ESP Biography

We know that batteries can store electricity, but how do they actually do that? Why are there different types of batteries, what makes them better than others, and how do they work? Join us for this workshop to learn about the chemistry and material design of batteries! With batteries powering everything from phones to electric cars to the electrical grid, you'll get to build your own batteries and learn about the design choices we make for real applications, like starting an engine, lighting a flashlight, or even powering an airplane.

Batteries are critical energy storage devices for the deployment of many modern technologies—from an old iPod to an electric truck, all the way to enormous grid-scale energy storage facilities. Our understanding of the fundamentals of electrical energy storage is owed to two Italian scientists, Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta, whose discoveries in the late 1700’s led to the development of the world’s first electric pile. To follow in their footsteps, we will be creating our own electric piles using common household items and implementing them to power small devices. In this workshop, we’ll learn about a contentious historical scientific debate, the electrochemical principles behind the operation of batteries, and how the original Galvanic (or Voltaic!) cell led to the modern batteries that follow us everywhere.

This class follows the universe from its earliest moments through the formation of particles, atoms, and galaxies, and shows how its evolution can be understood quantitatively using only Newtonian physics. Time permitting, we will also consider how General Relativity modifies the picture!

In this class we will discuss the implications of Einstein's postulates, and see how two basic assumptions created an entirely new way of looking at the world. We will also use these postulates to derive the concepts of time dilation and length contraction.

In this class we will discuss the implications of Einstein's postulates, and see how two basic assumptions created an entirely new way of looking at the world. We will also use these postulates to derive the concepts of time dilation and length contraction.

During this class, you'll delve into cutting-edge and breakthrough methods of energy generation, uncovering the latest innovations that are shaping the future of power. We'll also explore the pivotal role of heat storage technologies, examining their transformative potential in revolutionizing renewable energy systems. From harnessing next-generation energy sources to addressing the global energy crisis, this course offers a fascinating journey into the promising future of sustainable energy solutions.

What is quantum mechanics anyway, and how do we think of it, and use it? This course goes over the fundamentals of quantum mechanics including the derivation of wave-particle duality for light and matter through the photoelectric effect, discussion of spin, and an introduction to the rules of quantum mechanics.

In this class we will discuss the implications of Einstein's postulates, and see how two basic assumptions created an entirely new way of looking at the world. We will also use these postulates to derive the concepts of time dilation and length contraction.

What is quantum mechanics anyway, and do we think of it, and use it? This course goes over the fundamentals of quantum mechanics including the derivation of wave-particle duality for light and matter through the photoelectric effect, discussion of spin, and an introduction to the rules of quantum mechanics.