The October 5th, 2022 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a literature talk:
"Did We Believe in Dragons?: Fantastic Animals and the Medieval North Atlantic"
by Dr. Seth Koproski
Lecturer in Cornell's Dept. of Literatures in English
Stories of phoenixes, werewolves, unicorns, and dragons fill our media, our libraries, and our minds-- yet, for some reason, we tend to think of medieval people as "silly" or "superstitious" for engaging with these same mythic animals. We understand that these creatures are not and were never "real", but they have served the needs of human writers and storytelling for millennia, including today. This talk is about taking these animals, and medieval belief in general, seriously, asking: Why do these beliefs exist and how were these beliefs practiced? In what books and in what places can we find fantastic animals? And what can the (non)existence of the dragon tell us about how medieval people constructed the world around them?
and a physics talk:
"A Song of Ice and Dust, or: Why We're Sending a 40 Million Dollar Flying Trash Can to Europa"
by Dr. Zach Ulibarri
Postdoctoral Associate in the Cornell ASTRA Lab
If you wanted to search for aliens in our very own solar system, where would you look?
What types of signals or measurements could convince you that life is actually there?
Why is the University of Colorado building a $40 million flying trash can and sending it to Europa?
How can a flying trash can find signs of habitability or even potentially alien life?
What in the world does any of that have to do with dust?
Find out at the inaugural Public Works!
The November 2nd, 2022 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a history talk:
"Who Lived Here? Using HistoryForge to Engage People in Local History in Ithaca, NY and Beyond"
by Dr. Eve Snyder
Historian at The History Center in Tompkins County and Project Director of HistoryForge
Have you ever walked down a street and had something about an old building capture your eye? Perhaps an interesting architectural detail caused you to wonder when a house was built, who lived there, and what their lives were like? Ithaca\'s buildings and people of the past can serve as an important entry point into this community\'s history but what then? What does it take to encourage meaningful public engagement with history? Digital history projects have the potential to increase public engagement with the subject matter, but how can they avoid the trap of presenting a curated version of history that limits additional inquiry.
This talk is about HistoryForge, an open-source digital history project from The History Center in Tompkins County that aims to engage the public in historical inquiry at all levels of the project\'s development: from helping to build the project\'s historical infrastructure by creating map layers and transcribing census records, to querying the resulting census data to learn more about the community and exploring the results on historic map layers.
and a literature talk:
"Pity, Compassion, and Mercy in Tolkien's Writings"
by James Nagy
Tolkien Enthusiast
Among Tolkien's many themes, pity, compassion, and mercy stand out as primary motivating elements for the narrative and the characters within it. Tolkien consistently treats these three as intrinsic virtues in a world full of suffering and loss. Explore the centrality of these themes to Tolkien, his world, and today.
The December 7th, 2022 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a humanities talk:
"The Inside Story: How Editors Shape Books, Institutions, and World Literature"
by Dr. Ben Fried
Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Literatures in English at Cornell University
This talk will take you to the crossroads of power and creativity. Editors are the invisible gatekeepers of literature, shaping texts and tastes out of public sight. What do they actually do, and how have their actions changed literary history? “The Inside Story” will investigate three remarkable writer-editor relationships and three examples of editorial labor determining the fate of a literary work: one creative, one destructive, and one poised uneasily between the two. We will look at the Nobel laureate V. S. Naipaul getting his start on BBC Radio; the short-story superstar Mavis Gallant falling out with The New Yorker; Penguin India risking it all on Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy, one of the longest novels ever written, and dominating the subcontinent as a result. And so we will move through the twentieth century—from the Caribbean to North America to South Asia—uncovering the editorial networks linking literary institutions in London and New York to Anglophone authors around the world. Drawing the editor from backstage to center stage, “The Inside Story” will illuminate the influence of this crucial cultural figure, for good and bad, from heyday to present-day decline.
and a science talk:
"Orange is the New Blue – A Guide to Finding Colorful Aliens"
by Dr. Ligia Coelho
Fulbright Scholar in the Department of Astronomy at Cornell University
Biological pigments or “biopigments” are what make life colorful but also resilient to radiation, lack of available liquid water, and harsh temperatures – the typical weather forecast in space! Microbes that live in ice have a pretty hard time with these conditions too, and so, they tend to be very colorful – which makes them very good references for what life may look like in the cosmos! Future telescopes will be able to search for these colorful features, but first we need to translate them from biology into the language of space missions: spectroscopy!
What does the spectral fingerprint of a biopigment look like? How can that help us search for life in the cosmos? And more importantly…can we really have planets covered by orange aliens?!
