UPCOMING MONDAY:

7/15/2024 --- Habitat for Humanity - The History, the Engineering and the future.

Speaker: Ted Mosey and Wes Greem --- Ted Mosey is the Chief Operating Officer for Habitat for Humanity, Indy. Wes Green is the Director of Construction for the organization. (Email: tmosey@indyhabitat.org) (Sponsored By: John Peer)(ID: 1903)

The talk will cover the mission of Habitat for Humanity, Indianapolis, and how that makes Habitat different from a typical builder. It will talk about the need that the organization is filling. Most of the talk will describe how Habitat's method of building is different in order to accommodate volunteers and provide a high quality and durable product.

7/22/2024 --- How Scientech Foundation Support has affected STEM Education at Stout Field Elementary School

Speaker: Tim Wickard Brandon Gilliam --- Tim Wickard is the Principal of Stout Field Elementary School in Wayne Township. Brandon Gilliam is a 5th Grade Science teacher and lead Robotics coach. (Email: tim.wickard@wayne.k12.in.us) (Sponsored By: Douglas Sherow)(ID: 1908)

The Scientech Foundation has provided support for Stout Field Elementary school to upgrade the infrastructure for teaching STEM subjects. Mr. Wickard and Mr. Gilliam will discuss the the historical impact this support has had, how it is impacting current programming and the vision they have for the school and the district.

7/29/2024 --- Teacher Industry Experiences in Indiana. Bridging the classroom with the dynamic world of industry.

Speaker: Chris Edwards --- Chris Edwards is the director of the Scientech Summer Institute. He has shepherded the Summer Institute through the evolution of funding by the Scientech Foundation, Ball State University and current funding by the Indiana State Legislature. (Email: scientechsummer@gmail.com) (Sponsored By: Jeff Rasley)(ID: 1918)

Chris Edwards will describe the Teacher Industry Experiences in Indiana (TIE-IN). This state funded program is open to all Indiana-licensed PK-12 teachers. He will be joined by Dr. Andrew Melin who is heading the project at the Indiana Department of Education. This project is a direct offshoot of work done by the Scientech Foundation.

8/5/2024 --- Designing and developing a world class home for chimpanzees at the Indianapolis Zoo

Speaker: Sarah Edwards --- Sarah Edwards is the Senior VP of Infrastructure and Construction at the Indianapolis Zoo. (Email: swarner@indyzoo.com) (Sponsored By: Rick Whitener)(ID: 1917)

Sarah Edwards will talk about the planning, engineering, and execution involved in going from an idea to reality for the growing group of chimpanzees that now call the Indianapolis Zoo home. She will talk about the challenges of making this exhibit work for the animals, staff and visitors to the Zoo.

8/12/2024 --- Cochlear Implants

Speaker: Audra Shestak --- Audra Shestak, AuD, Senior Territory Manager at Cochlear Americas. Responsibilities include clinical educaton and support, surgical education and support, hospital contracting. BS in Speech, Language, and Hearing Science at Purdue Unviersity. MS in Audiology and Doctorate in Audiology from Indiana University. (Email: audraharker@gmail.com) (Sponsored By: Greg Harker)(ID: 1906)

Modern day cochlear implants help both kids and adults with hearing loss. Let's explore the science of how it works and what we've learned from the astounding evolution of this amazing technology over the last 40 years.

8/19/2024 --- Bone biology, fracture healing and treatments

Speaker: Dr. Janet Hock --- Dr. Hock is a retired periodontist, biomedical scientist, and professor. She was the lead scientific officer for Forteo (a first in class osteoporosis drug). She has been a biotech executive and a cancer research nonprofit director. She joined Scientech in 2023. (Email: jhock@jhock.com) (Sponsored By: jhock@jhock.com)(ID: 1902)

Overview of bone biology, osteoporosis pathology and bone repair after fracture or joint replacement therapy. Overview of what patients can do to help themselves and how to think about available therapies.

8/26/2024 --- Oak forest regeneration studies at CILT preserves in Indiana.

