Thursday November 10, 2005 3:30 pm
Shafler Auditorium - Bloomberg Center for Physics & Astronomy - JHU Homewood
Campus
The Johns Hopkins University
Depts. of Physics & Astronomy and History of Science will sponsor a symposium
on Thursday November 10, at 3:30 p.m. in Schafler Auditorium in
the Bloomberg Center on the Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus. Light refreshments
will be served preceding the symposium. This symposium is free and open
to the Public. No reserved seating will be provided.
2005 marks the 100th anniversary
of Albert Einstein’s “miraculous year” in which he published four important
papers describing ideas that have since influenced all of modern physics.
Included in this body of work were Einstein’s theory of special relativity,
in which postulated the equivalence of matter and energy, and his explanation
of the photoelectric effect, in which he introduced the concept that light
is composed of particles and for which he was ultimately awarded the Nobel
Prize. To commemorate these accomplishments, Johns Hopkins University
is holding a symposium that will bring together scientists and historians
of science to discuss the legacy of this breakthrough year. Those scheduled
to speak include Richard Staley, Professor of History of Science at University
of Wisconsin, Madison; Robert Marc Friedman, Professor of History of Science
at University of Olso (Norway); and Robert Kirshner, Professor of Astronomy
at Harvard University. In addition, Adam Falk, Interim Dean of the Krieger
School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins, will provide introductory
remarks at the symposium.
The lectures, which will
be aimed at a general audience, will touch upon several aspects of Einstein’s
historic contributions and their effect on science today. Prof. Staley,
speaking on “Einstein and the Overthrow of Classical Physics,” will
address the influence that Einstein’s work had in transforming the science
of his day. In his talk entitled “`Einstein Must Never Receive a Nobel
Prize…’ The Nobel Committee vs. Albert Einstein and Its Importance for
2005,” Prof. Friedman will touch upon the controversies that Einstein’s
ideas, particularly those related to his theory of special relativity,
generated. Finally, Prof. Kirshner, who will speak on “Einstein’s Blunder
Undone: the Discovery of the Accelerating Universe,” will describe
recent experimental observations that demonstrate how certain predictions
made by Einstein, previously unappreciated, are impacting our current
understanding of the universe.
The symposium, which will
also include ample time for questions and comments from the audience,
is intended to generate a lively discussion of Einstein’s legacy and the
lessons it provides.
For further information please call (410) 516-8649
www.pha.jhu.edu/events/seminars/
http://www.pha.jhu.edu/Einstein
This symposium is free and open to the Public.
No reserved seating will be provided. This event is cosponsored by the Johns
Hopkins University Department of Physics & Astronomy and Program in History
of Science, Medicine, & Technology in recognition of the World Year of Physics.
For more information about Einstein and the World Year of Physics please
visit http://www.physics2005.org
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