The February 1st, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a science talk:
"Kometes: An Enduring Journey from Fiery Omens to Icy Worlds"
by Megan Barrington
PhD Candidate in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University
Since bygone eras of antiquity, humans have watched in astonishment, intrigue, and terror as brilliant orbs of light amidst an illuminated drift entered the heavenly spheres. Could they be harbingers of doom? Weather phenomena? Balls of fire in the sky? Wild speculations and superstitions ever follow in their wakes—but what are comets really? And what can we learn from them? After hundreds of years of asking such questions, we finally have some answers, even as so much remains unknown. Join us on a journey of fire and ice to discover how these objects once believed to signal the end of an era could be responsible for the origins of life as we understand it today.
and a humanities talk:
"The Last Medieval Scribe: John Colyns and Authorial Control"
by Dr. Seth Strickland
Joseph F. Martino \'53 Lecturer in the Dept. of Literatures in English at Cornell University
“The Last Medieval Scribe: John Colyns and Authorial Control,” takes the twilight of medieval manuscript culture as its focus. For a few years until 1521, a bookseller named John Colyns carefully constructed a book that was very ordinary for his time but one of a dying breed. It contained, among other things, both century-old medieval poem and one that was written during his lifetime, both copied by hand -- the latter likely from a copy circulated among friends of the author. Colyns prophesied the fame of the new works in the book to his book-binding efforts – we’ll discover whether his claim is founded or whether other forces upended his plans. With
The March 1st, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a history talk:
"Plenty Penmanship: The Politics of Paper in late Nineteenth-century Bogotá"
by Daniela Samur
PhD Candidate in the Cornell History Dept.
In late nineteenth century Bogotá, the Biblioteca Nacional –Colombia’s legal deposit library– was labeling some of its prints as “useless” and selling them as scrap. The money from the sales, directors of the Biblioteca explained, would be put to better use in paying for bindings. Other books, deemed more important and worth saving, needed to be properly bound so that they could resist peoples’ fingers, time, and mice. The tension between preservation and destruction at the Biblioteca Nacional in Bogotá during the late nineteenth century was not an issue about hierarchies of knowledge, but one about the daily and mundane logistics of ordering. This is a story about how workers at Colombia’s central library dreamed of an organized and exhaustive collection of prints but couldn’t even manage to walk through the hallways without stumbling over piles of books. Gathering, inventorying, cataloguing, and putting books on shelves, I show in this presentation, was a material practice, and one shaped by the scarcity of paper and of people’s penmanship.
and a physics talk:
"Primordial planets: When did they form and what were they like?"
by Dr. Luke Keller
Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Ithaca College
Student: When did planets first form?
Prof. Luke: Well, within a few million years of the sun's formation the planets formed in a disk of gas and dust called a protoplanetary disk.
Student: I know that. My question is when did the FIRST planets form? Was it right after the Big Bang?
Prof. Luke: Well...hmmm...I don't know, let's Google it.
Turns out no one knows in much detail. And so began my current research project. We understand the process of planet formation in our own galaxy with increasing detail and observational evidence, but how can we extend that understanding to planet formation in the early universe? Presumably the first planets formed around the first stars. In principle we can observe the first stars by observing the first galaxies, but they are so far away that the galaxies appear as dim red fuzzballs even using the James Webb Space Telescope. Resolving individual stars within those galaxies is not currently possible. We will explore this conundrum and a possible solution. Then we'll reward ourselves with some wild speculation about aliens.
The April 5th, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a science talk:
"Spacecraft Small and Mighty: Exploring Space and Studying Cows with Chip-Scale Spacecraft"
by Dr. Hunter Adams
Lecturer in the Cornell Electrical Engineering Dept.
This talk introduces an entirely new kind of spacecraft that draws from concepts in ecology. This spacecraft (the Monarch) weighs as much as a penny and is the first to trade quantity, rather than cost, for low mission risk. By taking advantage of recent technological advancements in unrelated disciplines and taking a statistical approach to mission assurance, Monarchs open the door to an entirely new paradigm in space access and exploration. This talk describes the challenges and advantages unique to tiny spacecraft. It also presents a number of use cases, involving distributed sensing and planetary science, that are unique to spacecraft of the Monarch’s diminutive size and large quantity. Results from simulated lunar impact survival tests and a case-study planetary science mission (conducted with cows) are presented and discussed, suggesting one particular use case, along with the results from launch tests conducted in collaboration with SpinLaunch.
