Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines

Energy, global warming, terrorism and counter-terrorism, nukes, cancer, internet, satellites, remote sensing, ICBMs and ABMs, DVDs and HDTVs -- economic and political issues increasingly have a strong high tech content. Misjudge the science, make a wrong decision. Yet many of our leaders never studied physics, and do not understand science and technology. Physics is the liberal arts of high technology. Understand physics, and never again be intimidated by technological advances. Dr. Muller will give you a quick course in what you need to know about the physics of terrorism, nukes, alternative energy, and global warming.

Richard Muller is Professor of Physics at the University of California, Berkeley and Faculty Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He began his career as a graduate student under Nobel laureate Luis Alvarez doing particle physics experiments and working with bubble chambers. During his early years he also created accelerator mass spectroscopy and made some of the first measurements of anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background. Subsequently, Muller branched out into the Earth sciences. His work has included attempting to understand the ice ages, dynamics at the core-mantle boundary, patterns of extinction and biodiversity through time, and the processes associated with impact cratering.

The Marin Science Seminar is a one-hour lecture/presentation with a question and answer period targeted at high school students in the San Rafael High School district, but open to all interested teenagers and their families.