Yale Bulletin and Calendar

October 20, 2006|Volume 35, Number 7

Visiting on Campus

Nobel Prize winner to speak on 'supramolecular chemistry'

Jean-Marie Lehn, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, will speak on campus on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 23 and 24.

"Perspectives in Supramolecular Chemistry: From Molecular Recognition towards Self-Recognition" is the title of Lehn's talk on Monday, which will take place at 4 p.m. in Rm. 110, Sterling Chemistry Laboratory (SCL), 225 Prospect St. On Wednesday, he will discuss "From Supramolecular Chemistry to Constitutional Dynamic Chemistry" at 10:30 a.m. in Rm. 160, SCL. Both lectures are free and open to the public.

A professor at the Collège de France in Paris since 1979, Lehn shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1987 for his studies on the chemical basis of "molecular recognition" (i.e., the way in which a receptor molecule recognizes and selectively binds a substrate), which also plays a fundamental role in biological processes.

Over the years Lehn's work led to the definition of a new field of chemistry that he termed "supramolecular chemistry." This field deals with the complex entities formed by the association of two or more chemical species held together by non-covalent intermolecular forces. From this work emerged the concept of "constitutional dynamic chemistry," an approach that has impact on areas of research from drug discovery to materials science, to nanotechnology.

According to Lehn, "From molecular recognition, to self organization, to programmed chemical systems, supramolecular chemistry progressively leads up the ladder of complexity and opens new horizons for chemistry towards a science of informed, organized, complex matter."

Rosenthal Lecture will focus on 'quantum measurement'

The 33rd annual Hanan Rosenthal Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Anton Zeilinger, University of Vienna, on Monday, Oct. 23.

"Quantum Measurement: A Problem Becoming a Resource" is the title of Zeilinger's talk, which will be held at 4 p.m. in Rm. 59, Sloane Physics Laboratory (SPL), 217 Prospect St. Tea will be served at 3:30 p.m. in the SPL lounge. The talk was originally scheduled for Oct. 16. Sponsored by the Department of Physics, it is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.yale.edu/physics/news/Rosenthal_Lecture/516715_z.pdf.

Zeilinger is a professor in the physics department at the University of Vienna and at the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

Zeilinger's work on the foundations of quantum physics has led both to concepts for a novel quantum information technology and to a new understanding of fundamental issues in the interpretation of quantum mechanics. His group's achievements include quantum teleportation, entangled-state quantum cryptography, the first experimental realization of a one-way quantum computer and the world record for the largest molecules for which quantum interference has been shown.

Among his distinctions are the German Order Pour le Mérite, the King Faisal International Prize in Science and the Sartorius Prize from the Academy of Sciences in Göttingen.

John W. Hall Lecturer will discuss modern Tokyo

James L. McClain, professor and chair of history at Brown University, will give the 8th annual John W. Hall Lecture in Japanese Studies on Wednesday, Oct. 25.

McClain's talk, titled "Tokyo Modern: Some Preliminary Thoughts on the Significance of the Middle Class in the 20th Century," will begin at 5 p.m. in the Luce Hall auditorium, 34 Hillhouse Ave. A reception will follow in the second floor common room. The talk, sponsored by the Council on East Asian Studies, is open to the public free of charge.

McClain, who received his Ph.D. in history from Yale, has taught the history of early modern Japan at Brown for nearly a quarter century and is the author of the award-winning book "Kanazawa: A Castle Town in Seventeenth-Century Japan." His more recent publications include "Japan: a Modern History." He is also the co-editor of two volumes on the Japanese cities, Edo and Osaka.

McClain's research has won support over the years from the Japan Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

He currently is researching a book to be titled "Tokyo Modern: The Dominance of the Middle-Class in 20th-Century Japan."

Scholar of Jewish mysticism will give Rosenzweig Lectures

Arthur Green, the Irving Brudnick Professor of Jewish Theology and Mysticism at Hebrew College, will present the Franz Rosenzweig Lectures on the theme "A Jewish Mystical Theology for Today" on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, Oct. 29 and 30 and Nov. 1.

Green will give the first lecture, titled "God: An Evolutionist Approach," on Sunday at 4 p.m. He will discuss "Torah: Word Out of Silence" on Monday at 7:30 p.m. and "Israel? Still Wrestling with the Angels" on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The lectures, which are free and open to the public, will take place at Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale, 80 Wall St. Presented by the Program in Judaic Studies, the lectures are co-sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies, the Divinity School and Slifka Center.

Recognized as one of the preeminent authorities on Jewish spirituality, mysticism and Hasidism, Green was named the rector of Hebrew College's trans-denominational rabbinical program in 2003 when it was first established. He is also professor emeritus of Near Eastern and Judaic studies at Brandeis University.

Green founded the Havurat Shalom in Somerville, Massachusetts, an alternative Jewish community, after his ordination as a Conservative rabbi in 1967. He later taught at the University of Pennsylvania and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, where he served as dean and president from 1984 to 1993.

His books include "A Guide to the Zohar," "Seek My Face: A Jewish Mystical Theology" and "Ehyeh: A Kabbalah for Tomorrow."

'Russia and the world stage' will be examined in ISS talk

On Wednesday, Oct. 25, International Security Studies will host a visit by Angela Stent, professor of government and director of the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown School of Foreign Service.

Stent will speak on "Russia on the World Stage: Energy, Eurasia and U.S.-Russian Relations" at 4 p.m. in Rm. 128, Sterling Law Buildings, 127 Wall St. The talk is free and open to the public.

From 1999 to 2001, Stent served on the policy planning staff of the U.S. Department of State, where she dealt with Russian and Central European affairs. She is a specialist on Soviet and post-Soviet foreign policy, focusing on Europe and the Russian-German relationship. She has also published works on East-West technology transfer.

Stent's numerous publications include "Russia and Germany Reborn: Unification, the Soviet Collapse and the New Europe," "From Embargo to Ostpolitik: The Political Economy of West German-Soviet Relations, 1955-1980," and "Technology Transfer to the Soviet Union: A Challenge for the Cohesiveness of the Western Alliance."

A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Stent has been a consultant to the State Department, to the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, and is a senior associate of Cambridge Energy Research Associates (and contributed to their publication "Russia 2010").

T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S

Grant to aid creation of 'smart' nanodevices to deliver vaccines

Immunologist elected to Institute of Medicine

Former musician has found new passion in scientific research

Program to raise students' awareness of importance of academic integrity

Parents' Weekend Schedule

New center to support chemistry research aimed at fighting cancer

University names two new assistant chaplains . . .

Event honors recently retired plant biologist

Yale's Equal Opportunity Statement amended to protect gender identity

Yale Rep to stage alumna's comedy 'The Mistakes Madeline Made'

Show features homes that come with 'Some Assembly Required'

Beinecke Library exhibit focuses on the Little Review . . .

Yale Opera singers will stage annual program of opera scenes

Panelists will discuss their views on religion in public life

Program to improve physician training marks 30th year

International conference will explore . . . genome-wide studies

Symposium to explore impact of 'Bayesian Invasion' on phylogenetic biology

Youngsters to tackle scientific challenges at Yale Physics Olympics

Campus Notes