Science, technology, and art experts to speak

Lectures this week will cover topics in science, art, and technology. Today, Shanna Helen Swan will present a lecture on human fertility. Tomorrow, Catherine Opie will discuss her work in photography. And Thursday, Yuichiro Anzai will speak about how technology has facilitated human-robot interaction to create a global world.

Title: “Environmental Changes to Human Fertility: Three Case Studies”
The Basics: Shanna Helen Swan, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester, will discuss how environmental factors can affect humans’ ability to conceive. Swan practices environmental, community, and preventive medicine. She has researched the impacts of environmental exposures on male and female reproductive health.

Since 1998, Swan has been a principal investigator of the Study for Future Families, a study examining environmental causes of geographic variation on reproductive health.

The lecture will be sponsored by the Environmental Distinguished Lecture Series in Environmental Science, Technology, and Policy.

When: Today at 4:30 p.m.

Where: Adamson Wing (Baker Hall 136A)

For more information: Cathy Ribarchak, (cr2@andrew.cmu.edu)

Subject: Catherine Opie

The Basics: Catherine Opie, a professor of photography at UCLA, will discuss selections of her work.
Opie has had major exhibitions appear in museums in Chicago and Los Angeles as well as internationally, including museums in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Australia, and Canada. Opie’s pieces have encompassed portraits of the body as well as American landscapes and cityscapes such as freeways and houses.

Opie has received particular attention regarding her portrayal of sexual identity, particularly from GLBT communities.
Opie has taught fine art at UCLA since 2001. From 2000 to 2001, she was a professor of fine art at Yale University.
Opie’s most recent solo exhibition opened on February 11 at the Weatherspoon Art Museum in Greensboro, N.C. The show will be at the museum until April 29.

The lecture is sponsored by the Carnegie Mellon School of Art Lecture Series.

When: Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Where: McConomy Auditorium

For more information: (www.regenprojects.com)

Title: “Interacting Physically with Robots and Virtually on the Global Digital Campus”

The Basics: Yuichiro Anzai, president of Keio University in Tokyo, will speak about Keio’s current advancements in technology. Anzai will explain research conducted in the Anzai-Imai laboratory on how technology can be implemented to improve human-robot interaction.

He will also discuss the activities of the Research Institute for Digital Media and Content at Keio University, particularly how the institute has used technology to interact with people around the world and give them access to shared knowledge.

Anzai was a visiting professor in Carnegie Mellon’s department of psychology 1976–78 and 1981–82.

The event is sponsored by the SCS Distinguished Lecture Series.

When: Thursday at 4 p.m.

Where: Wean Hall 7500

For more information: (http://.keio150.jp/english)