and a music talk:
"Edison to Atmos: The Evolution of Audio Systems and the Musical Listening Experience"
by Michael Caporizzo
Associate Professor of Music Performance at Ithaca College
For over a century, audio technology has been an integral component to experiencing and sharing music. Recording has evolved from a novelty which captured a vague facsimile of a performance to a technically superior mode of expression which in most cases supplants live performance. Throughout this evolution, there have been several instances where a technological advancement changed the recording and consumption processes permanently; mass duplication, electrical recording, magnetic tape, stereo capture and disc-cutting, multitrack recording, and digital recording are just a few of the most consequential advancements. In 2023, we are currently experiencing another transformative advancement – immersive audio. A once esoteric format has quickly become accessible to consumers through streaming platforms, and the recording industry is racing to catch up. This presentation will highlight a few of these key transformative events as well as some of the music indicative of these advancements. Emphasis will be placed on immersive audio technology, and musical examples will be played back over a (modest) immersive sound system. Perhaps history offers some clues to understand where we might be heading next.
The May 3rd, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a film talk:
"Movie Magic/Sounding Dissent"
by Molly Ryan
Director of Cornell Cinema
In this two-part presentation, Molly Ryan, the new director of Cornell Cinema, will outline her programming vision for Cornell Cinema and argue why it still matters to see films in movie theater. She will then discuss her research on sound and violence in the work of British television director Alan Clarke (and why it might not make sense to show these films at Cornell Cinema despite how much she loves them). Her presentation will explore Clarke’s engagement with sound, domestic space, and the media landscape of Thatcherite Britain in three films produced for the BBC (ROAD, CHRISTINE, and STARS OF THE ROLLER STATE DISCO), focusing on how Clarke effectively weaponized the genre of the television play in the 1980s, using it to In this two-part presentation, Molly Ryan, the new director of Cornell Cinema, will outline her programming vision for Cornell Cinema and argue why it still matters to see films in movie theater. She will then discuss her research on sound and violence in the work of British television director Alan Clarke (and why it might not make sense to show these films at Cornell Cinema despite how much she loves them). Her presentation will explore Clarke’s engagement with sound, domestic space, and the media landscape of Thatcherite Britain in three films produced for the BBC (ROAD, CHRISTINE, and STARS OF THE ROLLER STATE DISCO), focusing on how Clarke effectively weaponized the genre of the television play in the 1980s, using it to nationalize his political dissent, undermine Margaret Thatcher’s political rhetoric, and problematize British nationalism.nationalize his political dissent, undermine Margaret Thatcher’s political rhetoric, and problematize British nationalism.
and a science talk:
"What the Hell is a Higgs's Boson? An Insider's Look at the Physics of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN"
by Karl Smolenski
US-Compact Muon Solenoid High-Luminosity LHC Systems Engineer, Cornell Univeristy
Peter Higgs in 1963-64 proposed a mechanism and related particle that could explain how some other elementary particles acquired mass. This theory led to a multi decade search for the eponymous Higgs boson and the construction of incredibly complex accelerators and detectors to generate and observe these proposed particles. Finally in a data set from the period 2011-2013 the particle was observed experimentally, and this filled in the last bit of the standard model of particle physics. Higgs and colleagues were awarded the 2013 Nobel prize in physics.
I’ll try to give some background on the accelerator and detectors at CERN that were used in this groundbreaking work. Our current work is leading to a second-generation detector capable of detecting immense quantities of Higgs with great precision to fully understand its properties. As an engineer I’ll give some practical examples of the problems that need to be solved to enable this science.
The June 7th, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a chemistry talk:
"Behind the Taste: The Chemistry of Whiskey"
by Dr. Daisy Rosas Vargas
Associate Professor of Chemistry at Ithaca College
We pick up a cold glass to drink, beads of water running down the side. The brown intoxicating liquid tastes bitter and smells earthy, with a touch of sweetness. These descriptions sound like it MUST belong to precious morning iced coffee. Not quite. This is whiskey. We can use the same visual, olfactory, and touch senses used to enjoy coffee to learn about chemistry that makes whiskey. This talk will focus on American-made whiskey and cocktails with a smokey touch of international facts.
and an archaeology talk:
"Replica, Repair, Forgery: Archaeological Sites as Art Forms'"
by Dr. Alison Ritterhaus
Lynch Family Postdoctoral Associate in Curricular Engagement at the Johnson Museum
“Step into the past!” Public communications related to archaeological sites often promise an immersive experience that allows visitors to enter a specific historic moment in a particular place, a kind of time travel. But how realistic is this premise? In this talk, I will begin with a case study of a Roman villa buried by the 79 CE eruption of Mount Vesuvius on the Bay of Naples, discussing its history of excavation, reconstruction, presentation to the public, and diffusion through contemporary media around the question of where, and whether, the “real” villa exists. The relevance of this question hinges on public perception: how do archaeologists communicate their findings and knowledge, as well as the gaps, with those who visit? I will close with a brief comparison to an American “archaeological” park and the ways that public-facing historical sites affect the way that people relate emotionally to the past.
The July 5th, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a politics talk:
"On the Choice of a Rocket: How congressional politics can make you spend hundreds of millions of dollars planning for the wrong mission but then still get mad at you for going over budget"
by Dr. Zach Ulibarri
Postdoctoral Associate in the Cornell ASTRA Lab
In 2024 the Europa Clipper will launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to begin its five and half year trip to Jupiter, where it will study the icy ocean world of Europa (which is one of the best bets for alien life in our own solar system!). But for quite some time, NASA mission planners had to allow for the possibility of launching on both the Falcon Heavy and the United Launch Alliance Space Launch System (SLS). Why? Because the SLS had friends in congress, of course. In this talk, we'll learn about how congressional politics can make life hell for mission planning, why NASA missions are so expensive, what single points of failure are, and why the indecision of launch vehicles can burn unbelievable sums of money. We'll also look at the Galileo spacecraft as a cautionary tale about changing mission parameters late in the game.
and a geothermal energy talk:
"Fires from the Deep: Earth’s Internal Heat as a Solution to the Global Energy Problem"
by Dr. Adam J. Hawkins
Postdoctoral Fellow in the Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell
With a global population approaching 10 billion people, how can we bring Earth’s population to the living standards of the United States and/or the European Union while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions? In this talk, Dr. Hawkins will introduce the audience to the nuanced challenge of simultaneously tackling climate change while expanding access to energy infrastructure in under-developed regions of the world. Topics will include limitations of intermittent electricity suppliers, options for baseload power generators, and the potential of geothermal energy to transform global energy infrastructure, including the Earth Source Heat project at Cornell University.
The August 2nd, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a mythology talk:
"How to tell Epic Stories and Save the Planet at the Same Time"
by Jay Leeming
Performance Storyteller
Before the industrial revolution every healthy community on the planet included numerous storytellers, individuals trained in poetry, music and the dream-logic of mythology who would regularly dazzle their listeners with mind-opening tales of love, death and other worlds. Over the last century we have surrendered this power to multinational corporations, and the consequences have not been good. Performance storyteller Jay Leeming has spent years telling stories in theaters, schools, and National Parks, and in this talk he will not only illuminate his own process of learning to tell both the Odyssey and the Mahabharata epic of India but will also offer guidance in how we can turn off Netflix, awaken the visionary mythteller within each of us, and save the planet through story.
and a microbiology talk:
"Awash in Wee Beasties: How microbial diversity shapes the animal world (and your own behavior)"
by Dr. Daniel Sprockett
Postdoctoral Associate in the Cornell Dept. of Ecology and Evolution
The gut microbiome, or the complex community of microbes that colonize the intestinal tract, can have a wide range of effects on their host’s physiology, metabolism, and behavior. In humans, much has been discovered about how these microbes impact a person’s health and wellbeing, but much less is known about how they influence the fitness of other animals. In this talk, Dr. Sprockett will explore the ways that the gut microbiome impacts their animals hosts ranging from rodents to birds and even primates, with a focus on how we know what we know. Topics will span from short-term responses to long-term evolutionary consequences, and even how microbes might be affecting everyday decisions. The presentation will conclude with a (hopeful!) look at the future of microbiome-based interventions.
The September 6th, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a dog genomics talk:
"The Story of Balto, an Elite Sled Dog: Through his Genome"
by Dr. Heather Huson and Dr. Srikanth Krishnamoorthy
Cornell Dept. of Animal Science
Almost 100 years ago, Balto, along with a pack of elite sled dogs helped save the community of Nome, Alaska, from a diphtheria outbreak. Balto is representative of the sled dogs of the era who were reputed for their hardiness, endurance, and tolerance of harsh conditions at a time when northern communities relied on them for transportation, protection, and companionship. Unlike modern breeds, Balto and his contemporaries were products of generations of mating of diverse, outbred dogs selected for their performance and hardiness. Today, Balto is immortalized with a statue in Central Park and is physically preserved and on display at the Cleaveland Museum of Natural History. We asked ourselves, could we use advances in genomic technologies and ancient DNA recovery techniques to parse through Balto’s DNA and understand selection emphasis and diversity occurring in sled dogs in the 1930’s? Could we decipher Balto’s physical appearance from his DNA and identify healthy developmental gene variants that may have endowed sled dogs in that era with abilities to withstand and thrive in harsh environments? Could we use our findings to guide modern breeders to breed healthier dogs?
