Cosmic Evolution & the Rise of Complexity in Nature
About The Lois McGlothlin Donaldson Endowed Lecture in Physics
Dr. Eric Chaisson at the University of Memphis
On April 1, 2016, Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Eric Chaisson spoke on "Cosmic Evolution and the Rise of Complexity in Nature" as the inaugural speaker for the Lois McGlothlin Donaldson Endowed Lecture in Physics at the University of Memphis. The talk was free and open to the general public, and was delivered in the University Center Theatre. Learn more about Lois McGlothlin Donaldson and her namesake memorial endowed lecture in physics at https://www.memphis.edu/physics/ (full video of lecture)
April 1, 2016
6:00 pm Reception | 6:30 pm Lecture
University Center Theater
Dr. Eric J. Chaisson, American astrophysicist, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, has multiple appointments, most notably at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He was the keynote speaker in physics at the University of Memphis Einstein Centennial, and returns as the inaugural speaker for this event.
His research addresses an interdisciplinary study of physical, biological, and cultural phenomena, seeking to understand the origin and evolution of galaxies, stars, planets, life, and society. He seeks to create a unifying cosmic-evolutionary worldview of the Universe and our sense of place within it.
His most recent books are Cosmic Evolution: The Rise of Complexity in Nature, and Epic of Evolution: Seven Ages of the Cosmos. His widely used textbooks, Astronomy Today and Universe: A Beginner's Guide, are both now in their 8th editions.
Free and open to the public. Convenient parking in the Zach Curlin parking garage. Flyer