Dr. Manu Platt - "Things Fall Apart" Lecture and Community Dinner

Join us for the Annual Distinguished Scientist and Engineer Seminar Series, which showcases the work of accomplished faculty from underrepresented groups. 

Things Fall Apart

Highlighting anti-racist improvements and associated community efforts and the importance of sustained attention. 

Dr. Manu Platt

Director, Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration (BETA Center)
Associate Director, Scientific Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) Intramural Research Programm

Dinner, 6 pm RSVP here
Lecture, 7 pm open to the public

Abstract:

As scientists and engineers, one of the earliest concepts we learn about is entropy. Entropy can be defined as the measure of randomness or disorder of a system, and there is a tendency in nature for systems to proceed towards disorder. Anti-racist practices, structures, and procedures can be built up and implemented through social movements, laws, willpower, and inputs of energy, but entropy and complacency will lead to those efforts being disbanded and disordered, becoming random aberrations correlating in time only with brief periods of social upheaval. Platt will highlight anti-racist improvements and associated community efforts and discuss the importance of sustained attention. More importantly, he will warn of the threat of entropy, because without additional energy inputs, things fall apart.

Read the full NIH Bio for Dr. Platt

This event is co-sponsored by the College of Engineering and the College of Natural Sciences. It is free to attend and handicapped accessible.

Dr. Platt will also deliver a technical talk during his visit, titled "Strokes with sickle cell disease: Dynamic interplay between biomechanical and biochemical stimuli," open to the public on February 22, 2024, from 1-2pm in the Life Science Laboratory (LSL) S330/340. No RSVP required.