Junjie Niu and Prasenjit Guptasarma will each present a show for UWM’s Science Bag series, a live show for older kids and adults that gets into the popular science behind everyday life. In February, Niu, associate professor, materials science & engineering, tackles the topic of energy in his show, “Lithium-Ion Batteries: Making Mobile Magnificent.” In March, don’t miss Guptasarma, associate dean, when he asked the question of the year, “Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe?”
Niu will introduce the principles of how li-ion batteries store electric energy and how to improve the energy density of the battery by designing better parts – the electrode materials and electrolyte. He will answer questions like: How can a battery power your cell phone for a week? How can scientists extend the distance an electric car can travel before it needs to be charged? What happens to the battery’s performance in very cold weather?
Niu’s show runs Fri., Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.; Fri., Feb. 16 at 1 p.m.; and Sun., Feb. 18 at 3 p.m.
In his show, Guptasarma will explore the history, basic principles and potential future directions of AI, which has a real potential of becoming almost human. Since AI has the capacity to learn both the best and the worst of human behavior, how we can we bolster the technology’s beneficial uses and minimize the harmful ones? How might it affect human beings today, and in subsequent generations?
Guptasarma’s show runs on Fri., March 1 at 6 p.m.; Fri., March 8 at 1 p.m.; and Sun., March 10 at 3 p.m.
All shows are free and held in Lapham Hall, 3209 North Maryland Ave., Room N103. See all the details here.