyday discourse.
10/13 Changing the Law, One Crime at a Time: Pick your Poison and Tips to Make the Most out of an Internship (recording): From nightshade and arsenic to polonium-210, pick your poison! Join Alyssa Clever and Sammi Deibel as they discuss various cases related to the history of poisonings and how some changed the law. Clever and Deibel attended Penn State Mont Alto from Fall 2015 – Spring 2017 and graduated from the University Park campus in May 2019. Deibel majored in Forensic Science (Chemistry Option) with a minor in Chemistry and is now attending graduate school at Arcadia University for her Master of Science in Forensic Science expected May 2023. Clever majored in Criminology (Legal Studies Option) and is currently working at a Magisterial District Court and looking into attending graduate school for Forensic Psychology.
Rainmar Leguarda, who oversaw Siemens Energy interns this past summer, shared information on the importance of internships, tips for an intern’s first week, the value of shadowing different roles, and recommendations on how to end an internship with a great impression. Leguarda attended Penn State Mont Alto from Fall 2016 – Spring 2018 and graduated from the University Park campus in May 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering. He is currently a Lead Engineer at the Dresser-Rand A Siemens Company.
9/28 Adventures in World Cultures: Are you curious about cultural differences between our local area and countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe? Anne Devney, assistant teaching professor of nursing, will share stories of brief encounters with cultures from some of the 24 countries she has personally experienced via travel, possibly including, but not limited to, Japan, India, Russia, and Finland. Note: due to some technical difficulties, this presentation was rescheduled to 4/12/23. Instead, Kim Herrmann, associate professor of physics and astronomy, shared some of her international travel experiences. (Recording here)
Fall 2022 Virtual Planetarium Shows: 11/14 (James Webb Space Telescope), 10/3 (Lunar Phases and Eclipses + the DART mission)
Spring 2022 Evening Talks (Press Release) & Library Travel Talks:
4/11 France Travel Talk: David Seitz, associate professor of communications, spoke about a fairly recent trip to several destinations in eastern France. (Not recorded.)
4/7 Amazing Trees in the Penn State Mont Alto Arboretum (recording): Craig Houghton, program coordinator and assistant teaching professor in forestry, and Beth Brantley, past associate teaching professor in forestry and current technical support specialist for Bartlett Tree Experts, provided an entertaining presentation on their relationships with amazing trees in the Penn State Mont Alto Arboretum. They shared stories of tree planting, tree care, and fascinating tree history and other items as they saw fit.
3/23 Identifying Misinformation and Vetting Sources in a Digital World (recording): Misinformation and disinformation are rampant in the digital content we consume each day. During this presentation, Kristi Addleman Ritter, reference and instruction librarian, and Courtney Gotham, director of public relations and marketing, covered the differences between the two, ways to identify them, and how to vet sources in order to start creating and sharing accurate content.
3/16 Yosemite & the San Francisco Area Travel Talk (recording): Kim Herrmann, associate professor of physics and astronomy, shared photos from a summer 2021 trip to Yosemite National Park and the San Francisco Bay Area, including Muir Woods, Point Reyes National Seashore, and the Golden Gate.
2/8 The Flute from Mythology to Rock and Roll (recording): The flute is one of the oldest instruments dating back to 45,000 B.C. as proven by an animal bone flute found by archeologists. In Greek mythology, the story begins with the legend of Pan and Syrinx and then throughout the centuries the flute has remained a popular instrument and even became popular in rock and roll through the music of the rock group Jethro Tull. Morgan Jenkins, assistant teaching professor of music, demonstrated the flute as a beautiful classical instrument and as a gritty rock and roll woodwind capable of competing with electric guitars!
Spring 2022 Virtual Planetarium Show Recordings: 4/14 (with Dr. Rajib Ganguly), 3/15 (“Pi in the Sky”), 2/23 (with Dr. Christopher Palma)
Fall 2021 Evening Talks & Library Travel Talks:
12/2 Puerto Rico Travel Talk: Carrie Malpica, advising center administrative assistant, spoke about the times she has visited Puerto Rico. (Not recorded.)
11/18 Rapid Anxiety Reduction Tools (recording): Anne Devney, assistant teaching professor in nursing, explored mindfulness strategies useful for anyone (including faculty and students) to overcome anxiety just before any expected stressful situation, such as in labs or exams. Viewers have the opportunity to experience some techniques to use if you have 1 minute, 2 minutes, or 3+ minutes to deal with stress. Using a “mindfulness” approach costs $0 yet it can yield many positive results!
10/15 India Travel Talk (recording): Anne Devney, assistant teaching professor in nursing, spoke about the study abroad program during which she, Somjit Barat, and several nursing students spent time in Munnar, India in December 2019.
