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From September 6, 2004, News-Sentinel

Original URL:
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/science/article/0,1406,KNS_9116_3161520,00.html

Experts answer your burning questions at Science Forum

By News Sentinel Staff
September 6, 2004

Trying to make sense of the Bowl Championship Series computations?

Wondering if hemlock trees in the Great Smoky Mountains can be saved and whether attack beetles can stem the wooly adelgid invasion?

Curious about your level of risk when you encounter second-hand cigarette smoke at a restaurant or a party?

Better consult an expert. Or attend a presentation of the University of Tennessee Science Forum, which enters its 71st year with a varied schedule of speakers.

The group meets at noon Fridays during the fall and spring semester in Thompson-Boling Arena.

The presentations last about 45 minutes, followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session. Programs are held in arena dining rooms C and D and are free and open to the public. Guests are invited to bring their lunches or purchase them from the cafeteria.

"It delights me that leading-edge researchers are willing to make time in their crowded schedules to speak to us," said Mark Littmann, forum organizer and UT professor of journalism and astronomy. "Almost no one declines.

"A lot of remarkable research goes on at UT and in the community at large, with the Smoky Mountains, UT-Battelle and TVA. The Science Forum helps those who are interested in the sciences to keep up with what is going on."

Speakers will use layman's terms as they discuss issues in their fields of expertise.

The UT Science Forum is funded by the UT Office of Research and is augmented by a gift from the UT Department of Physics and Astronomy.

The fall 2004 Science Forum schedule is:

Sept. 3	"Saving Lives on the Battlefield: The Future of Medical Shelter System," Duane Bias, project manager, Y-12 National Security Complex.
Sept. 10	"Attacking the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid," Dr. Ernest Bernard, UT professor of entomology and plant pathology.
Sept. 17	"Leadership Computing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory," Dr. Thomas Zacharia, associate laboratory director for computing and computational science, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Sept. 24	"Clearing the Air: Human Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke," Dr. Roger A. Jenkins, chemical and analytical sciences division, ORNL.
Oct. 1	"It's All Natural and Chemical Free," Dr. Richard Pagni, UT professor of chemistry.
Oct. 8	"Workplace Drug Testing," Dr. Ken Tunnell, professor of criminal justice, Eastern Kentucky University.
Oct. 22	"Citizenship and Military Service," Capt. Rosemary Mariner, U.S. Navy (retired), fellow, UT Center for the Study of War and Society.
Oct. 29	"Fly me to the Moons ... of Jupiter: A Reactor Shield for NASA's Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter Mission," Tom Berg, business development and technology division, Y-12 National Security Complex.
Nov. 5	"The Math Behind the BCS College Football Rankings," Dr. Soren Sorensen, professor and head, UT physics and astronomy department.
Nov. 12	"There's a Fungus Among Us: Fescue Toxicity," Dr. John Waller, UT associate professor of animal science.
Nov. 19	"Introduction to Global Positioning Systems," Travis Dolence, UT assistant professor and map librarian.

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