29045 - Origins Science Scholars Spring 2026 Lecture Series
Course Description
April 14, 2026
Burcu Gurkan, Kent H. Smith Professor II, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, CWRU
Thwing Center 101
Title: The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Metallic Organic Frameworks -- Modern Molecular Sponges
Description: The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Metallic Organic Frameworks -- Modern Molecular Sponges Abstract. What is special about Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) that scientists believe are the groundbreaking materials for the future sustainable technologies? How can a handful of MOFs present equivalent capacity of a football field? Let's talk about MOFs: how they are made and what makes them special.
April 21, 2026
Hari Padma, Frederick Reines Assistant Professor of Physics, CWRU
Thwing Center 101
Title: Deconstructing Quantum Matter
Description: In "quantum materials," electrons transcend their individual identities to produce spectacular, collective quantum phenomena at human scales. We will do a deep dive into the world of quantum matter and learn how we can harness the incredible collective quantum behavior of electrons.
April 28, 2026
Burcu Gurkan, Kent H. Smith Professor II, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, CWRU
TVUC, Ballroom A
Title: Materials for Carbon Capture and Conversion
Description: Materials for Carbon Capture and Conversion Abstract. Discovery of materials is needed for carbon capture from various emission sources, cabin air, and the atmosphere. Further, we need to offset the cost associated with the capture process by converting the captured carbon to other useful chemicals or fuels for a cleaner energy future. This talk will highlight some of the challenges associated with carbon capture and conversion, and the research efforts utilizing advanced materials like metal-organic frameworks to address these challenges.
May 5, 2026
Krista Freeman, Assistant Professor of Physics, CWRU
Thwing Center 101
Title: Bacteriophages: the biology and physics of Earth's most abundant biological entities.
Description:
May 12, 2026
Hari Padma, Frederick Reines Assistant Professor of Physics, CWRU
Thwing Center 101
Title: Controlling Quantum Matter with Light
Description: Since time immemorial, humans have used light as a means to study and understand matter. Now we can go beyond: from light as a merely passive observer, to being a surgically precise driver of collective quantum phenomena in materials.
May 19, 2026
Krista Freeman, Assistant Professor of Physics, CWRU
Thwing Center 101
Title: Engineering better viruses to attack the bacteria that infect us
Description: