Schedule By Day
Day 1 – Friday 09–03–2010 Day 2 – Saturday 09–04–2010 Day 3 – Sunday 09–05–2010 Day 4 – Monday 09–06–2010
2010 DRAGON*CON SCIENCE TRACK SCHEDULE
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| Friday 09-03-2010 | Return to top | ||
| 1:00pm – 2:00pm Alpha & Omega – How It All Begins & Ends by Richard Jakiel202 (Hilton) |
The beginning and (probable) end of the Earth, the Sun, the galaxy and the universe are examined. | |
| 2:30pm – 3:30pm The Science of Digital Imaging – A How to Guide by William Keel, Ph.D & Daniel Llewellyn202 (Hilton) |
A discussion of the hardware and software involved, plus a start–to–finish image processing demo. | |
| 4:00pm – 5:00pm Hydrogen Cars, Wind Farms, Ethanol, and Other Silly Ideas by A.C. Charania & Stephen Fleming202 (Hilton) |
A discussion of alternative energy sources, their uses (or misuses), their limitations, and what to do about America':s addiction to fossil fuels. | |
| 5:30pm – 6:30pm The Calculus Diaries – Lose Weight, Win in Vegas, Survive a Zombie Apocalypse! by Jennifer Ouellette & Barbara A. Drescher202 (Hilton) |
Fun examples of math applications in the real world and why it's important to understand even just the basic concepts. | |
| 7:00pm – 8:00pm Shake 'n Bake – Fun with Earthquakes and Volcanoes? by Roxanne Baxter202 (Hilton) |
North America's other fault lines and the Yellowstone Caldera (aka Supervolcano) are examined, along with the nifty disasters they could cause. | |
| 8:30pm – 9:30pm What You See Is (Not Always) What You Get – Examples and Demonstrations by Jason Schneiderman, Ph.D, &202 (Hilton) |
Our perception of reality is driven more by expectation, belief, and desire than by sensory input. An examination of how we fool ourselves. | |
| 10:00pm – 11:00pm Cryonics – The Latest News, Updates and Legal Hassles by Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D,202 (Hilton) |
Live fast, die young (or old), leave behind a good–looking liquid nitrogen suspended corpsicle, and maybe get revived at some point in the future! | |
| Saturday 09-04-2010 | Return to top | ||
| 10:00am - 11:00am Parade 202 (Hilton) |
We're not counter programming the Parade – we've learned that leason. Need something to do but not interested in the Parade? Space Track is showing a cool animated movie made with the cooperation of NASA. | |
| 11:30am – 12:30pm Ham Radio 101, aka Not Your Granddad's Ham Radio by The Atlanta Radio Club202 (Hilton) |
Today's technologies would blow his mind. Maybe yours too. Come have a look. | |
| 1:00pm – 2:00pm Why is Science Education in America Lacking (or Is It Really)? by C. Les Johnson & A.C. Charania202 (Hilton) |
Don't believe the hype? Is the media exaggerating the problem, or should we start learning Chinese and Hindi? | |
| 2:30pm – 3:30pm Science of the Verse – Technology and Terraforming in Firefly and Serenity by Stephen Granade, Ph.D – William Keel, Ph.D202 (Hilton) |
A look at the implications of large and small scale gravity manipulation technologies, as well as terraforming on a massive scale. | |
| 4:00pm – 5:00pm Future Weapons by Gregory Tackett, US Army AMRDEC202 (Hilton) |
How the military considers future weapon ideas. Unclassified examples of concepts currently in research and development. 2011 contest announcement. | |
| 5:30pm – 6:30pm Evil Geniuses for a Better Tomorrow: 8th Annual Recruiting Session & Bake Sale by Richard "Hawk" Altstatt,A601 & A602 (Marriott) |
Plausible methods of taking over the world for fun and profit while avoiding common mistakes made by film & tv villains. And there's ice cream? | |
| 7:00pm – 8:00pm Physics of the Whedonverse? by Jennifer Ouellette, Kevin R. Grazier, Ph.D,202 (Hilton) |
Picks up where Ouellette's "Physics of the Buffyverse" left off by covering Dollhouse, Firefly and Serenity,too. | |
| 8:30pm – 9:30pm Mind/Machine Interface by Jason Schneiderman, Ph.D & Others202 (Hilton) |
