One of the things I’ve been stressed about lately is next week, when I’m making a trip to the South, specifically Georgia and Alabama. As I mentioned here earlier, the original inspiration was a get-together with friends from college for the Florida-Alabama football game next Saturday, but it seems a shame to go all that way and not do something book-related, so I have arranged to give four talks in two days. Two of these are research colloquia, but the other two are public lectures that might be of interest to readers of this blog or How to Teach Physics to Your Dog:
First, on Wednesday, September 29, I’ll be giving a talk at Berry College at 8pm in the Science building auditorium . Then, on Thursday, September 30, I’ll be doing the same that at The University of Alabama at 7:30 pm in 227 Gallalee. The title for both lectures is “What every Dog Should Know About Quantum Physics, and the abstract I made up for it it:
Quantum physics, the science of extremely small things like atoms and subatomic particles, is one of the best tested theories in the history of science, and also one of the most bizarre. Many of its predictions — particles that behave like waves, cats that are alive and dead at the same time, objects that pass through barriers as if they weren’t even there — seem more like science fiction than science fact. This talk will explain the reality behind some of the stranger aspects of quantum physics, and why it is so important that even dogs should know about it.
While I’ve used this title before, this is a completely different talk, and a very different style of talk than my usual presentations. Which adds an extra element of risk to the whole endeavor– if it bombs Wednesday night, I don’t really have time to fix it before Thursday. Not that I think it will bomb, mind, but there’s always that nagging fear when you’re performing without a net.
Anyway, if you’re going to be in western Georgia or southern Alabama next week, stop by and check it out.
Make that western Alabama.
Too bad Emmy won’t be here. I would have liked for her to sign my book.
Clay, I tend to go with the standard, west central Alabama but, yeah, if one is in southern Alabama Thursday evening it will be hard to make it to the talk.
Yay that you’re coming to Alabama!! I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make the talk, but I hope so (it will take some negotiation with the husband for kid-wrangling). I might have to send a book with marciepooh to get signed if I can’t make it. And I agree that it’s a shame that Emmy couldn’t be traveling as well. Her signature on a book would have made it priceless!
Greetings from Tuscaloosa, from a fellow U. of Maryland physics dept. alumnus – I’ll definitely attend your talk and introduce myself afterwards. I’ve been a regular reader and occasional commenter here for a long time, but I don’t know whether my posted comments have been frequent enough or brilliant enough that you’d immediately recognize my name. (You can look for old comments from Emory Kimbrough or Emory K. to decide for yourself whether you should be particularly annoyed or particularly delighted at the prospect of meeting me in person.)
When in Tuscaloosa, take a very sort stroll right up the quad from Gallalee Hall to visit the Alabama State Museum of Natural History – You can see the Hodges Meteorite (a.k.a. the Sylacauga Meteorite) – That’s the one famous for hitting an Alabama woman in the hip back in the 50s. (And speaking of museums, there’s also a Bear Bryant museum within easy walking distance of the physics building.)
Also very much worth a visit, if you can fit into your schedule, would be a trip to Moundville, about 12 or so miles south of Tuscaloosa – HUGE pre-Columbian Indian Mounds – Fascinating place, with a good museum.
Sports fanatics gather at Bob Baumhower’s Wings Sports Grille on the days around any home game. (Conflict of Interest Notice – I’ve been the official Wings Magician for 15 years, though I won’t be performing there on the nights you’ll be in town.) Also check out Dreamland BBQ – Bear Bryant’s favorite.
If you need any further restaurant, point-of-interest, or tour-guide info, please give me a holler.