Also, here's a photo of Dr. Huson racing as a musher in Alaska!
and a sports talk:
"Chess on Ice: The Science, Strategy, and History of Curling"
by Alita Howard
Finger Lakes Curling Board Member
Have you seen curling on TV, that weird game with stones, and brooms, and people yelling at each other on ice? Maybe you caught the fever back in 2018, watching the Men’s curling team win USA’s first gold medal in the sport, saw it in a movie, or have visited Canada at any point in your life. Alita started curling with the Finger Lakes Curling Club in 2018 after taking one of the first Learn to Curl’s, soon after the club’s founding. She currently skips, is an instructor, volunteers on the club’s board, and travels to friendlies and bonspiels to compete and meet other curlers. In a Public Works’ version of broomstacking, Alita will talk about the history, explain the types and rules of curling, and delve a little into the science, all while taking part in a major part of curling: drinking beverages.
The October 4th, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a journalism talk:
"Where the Media Death Spiral Brought Us: The Decline of Local Reporting, and an Industry Looking for its Footing"
by Jimmy Jordan
Columnist at Ithaca Voice
The newspaper industry in the U.S. has been undergoing a significant decline since the early 2000s. The rise of the internet ushered in an era of information abundance and accessibility. However, this transition has severely impacted the traditional business models that once supported local newspapers, resulting in noticeable gaps in community coverage across the country. All of this is set against a climate where trust in media is approaching historic lows in the U.S.
This presentation will illustrate these challenges, both on a local scale and within a broader context. Additionally, we will delve into the new models that are being explored in an effort to revitalize local reporting.
and an agriculture talk:
"For Whom the Dinner Bell Tolls: The Struggles of America’s Farming Community and How NY FarmNet Helps"
by Adam Howell
Outreach Director, FarmNet Cornell
Everyone is aware of the price of food – from kitchen tables to restaurant counters, food costs impact our lives in profound ways. But another, less understood cost associated with our food is born out of the pressures faced by farmers as they struggle to succeed working in one of the most unforgiving industries in America. Farmers deal with numerous stressors outside of their control including market pressures, weather, price increases, supplies, and many more. Furthermore, farmers deal with the geographic challenge of being isolated from support services in rural areas, and cultural/psychological challenges stemming from personal stigmas against seeking help.
In this Public Works talk, learn about a unique program in NYS that provides free, confidential support for farmers to help with any number of issues they may face. NY FarmNet approaches farm assistance and support through a “holistic” model by deploying a consultant team representing both the personal and financial aspects of every challenge.
The November 1st, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a ghostwriting talk:
"Ghostwriting: An Insider's View of an Invisible Profession"
by Madison Fitzpatrick
Writer and Brand Manager
Ghostwriting often gets a bad rap as a cop-out for politicians and celebrities who are too lazy to write their own books. But the truth is, ghostwriting is more common than ever, and for many authors, it's no longer the shameful secret it once was. So, who actually hires ghostwriters? What do ghostwriters really do? And what's the future of this ancient profession in a world of generative AI?
and a psychology talk:
"Can You Accurately Perceive How Others Think About You?"
by Andrés Montealegre
PhD Candidate in the Cornell Psychology Dept.
Ever wonder how others perceive you based on your actions? We all do. Shockingly, recent studies in psychology reveal we're often quite mistaken about these perceptions. For example, people think they're less liked by others than they actually are, or they assume others aren't interested in their unsolicited advice when in fact they are. Such findings could help us get along better with others. But how accurate are these studies? And is it possible that participants in these studies are just trying to appear 'nice' when answering research questions? In this talk, I'll share my own research on this topic and discuss if we should take these findings at face value. Join me to discuss the fascinating, messy world of how we're seen by others.
The December 6th, 2023 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a community horticulture talk:
"Not All is Lost: How Public Gardens are (Attempting to) Save the World"
by Dr. Donald A. Rakow
Associate Professor (retired) in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University
Do you find yourself freaking out over the state of the global environment, climate change, and loss of biodiversity? If so, you’re not alone — eco-anxiety has become one of the leading mental health issues in the third decade of the 21st century. Public gardens, which include botanic gardens, arboreta, conservatories, and historic landscapes, are addressing these seemingly overwhelming environmental challenges through their extensive collections, protection of natural areas, preservation of endangered species, and through programming and messaging. Will public gardens single-handedly solve all of these problems? No, but they can be a significant contributor to the solutions. In this talk you’ll learn some of the ways they are making a difference.
and a Classics and philosophy talk:
"Justifying Slavery: The Intellectual Background of the Reconstruction Amendments"
by Dr. Toni Alimi
Klarman Postdoctoral Fellow in Classics and Philosophy at Cornell University
Recent appraisals of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution often note with alarm that slavery remains a legal form of punishment and lament for how this loophole has been weaponized against black Americans. I’m interested in how this alarm reflects an Aristotelian attitude towards slavery (more on what that means in the talk!), and about how an intellectual history of various justifications for slavery can help us understand what’s going on in the Thirteenth Amendment.
