UPCOMING MONDAY:

5/20/2024 --- Hidden Gems

Speaker: Suzanne Stanis --- Suzanne Stanis is the Vice President of Education for Indiana Landmarks. She has a bachelor’s degree from Hanover College and a Master of Library Science from Indiana University. Suzanne is the creator of continuing education courses, workshops, and children’s camps. She also supervises Indiana Landmarks’ heritage tourism divisions in Indianapolis; French Lick; West Baden Springs; and Samara, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house in West Lafayette. During her 30-plus years with Indiana Landmarks, she has researched and nominated over fifteen buildings and neighborhoods to the National Register of Historic Places. As librarian for the organization, Suzanne regularly assists people researching and restoring historic houses. (Sponsored By: Jeff Rasley)(ID: 1900)

The talk will describe the history and architecture of historic places in Indiana, as well as the challenges of building restoration. The talk will include photos of Indiana's hidden gems and Landmark projects of homes, restaurants, shops, parks, cemeteries, covered bridges, and museums.

6/3/2024 --- Walt Whitman in civil war hospitals

Speaker: Richard Gunderman --- Richard is Professor of Radiology at the IU School of Medicine. He is a Scientech Member and frequent contributor. (Email: rbgunder@iu.edu) (Sponsored By: Rick Whitener)(ID: 1868)

Many know Walt Whitman as a great American poet. Fellow bard Ezra Pound called him “America’s poet,” writing “He is America,” 1 and the critic Harold Bloom wrote, “If you are American, then Walt Whitman is your imaginative father and mother.” United States President Bill Clinton was in the habit of giving copies of Whitman’s magnum opus, Leaves of Grass, to people he befriended. However, what many people don’t know is that Whitman spent most of the Civil War in hospitals near Washington, DC, working as a volunteer at the bedsides of thousands of wound- ed and sick soldiers. For this American greatest poet, life’s deepest lessons were to be found at the bedside, a lesson that should not be lost on physicians and patients today

6/10/2024 --- Vasectomy: A History and an Indiana Legacy

Speaker: Joel Vilensky --- Joel Vilensky is a Scientech Club member and Professor of Anatomy (Emeritus) at the IU School of Medicine. (Email: javilensky@yahoo.com) (Sponsored By: Rick Whitener)(ID: 1901)

The talk will cover the history of this procedure which began as a means to reduce the size of the prostate in men with benign prostatic hypertrophy which proved to be ineffective. At the beginning of the 20th century, the eugenics movement led to the use of vasectomy as a procedure for sterilizing men considered unfit to reproduce. Dr. Harry Sharp lobbied for the world's first compulsory sterilization law in Indiana. He performed hundreds of forced vasectomies on prisoners at the Indiana Reformatory in Jeffersonville. After World War II and the decline of the eugenics movements, vasectomy finally became firmly identified as an effective and safe means of birth control. Between 500,00 and 750,000 procedures are performed each year in the US, but it is still notably less prevalent than female sterilization due to the misguided notions in men that vasectomy reduces sexual ability and orgasm.

6/17/2024 --- (TBA)

6/24/2024 --- Origin of the Indiana High School Basketball Tourney in Bloomington: 1911-20.

Speaker: Roger Robison , MD --- President of the Indiana High School Basketball Historical Society. Author of "Everett Case & the Frankfort Hot Dogs" and "The Origin of Hoosier Hysteria, The I.U. -Bloomington State Tourneys: 1911-20". (Email: hotdog@compuserve.com) (Sponsored By: Roger Robison )(ID: 1904)

The Tourney was the brain-child of the I.U. Booster's Club after I.U. lost 15 of the first 18 games with Purdue. I.U. provided room & board and unique trophies for the participants. The winners were all from a 3-county "cradle" until 1919 when the Flu sent the tourney to Purdue. Bloomington HS with a center named Short & a team averaging 5'7" upset LaFayette for the title. Purdue ended up getting most of the recruits and dominating the Big Ten Championships (#26).

7/8/2024 --- (TBA)

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 --- (TBA)

8/5/2024 --- (TBA)

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 --- (TBA)

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 --- (TBA)

11/18/2024 --- (TBA)

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)