Pint of Science Monday Göteborg

Biography:

Erik Lagerstedt is a postdoctoral researcher in computational linguistics at the Department of Philosophy, Linguistics, and Theory of Science, Gothenburg University. A central part of Erik's interests is interaction, and his work is often related to human's interaction with technology such as robots. Erik is particularly interested in the mundane situations that are often overlooked, as well as the larger implication of the design choices of technology.

Abstract:

It is increasingly common to encounter artificial agents; technology that is designed to do various chores on their own or is presented as something to have a conversation with. A particular type of technology, Intelligent Personal Assistants, is designed for both. For example, voice assistants such as Alexa are deployed in homes to help out with various tasks such as answer questions, set timers, play music, and more, while responding to commands in human-like ways. However, in real homes people do not necessarily behave as ideal users or experimental participants. To better understand human behaviour, and to be able to develop better technology, we have investigated real interactions in homes with Alexas. In particular, we have focused on instances with laughter to understand what's so funny about technology.

How did life begin, and how might it arise elsewhere? This talk will briefly outline current scientific ideas of how life might have emerged on our planet. The emerging field of computational astrobiology is then introduced, exploring how quantum chemical calculations allow us to test hypotheses about life in environments very different from our own. Our journey will take us to Saturn’s moon Titan, where simple molecules may assemble into increasingly complex structures – perhaps even the precursors to life.

Biography:
Martin Rahm earned his PhD in physical chemistry from the Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, in 2010. He then spent six years in the United States as a postdoctoral researcher, first at the University of Southern California and later at Cornell University. Since 2017, he leads a research group at Chalmers, where he is a Professor of Theoretical Chemistry. Martin’s research interest includes chemical bonding, computational materials prediction, chemistry under conditions of extreme pressure, and the origins of life.

Is “nothing” really nothing? For centuries, scientists thought empty space had to be filled with something invisible called the aether. In this talk, I’ll take you on a journey from old ideas about the nature of empty space to the modern world of vacuum technology, where scientists build machines designed to create almost perfect nothingness. But why would anyone want that? And what can we possibly learn from it? As it turns out, a lot. From understanding how surfaces behave to developing better materials and catalysts, vacuum has become one of the most powerful tools in modern science. So come along to hear how “nothing” became essential for discovering something.

Biography:
Audrey Dannar is a postdoctoral scholar at Harvard University currently serving as a visiting researcher at Chalmers University of Technology. Audrey's training is in ultra-high vacuum surface science. Audrey's research is about how materials called catalysts improve the chemical reactions that we use to produce 90% of foods, fuels, and consumer products.