The February 7th, 2024 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a radical librarianship talk:
"Bringing the Library to Prison with the Cornell Prison Education Program"
by Dr. Maddie Reynolds
Outreach and Information Services Librarian for the Cornell Prison Education Program
New York State prisons are low-information environments, where there is no internet access and books and media are subject to strict censorship. How can librarians on the outside respond to incarcerated patrons' need for books and information? The Cornell Prison Education Program (CPEP) is grappling with these questions as they seek to create research opportunities and expand information access in prison in anticipation of their launch of a Cornell BA inside. In this talk, we'll discuss what it's like to build a library program for incarcerated students, introducing Cornell's world class research materials behind the walls. We'll learn about CPEP and its history, nationwide efforts to bring library resources to incarcerated patrons, and what we're doing at Cornell to provide incarcerated students with more academic resources. We'll also talk about how to get involved in CPEP!
and a robotics talk:
"Will Robots Kill Us?"
by Dr. Hadas Kress-Gazit
Geoffrey S.M. Hedrick Senior Endowed Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
You know the sci fi trope — humanity depends on robots that decide to kill us all until a hero shows up to stop their evil plan. How close is that to reality? Will robots take over the world? Are they dangerous? Will they be? In this talk I'll describe what robots can and cannot do these days and discuss what the future might look like.
The March 6th, 2024 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
an entomology talk:
"Getting A Buzz On: Mojitos and Mosquitoes"
by Dr. Joel Brown
Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University
Do you think you get bitten more than your friends? Do you wish we could make all mosquitoes go away? Want to know why your symptoms might get you thrown in a bush? In this talk I'll cover the weird biology and wacky tropes about everyone's favourite insect: mosquitoes. Come and find out how to keep yourself healthy and less itchy this summer.
and a music talk:
"Latinidad Sinofonica: Asian Diasporic Visibilities in Salsa and Reggaetón"
by Elias Beltrán
PhD Candidate in Comparative Literature at Cornell University
Salsa music and reggaetón, though most clearly articulated in the Hispanophone Caribbean, are related by diasporic connections coming from “histories of migrations and cultural exchange throughout all of the Americas.” And, though some scholars suggest that reggaetón should be read through its social and political “positioning to cultural expressions exclusively centered on blackness,” I respectfully disagree. While holding—and celebrating(!)—the African Diaspora as a creative nexus in both genres, exclusively positioning the cultural expressions of either salsa or reggaetón on blackness keeps us from connecting “asymmetrical histories and processes” that have, all too often, been examined separately, rather than approached as responses to shared conditions with deep implications. Looking at the musical presences and relations between African and Asian Diasporic subjects in salsa and reggateón refuses not only the idea of separate histories, but also exposes how racialized
mimicry fuels antagonisms, and reinforces colonial subjects as negatively known and dispositively knowable. In this way, looking at the presence and contributions of the Chinese Diaspora in the musics of the Hispanophone Caribbean, previously a site of occlusion, emerges not as a pitting against but as a potential source of coalition-building precisely because of the intimacy of shared histories.
The April 3rd, 2024 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
an astrophysics talk:
"Are You an Umbraphile? Understanding and Observing the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse"
by Dr. Luke Keller
Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Ithaca College
Are you planning a trip to the path of totality on April 8, 2024? You may be an umbraphile! Not sure what an umbraphile or a path of totality is? Join us as we explore the social and physical science of eclipses. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun casting its shadow on Earth’s surface. Solar eclipses happen about twice a year, but the shadow rarely passes over populated areas and most often passes over the oceans. The eclipse of April 2024 will be a rare treat because the moon will photo bomb the sun for tens of millions of people including communities right here in Central New York. We'll cover the details of how, when, and why eclipses happen and how to safely observe them.
and a political history talk:
"Do you know a forgotten Gay Quaker, Labor, and Civil Rights Leader? Meet Bayard Taylor Rustin!"
by Dr. Carlos Figueroa
Associate Professor of Politics at Ithaca College
Bayard T. Rustin was a political activist, writer, and organizer committed to social, political, and economic justice and equality across different cultures, countries, and ideological perspectives. His beliefs and actions often led to controversial positions. Although Rustin is most well-known for organizing the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, he accomplished much more than that. Sorry, Netflix! This talk delves into how and why Rustin’s pragmatic Quaker faith influenced his politics and helped him navigate the various controversies of his time throughout an extraordinary life from the 1940s through the 1980s.
