Georgia Tech Library News

Join the author, Mark Bauerlein, for a lively discussion of his new book “The Dumbest Generation.”

Dr. Bauerlein contends that “never have American students had it so easy, and never have they achieved less!” Come hear about the author’s uncompromisingly realistic study of the young American mind, and his compelling vision of how to address its deficiencies.

Location: Library - Neely Lobby (1 West)
Date: Thursday May 29, 2008
Time: 2 - 4 pm

Books will be available for purchase!

View Poster

For more information, contact: Lori Critz (lori.critz@library.gatech.edu; (404) 385-4392)

Need help with Calculus? How about CS 1371?

Drop in on one of the study sessions at the Library or in the dorms.
Full list of courses!

Don’t see your class? Feel free to arrange your own study groups using our message board.

Internationally acclaimed science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson will visit us here at Georgia Tech next week. Robinson is generally considered to be one of the most important science fiction authors of our time, and has worked closely with a variety of scientists and scientific institutions (including the NSF) to create gripping, carefully detailed, and sometimes alarmingly realistic depictions of terraforming, climate change, and the scientific and social practices associated with these things.

Several events are planned for Robinson’s visit, included an interview and open Q&A at the Library.

THURSDAY, MARCH 6
11:00 am-12:00 pm: **Science Fiction Author Q&A**
Come meet international award-winning science fiction author Kim Stanley
Robinson in an intimate setting. This event is open to all Georgia Tech students
and faculty. It will begin with a brief interview for the Sci Fi Lab on WREK
radio and then open to a general discussion with Robinson.

This event is hosted by the School of Literature, Communication, and Culture
with the participation of WREK radio and the Georgia Tech Library.

Location: Library East Commons

THURSDAY, MARCH 6
4:00 pm-6:00 pm: **Open Lecture by Science Fiction Author Kim Stanley Robinson**
Come hear international award-winning science fiction author Kim Stanley
Robinson talk about representing abrupt climate change in science and science
fiction. This event, which is hosted by the School of Literature, Communication,
and Culture as part of the LCC Speakers Series, is open to all Georgia Tech
faculty and students as well as the general public. This lecture will last
approximately one hour, with a reception to follow.

Location: Clary Theater, Bill Moore Student Success Center

FRIDAY, MARCH 7
12:00 pm-1:30 pm: **Barnes and Noble Booksigning**
This event is designed for Georgia Tech faculty and students and members of the
general public.

Location: Georgia Tech Barnes and Noble

Learn more about Kim Stanley Robinson

April 1, 2008
2 - 3:30 pm
Neely Lobby - GT Lobby

Speaker: Brian Stone
Assoc. Professor
City and Regional Planning Program
Georgia Tech College of Architecture

Title: Are cities warming faster than the planet as a whole?
Abstract: How rapidly are large U.S. cities like Atlanta warming and what steps can be taken to manage climate change in urban areas? This talk will explore the methods employed to measure urban and global temperature trends and document the rate of temperature change within 50 of the most populous U.S. metropolitan areas between 1950 and 2000. The distinction between the urban and global mechanisms of warming will be considered as part of a more general discussion of climate change management in cities.

This presentation is free and open to all!

View Poster
For more information, contact Lori Critz (lori.critz@library.gatech.edu; (404) 385-4392)

Tuesday Talk
March 4, 2008
12 – 1:30 pm
Neely Lobby

Speaker: Jason Freeman , D.M.A. Assistant Professor - Music Department - College of Architecture

Title:
Composer, Performer, Listener
Abstract:
Even as social networking, multi-player gaming, and collaborative content creation become increasingly important in our lives, concert musical performance continues to follow a model in which the audience remains passive, with little connection to the composer, to the performers, or to each other. This Talk will explore how technology can transform the concert experience by inviting the audience to shape the music as it is performed or by engaging audiences in personalized musical experiences online.

This presentation is free and open to all!View Poster

Tuesday Talk: Making Computer Science 101 Fun with Robots

Tuesday, November 6, 2007
2:00 - 3:30 pm
Location: Neely Lobby
Speaker: Tucker Balch; Associate Professor - Interactive and Intelligent Computing

View Poster

Abstract: “We’re trying an experiment here at Georgia Tech: We’re teaching freshmen Computer Science 101 (CS 1301 to be exact) with personal robots. Every student has her own robot to take home and work with. All the fundamentals of CS are taught in the context of programming a mobile robot with sensors, motors, a camera and a speaker. During this talk I will report on our success with this approach.”

Tuesday, October 2, 2007
2:00 - 3:00
Location: Neely Lobby
Speaker: Michael Goodisman, Assistant Professor, Biology
View Poster

Social insects, including ants, bees, wasps, and termites, are ‘among the greatest achievements of evolution’. They dominate terrestrial environments and make up a substantial part of the animal biomass. The tremendous success of social insects stems from their ability to effectively manage ecological problems through their complex social systems. In fact, the formation of the remarkable societies displayed by social insects represents one of the major transition points in evolutionary history. In this talk, I will provide an overview of the biology of social insects. I will focus on discussing the development and importance of social insect societies. I will then discuss the natural history of important social insects found locally, including fire ants and yellowjackets.

The Library is hosting a week of events to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution (September 17th, 1787). Check the Library Calendar for events like voter registration, presentations on wiretapping, and screenings of a documentary on the Constitution.

View the flyer | View the Constitution Day Q&As

George Washington, a slave owner, did not give a second thought to staffing the President’s House with human chattel from his Virginia plantation. Working in the Executive Mansion was better than working in the field, or even as an ordinary house slave. But two ran away to freedom. [view poster]

Presented by: Eleanor Alexander, School of History, Technology and Science
When: March 27, 2:00 11 am
Where: Neely Lobby [view map]

Join the Georgia Tech Department of Physics for a lecture and exhibition of unique documents in the sciences. Featured materials include works by Galileo, Newton and Einstein. Archivists and librarians will discuss these rare works. Dennis Taylor of Clemson University will show and discuss Galileo’s opus, Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief Systems of the World . Often referred to as the Dialog and published in 1632, this is the work that lead to Galileo’s conviction as a heretic by the Inquisition.

Jody Thompson of the Georgia Tech Archives will show and discuss Newton ’s Principia . A rare copy of the first edition owned by Georgia Tech will be available for viewing. Newton ’s theories would never have been written down were it not for the encouragement of his friend Sir Edmund Hailey.

Anne Salter of Oglethorpe University will present a rare manuscript written by Albert Einstein. It has been 100 years since he managed to completely over turn the world as other scientist knew it with his general and special theories of relativity.

Time: 2- 3:30 pm
Place: Georgia Tech - College of Computing, Room 16
Date: March 15, 2005