Fact vs fiction, the technologies involved, current real–world uses, and plausible future trends. | |
| 10:00pm – 11:00pm The Science and Fine Art of Makin' Booze by James Kinney & Friends202 (Hilton) |
A quiet little low–key affair with limited seating, so get there early. | |
| Sunday 09-5-2010 | Return to top | ||
| 10:00am – 11:00am Make Yourself Invisible? by Stephen Granade, Ph.D202 (Hilton) |
Can we finally build an invisibility cloak via the wonders of metamaterials? Or will we never be able play Predator and sneak up on Adrien Brody? | |
| 11:30am – 12:30pm How to Raise a Mad Scientist by Pamela Smith202 (Hilton) |
Devious plans don't require deep pockets. Getting Jr. to follow in your fiendish footsteps with these simple, fun and cheap science demonstrations. | |
| 1:00pm – 2:00pm The Science of Avatar by William Keel, Ph.D, &202 (Hilton) |
Planetology, geology and biology – did they get it right? | |
| 2:30pm – 3:30pm The Science of Battlestar Galactica by Kevin Grazier, Ph.D202 (Hilton) |
BSG's Science Adviser examines the real–world plausibility and associated implications of much of the technology used throughout the series. | |
| 4:00pm – 5:00pm DNA in Forensic Crime Investigation – Workshop by Robert Pyatt, Ph.D202 (Hilton) |
Investigate a crime scene and conduct hands–on DNA extraction via the same process used in crime labs; an interactive session for (nearly) all ages. | |
| 5:30pm – 6:30pm SENS 101 – Regenerative Medicine Against Aging by Aubrey de Grey, Ph.DA601 & A602 (Marriott) |
Sound of body and mind at 300? That's just the start. An overview of the SENS Foundation and emerging life–extension technologies. | |
| 7:00pm – 8:00pm SENS 201 – Further Analysis by Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D202 (Hilton) |
A more detailed and technical follow–up to the basic "SENS 101" talk. | |
| 8:30pm – 9:30pm Strange and Unusual Research Strikes Back – The Talk by Jason Schneiderman, Ph.D202 (Hilton) |
A humorous look at the previous year's weirdest scientific studies. Inspired by the IgNobel Prizes and the Annals of Improbable Research. | |
| 10:00pm – 11:00pm Strange and Unusual Research Strikes Back – The Workshop by Robert Pyatt, Ph.D202 (Hilton) |
Audience participation in critically analyzing some of the previously discussed weird studies and recreating the associated experiments. | |
| Monday 09-06-2010 | Return to top | ||
| 10:00am – 11:00am Ham Radio 201 by The Atlanta Radio Club202 (Hilton) |
A deeper look at the technologies, services and uses of amateur radio today, plus info on how to get involved. | |
| 11:30am – 12:30pm Ancient Innovations and Technology – What You Didn't Learn in School? by Richard Jakiel202 (Hilton) |
A look at some of the surprisingly advanced sciences and technologies of earlier civilizations. | |
| 1:00pm – 2:00pm Genetic Diseases and Genetic Screening by Robert Pyatt, Ph.D202 (Hilton) |
Fact vs fiction, the technologies involved, current uses and abuses. How plausible are Gattaca and Brave New World? | |
| 2:30pm – 3:30pm Evolution by Leaps and Bounds by William Swingly202 (Hilton) |
Covering major evolutionary steps in the past and future of life on Earth, including prospects for artificial and extraterrestrial evolution. | |
| 4:00pm – 5:00pm Transhumanist Open Discussion by Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D,202 (Hilton) |
Better living through technology? The directed evolution and transformation of the human race via emerging technologies – pros and cons. | |
Space Track 2010 Schedule
Science Track 2010 Schedule
Space Track 2009 Schedule
Science Track 2009 Schedule
Space Track 2008 Schedule
Science Track 2008 Schedule
Space Room 2007 Schedule
Science Room 2007 Schedule
Space & Science 2006 Schedule
Space & Science 2005 Schedule
Space & Science 2004 Schedule
Space & Science 2003 Schedule