Seminar Series
Upcoming Seminar
The control of sea star locomotion
Dr. Theodora Po, UC Irvine
October 17, 2024
4:00pm-5:00pm via Zoom
Meeting ID: 875 8863 6061
Passcode: 405133
Dr. Po recently started a position as a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Neuroscience at Virginia Tech. During their dissertation at the University of California Irvine, they studied the mechanics that drive the coordination in hundreds of sea star tube feet. What captivates them about this system is that - sea stars, without a brain, somehow coordinate the motion of countless autonomous tube feet. This challenges the conventional view of centralized control and shows that there are effective algorithms capable of both autonomous control and being influenced by overarching processing units. Dr. Po looks forward to conducting research in soft robotics, neuroscience, and biomechanics to further our understanding of the control of animal locomotion and bio-inspired control algorithms.
About the Seminar Series
The Seminar Series is a unique opportunity for students to learn about new developments in biology and what biologists do after they graduate. Hosted by the Department of Biological Sciences at California State University, Long Beach, the weekly meetings invite guests from universities, research laboratories, and industry to present and discuss current topics in biology. All students are encouraged to attend.
Seminar Coordinator
For information and suggestions about our Seminar Series, please contact the seminar coordinator:
Dr. Peter Ramirez
Peter.Ramirez@csulb.edu
Schedule
| Date | Title | Speaker and Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| October 17, 2024 | The control of sea star locomotion | Dr. Theodora Po, UC Irvine |
| October 24, 2024 | (topic: microbial genetics) | Dr. Nick Shikuma, San Diego State University |
| October 31, 2024 | (topic: proteomics) | Dr. David Gonzalez, UC San Diego |
| November 7, 2024 | (topic: biomechanics) | Dr. Jinae Roa, CSU Los Angeles |
| November 14, 2024 | (topic: evolutionary genetics) | Dr. Dustin Hancks, UT Southwestern |
| November 21, 2024 | (topic: bacteriology) | Dr. Amanda Carbajal, Duke University |
| December, 5, 2024 | (topic: parasitology) | Dr. Pascale Guiton, Santa Clara University |
Previous Seminars
| Date | Title | Speaker and Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| October 10, 2024 | Boechera, Why are you so cool? | Dr. Elizabeth Waters, San Diego State University |
| October 3, 2024 | Botany without borders: A tri-national approach to engage students into plant sciences | Dr. Lluvia Flores-Renteria, San Diego State University |
| September 26, 2024 | Joshua Trees and their Pollinators, A Model of Mutualism in Extreme Environments | Dr. Jeremy Yoder, CSU Northridge |
| September 19, 2024 | The Skinny on Fat | Dr. Claudio Villanueva, UCLA |
| September 5, 2024 | Flashy feathers and microscopic mechanisms: how and why are birds colorful? | Dr. Allison Shultz, Natural History Museum |
| August 29, 2024 | Seminar Series Orientation | Dr. Peter Ramirez, CSU Long Beach |
The Seminar Series Archive has topics from previous semesters.
