Glass: The Science of a Shape Shifting Solid

The power of glass to assume myriad roles in culture, art, and technology has roots in glass’s fundamental chemistry and physics. These concepts can be taught via analogies to everyday situations that can help the lay public understand the science and to more deeply appreciate its wonders, as well as assist artists to work glass more confidently.  In this lecture, Dr. Cook will describe how, over 35 centuries, we’ve harnessed extreme temperatures to transform humble rocks into masterpieces of color, clarity, and form, and into the high tech devices that surround us.

• What is glass – solid or liquid: what we know now; dispelling myths and misconceptions
• Why does it look “like that” – clear, colored, translucent, opalescent, …
• What does it take to change its shape – the sciences of glass flow and fracture

RSVP not required, but encouraged!