Topics

Open Interdisciplinary CO₂ Seminar Series

Topics:

1) CO₂ chemistry & the global carbon cycle

May 02, 4-6PM – W20-306 - Mick Follows: History, physical properties, CO₂ in the global carbon cycle (biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere) in terms of pools and fluxes
May 17, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Yuriy Román: Reactions of CO₂, reaction partners, production of CO₂, fuel combustion, detection of CO₂ (instruments & methods), Conversion of CO₂ – methane, H₂CO₃, CO, impact on energy transfer , CO₂ in the air and in water, industrial uses of CO₂ - precursor to chemicals, food, beverages, wine making, inert gas, fire extinguisher, super critical CO₂ as solvent, oil recovery, refrigerant, coal bed methane recovery

2) CO₂ in biological systems

May 23, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Cathy Drennan: CO₂ in photosynthesis, CO₂ respiration, 6 ways of CO₂ fixation (enzymes, regulation)
May 29, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Niall Mangan: Different types of Rubisco, Carbonic anhydrases, carboxysomes, role of synthetic biology in designing CO₂ fixing strains
June 13, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Jeff Way: Regulation of CO₂ metabolism, responses to CO₂, CO₂ sensitivity

3) CO₂ in the atmosphere

June 20, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Richard Lindzen: Testing model sensitivity
June 27, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Howard Herzog: Ways to reduce CO₂ emission, use of CO₂ as syngas, other ways to lower the CO₂ concentration in the air, carbon capture technologies (pre- and post-combustion, oxyfuel, chemical looping)
July 18, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Ruben Juanes: Storage and monitoring (geological, ocean, terrestrial), geologic sequestration of CO₂
July 25, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Richard Zeebe: Effect of CO₂ on the ocean, especially effects of the pH change, changes in ocean carbonate chemistry since the Industrial Revolution, biogeochemical consequences of ocean acidification and feedbacks to the Earth system

4) CO₂ in the oceans

August 01, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Roger Summons: Methane and CO₂ depots, the ocean carbon cycle, interdependence of atmospheric and oceanic CO₂
August 08, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Laurent Bopp: Interactions of ocean acidification with physical climate change
August 22, 5-7PM – 68-181 - Gretchen Hofmann: Acclimation and adaption to ocean acidification: Genomics, physiology, and behavior; ecosystem change and resilience in response to ocean acidification, impacts of ocean acidification on food webs and fisheries
August 29, 5-7PM – 68-181 -- Daniel Rothman: Effect of the disruption of the carbon cycle in the history of earth

5) CO₂ and its impact on politics and economics