Physics and Astronomy Lecture Series, Feb. 18

Smelling Better than a Bear: On the development of miniature chemical sensors for trace gas detection. SWOCC release – Coos Bay, OR – As part of Southwestern Oregon Community College’s 2020-21 Physics and Astronomy Lecture Series, we welcome Dr. Scott Holmstrom of the University of Tulsa Department of Physics and Engineering. Dr. Holmstrom will present a lecture entitled, “Smelling Better than a Bear: On the development of miniature chemical sensors for trace gas detection”. The talk is free and will be Livestreamed on Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 6:30 pm. The livestream can be accessed via https://livestream.com/swocc/physicsandastronomy2020-21, and the college’s Facebook page. In a preview of his talk Dr. Holmstrom tells us, “Animals, from moths to humans, use their sense of smell to detect unusual molecules in the air that surrounds them. With experience, the olfactory sensation produced by a particular molecule or combination of molecules can signal, for example, danger or safety. In the jargon of scientists, the nose is nature’s chemical sensor for trace gas detection in the atmosphere. For the past decade, researchers in my lab, in collaboration with scientists and engineers from around the globe, have been working to develop miniature artificial noses based on how laser light interacts with molecules. Our efforts have been predominantly centered on developing sensors that can be used to identify chemical warfare agents, explosives, and toxic industrial chemical, but we’ve found that our platform can be used for a variety of purposes. In this talk, I will review our work from its humble beginnings to our recent collaboration with the American Institute for Manufacturing (AIM) Photonics foundry that focused on developing and testing the components needed to realize a fully-integrated artificial nose.” For additional information contact Dr. Aaron Coyner, Associate Professor of Physics, aaron.coyner@socc.edu, 541 888-7244. The Southwestern Physics and Astronomy Lecture Series is supported by the Southwestern Oregon Community College Foundation.