"Using Heavy Batteries to Generate Electrical Power from Low-Temperature Heat Resources "
Speaker: Derek Hall, Energy & Mineral Engineering
Roughly half of all the energy we harness is lost to the environment as low-temperature heat. Though the energy efficiency of many industrial processes has steadily increased over the years, the untapped potential of low-temperature heat is still enormous. In this talk, I will introduce a new take on an old battery concept to get a more useful power out of our energy resources. Though the weight of these batteries will likely keep them out of a car and many other portable devices, their low-cost design makes them an attractive option for stationary power generation applications.
"Orchestrating the Microbial Symphony"
Speaker: Francisco Dini-Andreote, Plant Science
A new imperative in the life sciences emerged with the realization that microbes are important drivers, rather than passengers, of the well-being of plants, animals, and humans. Albeit we have significantly advanced our understanding of microbial life distribution on Earth, our ability to manipulate and/or harness beneficial functions from complex microbiomes remains limited. In this talk, I will dive into the integration of Ecology, Microbiology, and Chemistry as core disciplines and provide a new perspective on how we can effectively ‘orchestrate’ microbial functions across systems.
The Millennium Café runs 10-11am in the 3rd floor Café Commons of the MSC Bldg. Join researchers from across campus for a stellar cup of coffee and two <10 min interdisciplinary talks