Public Talk: Materials Science of Disasters (TSI & Physics)
Nikolas Provatas
(McGill Physics)
Nov 28, 2024 7:00 PM
Location: ENGMC 204 Room, McConnell Engineering Building
Public Outreach
Disasters in sea, air, space and rail travel have long captured the public's attention due to the sudden and shocking loss of life and the ensuing fear associated with the lack of control people feel about traveling in vehicles controlled by others, a fear exacerbated by media hype from television networks hungry for ratings. Interestingly, a great deal of transportation disasters in the past century have been caused by failure to properly understand the physics of materials. Following a brief introduction of the research program of the Computational Materials Science Group at McGill University, this talk will explore some popular disasters of the past century and explain their causes. In each case, we will explore how understanding the physics of materials has helped demystify the causes of such disasters and help prevent their reoccurrence. Along the way, the talk will also highlight advances in advanced computing that have dramatically improved our ability to predict and control the properties of engineering materials.
Don't miss the opportunity to hear from an expert in computational materials science about the critical role that the physics of materials plays in shaping the world around us. ! The event is free and open to everyone, see you there!
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