Research

Research Unplugged partners with Schlow Library for new season

Research Unplugged launches its spring season on March 15. The series will begin its eighth year in a new location—Schlow Centre Region Library’s Downsbrough Community Room—and on a new day and time—Thursday,12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Research Unplugged is the popular Penn State conversation series that brings University researchers into the community for lively public discussions. Schlow Centre Region Library, downtown State College's dynamic public library, joins Penn State’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Office of University Relations as a partner in this successful local series.

As always, the events are free and open to all, with complimentary light refreshments available. This spring’s line-up is a mix of timely topics and strong speakers. One of our perennial goals is to bring Penn State research—and the real people behind the work—into the community to foster dialogue about issues that touch us all.

Here is our roster of distinguished upcoming speakers:

Professor of Education Alison Carr-Chellman kicks off the series on March 15 with "B is for Boys: How American Classroom Culture is Failing Male Students." A former third-grade teacher, Carr-Chellman is now an instructional designer and award-winning author who studies how to re-engage boys in learning.

On March 22, Keith Cheng will present "More Than Skin Deep: Solving the Genetic Mysteries of Human Skin Color." Cheng is professor of pathology, biochemistry and molecular biology, and pharmacology at Penn State College of Medicine. His genetics study on zebrafish has yielded potential new approaches in the fight against malignant melanoma.

The series shines a spotlight on the Civil War with Mark Neely’s March 29 presentation of "Lincoln and Liberty: A Closer Look at Abraham Lincoln and the Constitution in Wartime." Neely, McCabe-Greer Professor in the American Civil War Era and author of the recently published "Lincoln and the Triumph of the Nation," won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1992.

On April 5, the topic is the nature of viruses. Speaking on "Friends or Foes? The Yin and Yang of Viral Infections," Mary Poss, professor of biology and veterinary and biomedical studies, will look at the interactions of viruses and hosts.

As spring days turn warmer, thoughts turn to flowers—and to bees. Maryann Frazier will present "Disappearing Bees: An Update on the Search for Prime Suspects" on April 12. Frazier is a senior extension associate in the entomology program and has extensive experience in apiculture and public science education.

On April 19, Research Unplugged closes the season with Sarah Rich’s talk, "Pennsylvania Pop: Reflections on Andy Warhol’s Art and Roots." Rich is associate professor in the Department of Art History and specializes in abstract American art after World War II.

Questions or suggestions? Contact the coordinator, Melissa Beattie-Moss.

Last Updated January 9, 2015