The May 1st, 2024 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a religious history talk:
"A Field Guide to the Apocalypse"
by Dr. Kim Haines-Eitzen
Hendrix Memorial Professor in the Department of Near Eastern Studies and Religious Studies Program at Cornell University
The language of apocalypse is seemingly all around us. From the devastation of war to the aftermath of voracious wildfires, from doomsday preppers to ecological collapse we confront the persistent vitality of apocalyptic language and thought. In this talk, I will take us back to the roots of apocalyptic thought in antiquity to reflect on the sense of revelation—an uncovering or an unveiling—in the apocalyptic imagination. But I also want to unpack something more elemental—namely, how earth, wind, water, and especially fire animated apocalypticism in the past and what they might teach us about our present moment.
and a physics talk:
"'Particles? Accelerators? Wait, Why Should I Care?': The Societal Benefits of Fundamental Science"
by Dr. Antoine Chapelain
Accelerator Physicist at CLASSE
Particle and accelerator physics might sound like science fiction to you, but they affect us in the real world more than you might think (in a good way!). Let’s dive into these fields of research and see what they are, where they come from, and how they have changed our everyday lives. We’ll start with a brief overview and history before getting into some applications.
The June 5th, 2024 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
an environmental engineering talk:
"Sustainability and Automation: The Future of Concrete Industry"
by Dr. Sriramya Nair
Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University
The construction industry is currently facing many challenges with respect to shortage of skilled workers,
greenhouse gas emissions, and our need for massive quantities of construction materials. In this talk I will
first focus on this global materials challenge and lay out pathways for achieving sustainability in the
cement and concrete industry. These include examples such as the use of mineral waste materials, low-
grade calcined clays, and carbonated steel slags. Next, I will focus on advances enabled through
automation. Specifically, 3D printing with concrete or additive construction can be a path forward to
efficiently use materials and reduce the amount of waste that is generated. Furthermore, robotic
construction provides an opportunity to fabricate complex structures such as gyroids. A gyroid is a triply
periodic minimal surface that efficiently distributes stress under compression loading in all orientations.
Using a 2-component system with an in-house developed flowable mixture and with injection of
accelerator at the nozzle, I will demonstrate our ability to print these complex geometries to create and
test structural components such as walls.
and an environmental humanities talk:
"Mangrove Mothers: Environmental Resilience at the Edges of the Colombian Nation"
by Stephanie M. López
PhD Candidate in Romance Studies and Mellon Graduate Fellow at Cornell University
Mangroves form an essential barrier between oceans and land protecting shorelines from storm surges and rising tides while mothers are threshold subjects that create a buffer between the public and private spheres preserving them as separate. But what can mangroves and mothers teach us about environmental resilience at a time when countries are firmly reasserting the nuclear family as the center of care and economic consumption ? This talk delves into Dulce (2018) a short ten-minute documentary co-directed by Guille Isa and Angello Faccini that grapples with the delicate ecosystem of a Pacific mangrove forest and a community of clam harvesters on the Pacific coast department of Nariño in Colombia. These mangrove mothers show us how porous boundaries and a politics of place create havens for social and physical life to thrive.
The July 3rd, 2024 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a history talk:
"The Strange Connection Between India and the Star Spangled Banner"
by Naman Agrawal
PhD Student in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University
Did you know that the US National Anthem refers to military technology stolen from India by the British? In this talk we'll look at the history of rocketry and fireworks, and how these technologies held off the might of the British empire and lit up the skies of Fort McHenry where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner in this special July 4th edition of Public Works!
and a performance studies talk:
"Nigerian Cinema/Nollywood: The Making of a Global Cinema"
by Rejoice Abutsa
PhD Candidate in the Department of Performing and Media Arts at Cornell University
Media Arts at Cornell University
The origin story of Nollywood is intriguing, complex, and intertwined by multiple histories,
people, and geographies – it unfolds like the most drama-packed film that you have yet to see.
In terms of output, Nollywood is the second-largest film industry in the world. It is surpassed by
Bollywood, with the United States-grown Hollywood taking the third slot. Nollywood has
inspired the emergence of several African film industries, it orchestrates a space for post-
colonial African migrants to engage with home-grown film productions, and lately, it has been
expanding its reach via distribution on global streaming sites such as as Netflix. This talk asks:
What is Nollywood, and how did it become a global film industry? How does the industry
continue to position itself, both within and outside of Africa? Drawing on its origin story and its
point of contact, I spotlight the exciting profile of this African film industry.