10/13 Geoengineering and Climate Change (recording): Geoengineering is the manipulation of the Earth as a system, usually with the aim of controlling the climate. As climate change progresses, geoengineering may become a necessary element of addressing this challenge. Jacob Moore, associate professor of engineering, discussed some of the proposed geoengineering processes as well as the challenges to their implementation.
9/29 Into the thick of it: Reclaiming the great outdoors for ALL (recording): Do you need to have all of the most expensive gear to try camping? Do you have to look a certain way in order to go hiking? If I bring a fan, does that make it “glamping?” Watch this recording to hear about how to reclaim nature for yourself, how there is no “right” way to enjoy the outdoors, and how to plan your next great adventure in the wilderness. Barrett Scroggs, assistant professor of human development and family studies, shared his own journey of rediscovering his love for the outdoors and offer advice for easy (and cheap) ways to camp and hike around Pennsylvania.
Fall 2021 Virtual Planetarium Show Recordings: 11/10 (Native American Astronomy), 10/27 (Two Small Pieces of Glass), 9/8 (riddles)
Spring 2021 Zoom Evening Talks (Press Release):
4/8 Heritage Science at the National Archives and Records Administration: Science in Support of the Preservation of the Records of the Federal Government: Dr. Jennifer K Herrmann provided an overview of certain projects central to the protection of different Federal Records, including the continued preservation of the Charters of Freedom, documents that have played an important part not just in history but also in recent events. Herrmann graduated from Penn State Behrend as a Schreyers Scholar in 1999 with a bachelors in chemistry and a minor in English. She went on to get her doctorate from the University at Buffalo in analytical chemistry. She is currently one of three scientists working at the National Archives. (Not recorded.)
3/10 Changing the Law: One Crime at a Time (recording): We all know that heart-gripping siren of an amber alert; however, you probably do not know Amber Hagerman and her story. Join Alyssa Clever and Sammi Deibel for a deep dive from a forensic and criminology perspective into some landmark cases that have led to the creation of laws. Like Gruver, Clever and Deibel attended Penn State Mont Alto from Fall 2015 – Spring 2017 and graduated with bachelor of science degrees from the University Park campus in May of 2019. Deibel majored in Forensics Science (Chemistry Option) with a minor in Chemistry and is now a QC Release Testing Analyst I at Lonza and Clever majored in Criminology (Legal Studies Option) and is now an aspiring law student.
2/24 Journey to Becoming a Pennsylvania State Game Warden (recording): Dillon Gruver attended Penn State Mont Alto from Fall 2015 – Spring 2017 and graduated from the University Park campus in May of 2019 with a bachelor of science in Wildlife and Fisheries Science (Wildlife Option) and minors in Forest Ecosystems and Natural Resources. He graduated from the Ross Leffler School of Conservation in February 2021 and is now posted in Monroe County. In this talk, Dillon shared his post-graduation experiences, including the application process and training to become a Pennsylvania State Game Warden.
Spring 2021 Virtual Planetarium Show Recordings: 4/19 (riddles), 3/25, 2/11
Fall 2020 Zoom Evening Talks (Press Release):
11/12 Navigation by Constellation: From Stars to Satellites (recording): Thomas Kramer, lecturer of business, and former airline pilot spoke with our community about the evolution and application of aviation navigation. The talk covers topics ranging from primitive visual references and celestial navigation to modern-day GPS, long-range navigation, and planning routes that span the globe. (title slide here)
10/22 Our Solar System in Riddles (recording): How much do you know about the objects in our Solar System? Kim Herrmann, associate professor of physics and astronomy, shared thirteen original rhyming riddles with many beautiful images and animations. Watch for an overview of the objects in our Solar System: the planets, dwarf planets, moons, minor bodies, and the sun itself.
9/21 Invasive Plants and Native Replacements (recording): Kimberly Bohn, assistant teaching professor of forestry, spoke with our community about the dangers of inviting non-native, including ornamental plants, into your garden. These species can be detrimental when they escape your backyard and spread throughout the local environment. This recording will help you learn to identify non-native invasive plants that are currently problematic in our local forests and parks and will present alternatives for planting native species in your backyard that are more beneficial.
Fall 2020 Virtual Planetarium Show Recordings: 11/16, 10/12, 9/24
Spring 2020 Zoom Evening Talk (Press Release):
4/9 Leadership that Makes a Difference (recording): In his forthcoming book, Jeff Rock, lecturer of business administration, suggests that in the 20th century, leadership was made too complicated and it was implied that only a few possess the magic elixir to lead. In reality, he says leadership is simply about “making a difference.” Check out this recording for an exciting presentation and find out how.