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Events for April 16, 2009

  • Structure and Structure-related Chemistry of Boron Rich Carbon

    Thu, Apr 16, 2009 @ 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM

    Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Linda E. Jones, Ph.D.,
    Smith CollegeAbstract: Highly boron rich carbon nanofibers have been synthesized via
    the CVD reaction of benzene and boron trichloride. The interest is to
    synthesize oxidation resistant carbons that are electronically tunable
    and maintain mechanical integrity. Auger and XPS analysis identified
    boron concentrations of 18.4 and 14.8 atomic % B, respectively when
    depositing at 800 °C for 30 minutes at a total flow rate of 65 cc/min. A
    TEM investigation along with EELS was undertaken to assess the location
    of the boron in the deposited structures. The nanostructure of the
    deposited nanofibers and tubes is inhomogeneous yet; these deposited
    materials are well ordered and graphite-like. The d-spacings range from
    0.3343 to 0.3397 nm and crystallite sizes are 5 to 20 nm. EELS analysis
    revealed that the boron concentrations through the tube diameter are
    structure related. The details of the development of structure in these
    unique boron rich carbon solids will be given in context with a
    discussion of the various structures, chemistry and properties
    associated with the many allotropes of carbon.Biography: Linda E. Jones is the Hewlett Professor of Engineering and
    Director of the Picker Engineering Program at Smith College. Linda is
    deeply committed to the advancement of women and underrepresented
    individuals in science, technology and engineering. Her expertise is in
    the synthesis, structure and degradation of structural carbon and
    carbides used in aerospace and other severe environment applications.
    The work in her laboratory on high temperature oxidation and corrosion
    of structural ceramics has been extended to the study of volatile
    emissions produced during the manufacturing of glass. Dr. Jones has 81
    publications in these areas and has given over 100 national and
    international presentations. She has been named the American Carbon
    Society's Graffin Lecturer. Dr. Jones serves on the American Carbon
    Society's executive board. She is actively involved in the European and
    Asian Carbon Society. She a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society. She
    has edited one book and received 9 Teaching Awards including the State
    University of New York's Chancellors Award for Teaching Excellence.
    Since 2005, Dr. Jones has been the President, Ceramic Education Council,
    American Ceramic Society. In addition, Dr. Jones was also recognized by
    the State of New York as a SUNY Research Scholar for her work on high
    temperature materials.Host: Urbashi Mitra, ubli@usc.edu, EEB 540, x04667

    Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Gerrielyn Ramos


    This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

  • PROGRAMMING SYNTHETIC BIO MOLECULAR SYSTEMS

    Thu, Apr 16, 2009 @ 11:00 PM - 12:00 PM

    Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Elisa Franco
    California Institute of Technology
    Dept. of Controls & Dynamical SystemsABSTRACT: The functionalities of every living organism are wired in the biochemical interactions existing among proteins, nucleic acids and all the other molecules that constitute life's building blocks. Understanding how to embed any function in this "hardware of life" via "molecular programming" is an exciting and challenging task for modern bioengineers and synthetic biologists.
    A simple in vitro tool kit to investigate molecular programmability can be built by using exclusively nucleic acids and a few protein species for transcription and degradation. Despite its simplicity, this setting allows us to achieve a high computational complexity, which is an attractive feature for the implementation of engineering design principles into synthetic biochemical networks.
    In this talk, I will describe the design, modeling and experimental synthesis of molecular circuitry built using in vitro genetic circuits. In particular, I will focus on two alternative modules able to achieve transcription rate regulation, the first based on negative feedback (self-repression), the second based on positive feedback (cross-activation). BIO: Elisa Franco is currently a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology, department of Control and Dynamical Systems. She got her Laurea degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Trieste, where she also earned a PhD in Automatic Control. Her current research interests are in the field of synthetic and systems biology.Host: Prof. Petros Ioannou ioannou@usc.edu

    Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Shane Goodoff


    This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.