Speaker: Cliff Chapman --- President and CEO of the Central Indiana Land Trust. Previously was an ecologist for the Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources as well as The Nature Conservancy. (Email: cchapman@conservingindiana.org) (Sponsored By: Christopher Moore)(ID: 1912)

The Central Indiana Land Trust (CILT) manages twenty-two (22) land preserves in central Indiana. With the acquisition of each preserve, CILT develops a conservation program to enhance and protect each preserves natural features. Many times one of the preserve objectives is to convert existing farm fields to oak forests. CILT president & CEO Cliff Chapman will review CILT scientific studies aimed at regenerating oak forests at many of the CILT properties as improved habitat for animals, birds, insects, and the preserves bio diversity.

9/9/2024 --- 2023 Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry

Speaker: Alan Schmidt and Philip Sowders --- Alan Schmidt and Philip Sowders are both members of the Scientech Club. Each has an extensive resume in their respective fields. (Email: alan.schmidt@att.net) (Sponsored By: Rick Whitener)(ID: 1898)

Dr. Alan Schmidt will present the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023 awarded to Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus, and Aleksey Yekimov for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots. Ekimov and Brus suceeded in creating quantum dots, and Bawendi revolutionized the chemical production. Quantum dots now illuminate computer monitors and television screens based on QLED technology. Philip Sowders will present the Nobel Prize in Physics 2023 for flashes of light short enough to take snapshots of electrons' extremely rapid movements. Anne L'Huillier discovered a new effect from laser light's interaction with atoms in a gas. Pierre Agostini and Ferenc Krausz demonstrated that this effect can be used to create shorter pulses of light than were previously possible.

9/16/2024 --- Nobel Prize winners for 2023 in Physiology or Medicine and in Economic Sciences

Speaker: Glenn Bingle and Ruth Schmidt --- Glenn Bingle received a BA from the University of Massachusetts and his MD and PhD from IU. He was the medical director of Genetic Service and Counseling for Community Health Network and a Clinical Professor of Medicine and Medical Molecular Genetics at the IU School of Medicine. He has been a member of Scientech since 2018. Ruth Schmidt received a degree in chemical engineering from Case Western Reserve University, a PhD in chemical engineering and an MBA from Cleveland State Univerity. She has been a member since 2023. (Sponsored By: Rick Whitener)(ID: 1897)

Ruth Schmidt will cover the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. The prize was awarded to Claudia Goldin “for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes”. Glenn Bingle will cover the Noble Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine “for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19”.

9/23/2024 --- Current Alzheimer research

Speaker: Sophia Wang.Anglina Polsinelli --- Second part of Alzheimer talk given 2/26. Also part of the talk that was to be given by Anglina Polsinella. All about the research going on at IU`s Alzheimer Center (Email: Sophwang@iupui.edu) (Sponsored By: Russell Judd)(ID: 1892)

Caregivers` challenges. Various lines of research and their results.

9/30/2024 --- History of American Sign Language

Speaker: Glen Carlstrand --- Glen Carlstrand is a Certified American Sign Language professional for over the past 40 yrs. Interpreting for the Deaf community in various settings. An Instructor at High School level as well as Butler University. Presently President of the Swedish SVEA of Indianapolis. (Email: carlstrandgs@gmail.com) (Sponsored By: Linda Karwisch)(ID: 1909)

The history of American Sign Language will be explored: what country created it first, and where did it stem from, who created it, who decided the characters to be used, and are there other sign languages used. How long is the program to become a certified sign language interpreter.

10/7/2024 --- The Indiana Mesonet

Speaker: Dr Beth Hall --- Dr Beth Hall, PhD, is director of the Indiana State Climate Office on Purdue's West Lafayette Campus. She is also the director of the Purdue Mesonet, and co-director and co-founder of the Indiana Mesonet. She also has a BS in Geography and Meteorology, and an MS in Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics. (Email: hall556@purdue.edu) (Sponsored By: Don Cummings)(ID: 1910)

The Indiana Mesonet is a collaboration between the Purdue Mesonet (Indiana State Climate Office) and the Indiana Water Balance Network (at IU). These combined sensing networks, when expanded with new installations, will support more accurate and more local weather, water, and soil data for decision-making, forecasting, and research by clients as varied as the public, farmers, event organizers, researchers, recreational facility managers, utilities, and educators.

10/12/2024 --- Annual Dinner (at Woodland Country Club) Speaker: Greg McCauley

10/14/2024 --- La Brea Tar Pits: “The World’s Only Ongoing Urban Ice Age Excavations"

Speaker: James Lowery --- Former Director of Management Support Services, University of Birmingham and previous Scientech Club speaker on Antartica and the Wetumpka meteor impact crater. (Email: JLowery2@gmail.com) (Sponsored By: Dr. Alan Dale Schmidt)(ID: 1878)

This presentation will describe the La Brea Tar Pits and the George C. Page Museum located in an urban public park in Los Angeles. The presenter visited the tar pits in May 2014 and again in May 2017. The second visit included a “behind the scenes” tour including the processing lab and the active excavations. The presentation also will include information about the many types of Ice Age fossils that have been and continue to be extracted from the active asphalt formations and seeps in the park. There have been over 3.5 million fossils collected from the tar pits that are in the Page Museum collection. Views will be included of the representative fossils on display inside the museum.

10/21/2024 --- (TBA)

10/28/2024 --- (TBA)

11/4/2024 --- Invasive Plants in Indiana - The Harm and The Response

Speaker: Laura Graf --- Owner/Operator LGI Landscaping LLC Accredited Horticulturist Licensed Nursery Dealer PlantRight certified installer (Email: landscapesbylaura1@gmail.com) (Sponsored By: Judy Weitzman)(ID: 1870)

Laura is a very talented landscape artist and horitculturist. She is passionate about the very real harm caused by invasive plants in Indiana. Laura is teaching me how to identify invaders and how to effectively eliminate them. I learn something from her every time we meet.

11/11/2024 --- There's More To Vision Than Meets The Eye: Visual Agnosia

Speaker: Robert Yee MD --- Merrill Grayson Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology, IU School of Medicine - Emeritus (Email: ryee@iu.edu) (Sponsored By: Robert Yee MD)(ID: 1915)

The human eye and brain's visual system do not function like a camera, as is commonly believed. In the retina, viewed images stimulate light-sensitive cells (rods and cones) and help brain cells in the first parts of visual system to break down the seen image into light/dark contrasts at different spatial frequencies, and detect edges and orientation of lines. Beyond these basic visual brain regions, other higher-order areas respond to motion, color, faces, objects and text/numbers. Injury to these latter areas, from strokes, infections or dementia, produce selective deficits (visual agnosias) for identifying and detecting particular image features - such as not being able to perceive or recognize faces (prosopagnosia). The many different types of visual agnosias demonstrate the intricate and complex arrangement of brain functions in the so-called "association areas" of the visual system.

11/18/2024 --- Seeing Your Way Around The Brain: Brain Mapping

Speaker: Aina Puce PhD --- Eleanor Cox Riggs Professor in Social Justice & Ethics, Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University; Bachelor and Master of Applied Science, Swinburne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Australia; PhD Medicine, University of Melbourne; Post-doctoral Fellow Neurosurgery, Yale University (Email: ainapuce@indiana.edu) (Sponsored By: Robert Yee MD)(ID: 1916)

The human brain's visual system is a mosaic of brain regions with different specializations, which can manifest as selective visual deficits in focal brain injury. Non-invasive brain mapping methods can study these specialized brain regions in detail in healthy people and patients alike. It is possible to measure changes in focal brain blood flow [functional MRI] and magnetic fields or electrical activity at the scalp surface[magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography]. Electrical activity may also be recorded invasively from inside the brains of neurosurgical patients. Studying the functions of the brain's "grey matter" are only part of the story: the information carrying pathways formed by the brain's "white matter" help ferry the grey matter's communications to other parts of the brain. I will present examples from all of these methods to discuss how our brains make sense of the face and body movements of others.

11/25/2024 --- (TBA)

12/2/2024 --- (TBA)

12/9/2024 --- Annual Meeting and Update on the Scientech Foundation

Speaker: Andy Ratermann, Jeff Rasley, and Doug Gettelfinger --- Andy Ratermann is president of the Scientech Club. Jeff Rasley is president of the Scientech Foundation. Doug Gettelfinger is treasurer of both organizations. (Sponsored By: Rick Whitener)(ID: 1896)

The annual meeting will be held to elect officers for 2025. This meeting is required by the bylaws of our club. After the elections, Jeff Rasley will give an update on the activities of the Scientech Foundation. Doug Gettelfinger will give an update on the Foundations first full year as a public charity.

1/6/2025 --- (TBA)