The August 7th, 2024 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a community service talk:
"Spreading Black Joy Excellence in Community and Service"
by Lushima Lumumba-Kasongo
Program Director at the Southside Community Center
In this talk, we will learn about Southside Community Center, a non-profit organization with a strong focus on sharing Black joy and serving the community. Whether it's through childcare programs, community outreach programs, setting up workshops, connecting people to resources & organizations - if the community needs it, we have it! Southside also hosts and fosters space for creatives to spread their joy and feel at home to be themselves.
and a public arts talk:
"Activism Ithaca"
by Caleb R Thomas
Founder of Ithaca Murals
In 2009 there were about 15 mural locations in Ithaca. Today (in 2024) there are about 400 and the numbers are continuing to snowball. Have you ever wondered the story behind these murals that you find on downtown buildings and tucked away in alleyways? Who are the artists and what is their mission? In this talk, we'll learn about Ithaca Murals, a network of people transforming gray walls into beautiful, meaningful works of art that tell the stories of the diverse people who live here. Caleb Thomas, the organization's founder, will share the process behind some of your favorite murals.
The September 4th, 2024 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
a musicology talk:
"Musical Sound Effects (and Sound-Effect Music) in Video Games"
by Dr. Elizabeth Medina-Gray
Associate Professor of Music Theory at Ithaca College
What makes a sound a “sound effect,” and what makes a sound “music”? While there are many examples of sounds in media that fit easily into one of these categories or the other, some sounds may seem to cross or blur the boundaries between these categories in interesting ways. In this presentation, I highlight some sounds in video games that are both sound effects and musical/music. I consider a variety of sounds from select games, for example very early games like Pong (1972), and more recent games like Super Mario Galaxy (2007). How might such musical sound effects (or sound-effect music) impact a player’s/listener’s experience with a game? Video games provide a rich field in which to explore blurry categories of “sound effect” and “music,” and these questions of function and musicality are also relevant more widely in our media-filled world.
and a political dialogue talk:
"Model United Nations: Practicing for the Next Generation's Global Community "
by Amaya Michaelides, Judah Kircher, Benjamin Forman, and Juliet Asperschlager
Members of the TeenDay Ithaca Model United Nations Team
As Kofi Annan, a previous Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said, “More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations.” All around the world, high school and college students are coming to understand the world’s most complex issues by becoming the delegates who debate them. Model United Nations (MUN) is a simulation of the UN, and it usually appeals to people interested in global politics, problem-solving with other like-minded delegates, public speaking, and debate. The TeenDay Ithaca MUN team will give an overview of the UN and what MUN is. We will explain how MUN allows students from all walks of life to explore new possible careers, and develop life skills such as public speaking, collaboration, and more. The end of the presentation will see a brief demo of what takes place in a MUN conference. Any and all points of inquiry will be addressed as long as decorum is maintained.
The October 3rd, 2024 Public Works event featured 2 talks:
an environmental technologies talk:
"Earth Source Heat: Digging Deep for Climate Solutions"
by Wayne Bezner Kerr
Cornell Earth Source Heat Program Manager
We know we need to get off fossil fuels, but how do you do it if you are a 30,000-person research university? Cornell is investigating Deep Direct Use Geothermal Energy as a possible path to meeting carbon free campus heating needs. If you go deep enough (10,000’ below the surface), the heat is there – but how to get it?
and a social philosophy talk:
"Intersubjectivity / Constructing and Reconstructing Social Constructs"
by Pete Miller
Local Expert
As human beings, we live in three kinds of reality. The single physical reality we all share full of rocks, trees, and beautiful gorges to walk through and appreciate them is objective. The internal mental reality we each have in our own mind made of things we remember, believe, and imagine is subjective. The social realities we share with different groups of people that are made out of things we agree about are intersubjective. These social realities influence our behavior and how we feel about life all the time, but we are rarely explicit about their nature. It took me till I was 54 to even learn the term intersubjectivity existed, and I’ve been a social philosophy nerd all my life. This talk is intended to expose the concept of intersubjectivity more fully in the hope that dragging it in to the light will give people who hear the talk a fresh and interesting perspective on how we build and update the social arrangements within which we live.
Time and Location
First Wednesday of every month, 7 PM.
The Downstairs
121 W. State Street
Ithaca, NY
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We want to hear from you! Come talk to us at a Public Works event or send us a message at ithacapublicworks@gmail.com. Are you an academic? Feel free to list your Public Works talk as an outreach event on your CV! Are you not an academic? We still want to hear from you!
