When
light meets matter: implications for health and high technology
with
Tito Scaiano
University of Ottawa
Chemical reactions induced by light are the mainstay of life
on earth and the key to new advances in technology and health,
but they can also cause concern when they lead to problems
such as skin cancer. Our ability to benefit from some light-initiated
processes, and to prevent others, hinges on our understanding
of how light interacts with matter and of the resulting molecular
reactions. Tito Scaiano will discuss recent advances in photochemistry,
including how it is being used to detect DNA damage, verify
food authenticity (when food has been irradiated) and develop
new materials that range from safer sunscreens to higher-capacity
computer chips.
For the last three decades Professor Scaiano has been studying
the kinetics and mechanisms of light-induced chemical reactions.
Internationally renowned for his advances in this field, he
holds the Canada Research Chair in Applied Photochemistry
at the University of Ottawa. In 2002, he was awarded the Gerhard
Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering, Canada's
most prestigious science prize.
Simultaneous translation will be provided.
Sponsors:
--the Speaker of the Senate, the Hon. Daniel Hays
--the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Hon. Peter Milliken
--Partnership Group for Science and Engineering (PAGSE)
--Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Canada (NSERC)
DATE: Thursday, October 28, 2004 from 7:30 am - 9:00 am
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