Prof. Don Dingwell – From experimental geoscience to lunar geoengineering

We are thrilled to announce the next Interdisciplinary Scientific Seminar, where we will have the extraordinary honor of hosting Professor Don Dingwell, the President ad interim of Academia Europaea!

Professor Don Dingwell is a world-renowned authority in mineralogy and petrology, whose groundbreaking research has shaped our understanding of geological processes. His lecture, titled “From Experimental Geoscience to Lunar Geoengineering”, promises to take us on an intellectual journey from Earth’s depths to the vastness of space! 

Abstract:

The high temperature manipulation of molten and semi-molten silicate systems is the basis for several industries as well as an active area of the so-called “experimental geosciences” where we try to understand the inner workings of the Earth and terrestrial planets. Considerable expertise has been built up over decades in rheology, equation of state, surface properties, strength and fragmentation.

Now we stand on the threshold of a new challenge – the engineering of the lunar, and eventually, the Martian surface. Tremendous multiple research goals await us including the generation of water, oxygen, 3He and structural building materials on the moon, all using local materials. The expertise from decades of high temperature manipulation of melted rocks in order to understand volcanoes is a near-ideal preparation for this task. I will try to explain where we stand in this exciting area.

Details:

Location: Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Building D-20, 8 Janiszewskiego Street
Date: Monday, March 17th, starting at 1:15 PM

Additionally, on this special occasion, the lecture will also be available for live streaming here:

The Interdisciplinary Scientific Seminar  is a series aimed at a wide audience – students, doctoral candidates, researchers, and anyone interested in expanding their knowledge. Wrocław University of Science and Technology regularly hosts experts from various fields who are eager to share the results of their research.

ISN attendees have had the opportunity to listen to, among others, the 2023 Nobel Prize laureate in physics – Prof. Ferenc Krausz, renowned architect and urban planner – Prof. Kees Christiaanse from ETH Zurich, world-famous cognitive science expert Prof. Peter Gärdenfors from Lund University, Prof. Szymon Malinowski – Chair of the Polish Academy of Sciences’ Climate Crisis Committee, as well as Finnish researcher Prof. Tomi Kauppinen from Aalto University, Dr. Karolina Ćwiek-Rogalska from the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the creator of the psychological theory of implementation intentions Prof. Peter Gollwitzer from New York University, and Prof. Stephen Evans – Director of Research in Sustainable Development at the University of Cambridge.