PRINCESS ANNE, MD-(March 3, 2020)-The University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Spring 2020 School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences Seminar Series kicked off February 27 when guest speaker Dr. Aaron Persad, a natural sciences and engineering research postdoctoral associate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, spoke on the topic, “Dynamics of Solid and Liquid in Zero Gravity.”
At MIT, Persad works on the use of 2D materials like graphene as molecular sieves. He is a collaborator with UMES’ Dr. Kausik Das, an associate professor of physics, on zero-gravity projects. Persad is also an entrepreneur who has founded five companies ranging from robotics to space food. He trained as an astronaut and was a finalist in a search by the Canadian Space Agency. Persad’s doctoral degree is on thermodynamics of evaporation from the University of Toronto.
Dr. YuHuang Wang, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, will speak March 12 at 4 p.m. in the Richard A. Henson Center, Room 1116 on the topic, “Light Matters: From Quantum Defects to Heat Gating in a Textile.”
Wang’s research interests include quantum defects, Tube^2, materials and physical chemistry of nanocarbon, collective properties of super nanostructures, nanofabrication, energy science and biomedical technology. His doctorate in chemistry from Rice University in Texas was done under the supervision of 1996 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry Professor Richard Smalley for the discovery of buckyball fullerenes. Wang is currently the doctoral supervisor of UMES SANS alumnus Benjamin Barnes (’17).
UMES alumna Tara Wyman, a laboratory and production manager at Algafeed in Jupiter, Fla., will address seminar attendees on March 26, on “Growing and Using Microalgae as Live Feed for Shellfish and Shrimp Farms.”
Wyman currently works in the aquaculture field using patented photobioreactors with submersible lights and 24/7 multiple parameter controls to grow large volumes of high density microalgae. The algae is then used by hard clam, oyster and shrimp farmers to feed their larval animals, as well as broodstock.
“Our mission is to support the ever-growing need for available and sustainable food sources (especially protein) using natural feed,” Wyman said.
Wyman graduated in May 2015 with a UMES-Salisbury University dual Bachelor of Science degree in environmental science and marine biology.
On April 2, Dr. Naveen Kumar Dixit will explore the topic, “Local Empowerment for Better Tomorrow.” Dixit is an assistant professor of horticulture and Extension specialist at UMES. He splits his time equally between extension and teaching/research. On the extension side, Dixit helps county extension faculty, commodity groups, regulatory agencies and fruit growers find solutions to producer and industry problems on Delmarva. His research focuses on providing statewide leadership on critical issues facing the fruit and vegetable industry on the Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The purpose of the seminar series is to provide a forum for faculty and invited guests to speak on subjects that are relevant to the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences programs. Speakers and topics are selected with the hope of “encouraging excitement, debate and a better understanding of contemporary issues among participants.” It also provides “an informal interdisciplinary setting to exchange ideas and/or generate new ones, and build new or strengthened collaborative partnerships,” said Dr. Moses Kairo, SANS dean.
Gail Stephens, agricultural communications and media associate, School of Agricultural & Natural Sciences, 410-621-3850, gcstephens@umes.edu.
