The Ronald E. Hatcher Science On Saturday Lecture Series

The Ronald E. Hatcher Science on Saturday Lecture series has been held for more than 40 years.

This annual series of lectures is given by scientists, engineers, and other professionals involved in cutting-edge research. Held on Saturday mornings throughout winter, the lectures are geared toward high school students. The program draws more than 300 students, teachers, parents, and community members. Topics are selected from a variety of disciplines.

If you can’t attend the live lecture, the talks will be posted on the Science on Saturday Archives. Recordings will be posted roughly one week after the live event.

2024 Science On Saturday Lecture Series

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9:30 am11:00 am
Science on Saturday: Art in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Abstract

Art creation and appreciation are hallmarks of human intelligence. Recently, artificial intelligence has made groundbreaking strides into the artistic domain, revolutionizing both the analysis and synthesis of art. This transformative impact is evident across various genres, including visual arts and music. In my talk, I will…

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Science on Saturday: Natural Products as Antivirals (Sandra Daise Adams)

Plant extracts have potential to serve as antivirals to reduce the infection of some viruses. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, possesses antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-cancer and antiviral properties. The chemical modification of EGCG to palmitate-EGCG and EGCG-stearate increased its lipid solubility and stability…

9:30 am11:00 am
Science on Saturday: The Pathway to Achieve a Net-zero Economy in the U.S. by 2050 (Jesse Jenkins)

Jesse D. Jenkins is an assistant professor and macro-scale energy systems engineer at Princeton University with a joint appointment in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the…

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Science on Saturday: Decarbonizing the Energy System for a Cleaner and Healthier Future (Wei Peng)

Energy and human systems modeler Wei Peng is an assistant professor of public and international affairs and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University. A core faculty member of the Center for Policy Research on Energy and the…

9:30 am11:00 am
Science on Saturday: The Remarkable Story of Fusion Ignition at the National Ignition Facility (David Schlossberg)

Dave Schlossberg, experimental physicist at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), is passionate about applying new techniques to understand complex physical phenomena…

9:30 am11:00 am
Science on Saturday: Using Plasmas to Create Quantum Technologies and Diamonds
Abstract

Plasmas involving hydrogen typically create some of the harshest possible environments for most materials to survive. Conversely, quantum phenomena, in all their bizarre glory, are often only observable under the gentlest (and coldest) of conditions. It is thus somewhat surprising that one of the simplest paths to harnessing such…