The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts 2015-16 Science and Arts Café lecture series will feature Henderson State University professor Dr. Travis Langley and several ASMSA faculty members.
The first lecture on Thursday, Oct. 8, features ASMSA French instructor Bryan Adams, who will present “French Crash Course Using the AIM Method.” AIM stands for Accelerative Integrated Methodology, which uses gestures, music, dance and theater to help students learn a new language. Adams’ lecture will help attendees learn some French using AIM during the session.
The Science and Arts Café series features a short lecture on an interesting topic in an informal setting. The lecture is followed by an open, casual discussion between the lecturer and audience members. Each program is free and open to the public. This year’s lecture series will be held at Kollective Coffee + Tea, 110 Central Ave. in downtown. Each lecture will begin at 7 p.m. with the lecture and discussion period lasting about an hour.
“Psychology and Superheroes,” the Thursday, Dec. 10 program, will feature Langley, a psychology professor at Henderson. He uses superheroes and other fictional characters to explore and explain the psychology of real people. He is the author of “Batman and Psychology: A Dark Stormy Knight,” “The Walking Dead Psychology: Psych of the Living Dead” and “Star Wars Psychology: Dark Side of the Mind.” He has also edited books on “Game of Thrones,” “Star Trek” and more.
Langley also has a blog, “Beyond Heroes and Villains,” on PsychologyToday.com, a website devoted to the field of psychology which includes stories, blogs and other posts by renowned psychologists, academics, psychiatrists and authors.
The other lectures scheduled for the series include:
• Dr. Brian Monson, a physics instructor at ASMSA, “How Do We Know What We Know: Properties of Stars,” Thursday, Nov. 12. How can astronomers possibly know the age, mass, temperature, elemental composition and other properties of something so incredibly distant? Monson will explain how physicists and astronomers use a combination of laboratory work and astronomical observation to measure the properties of stars.
• Tingting Tian, Mandarin Chinese instructor at ASMSA, “Real Chinese Food and You,” Thursday, Feb. 11. You may enjoy Chinese food in the United States, but how authentic is the Chinese food you are served? Did you know that Yin and Yang, the principle at the heart of Chinese philosophy, applies to Chinese food and cooking as well? Tian will discuss how Chinese people develop healthy eating habits and the cultural influences surrounding Chinese cuisine.
• Dr. Patrycja Krakowiak, a biology instructor at ASMSA, “How Do We know What We Know: Structure and Function of DNA,” Thursday, March 10. A DNA double helix is far too small to be seen even when using a microscope. So how do we know what it looks like and what it does? Krakowiak will discuss how it is possible to visualize something so small and how we learn about its role as the instruction manual for our cells.
• Dr. Jon Ruehle, a biology instructor at ASMSA, “What Is Going On Up There: A Quantum Narrative Model of Thought,” Thursday, April 7. The nature of thought is central to every area of human concern, yet no comprehensive model of fundamental brain activity has been presented until now. Drawing on neurobiology, insight meditation and quantum biophysics, Ruehle will discuss how the Quantum Narrative Model of Thought accounts for all aspects of thought formation, whether rational, random, dreaming, visions, inspiration and even animal awareness.