Seminar: Adaptability, Thinking, and Inclusion - A not so random walk

Speaker: Patricia Rankin, Arizona State University

Location: Zoom link and password provided in CBB list email or contact Joan Curtiss for access information.

Description: "Physicists at heart are problem solvers. This talk starts by describing how even apparently straightforward problems like a precision measurement of the mass and width of the Z⁰ become more complex when you need to adjust to changing expectations. Success in physics (and related fields) often requires the flexibility to use a variety of problem-solving techniques not traditionally taught as part of the physics curriculum. I will discuss a more general framework for thinking about the types of problems we encounter and ways to approach them. This framework and the need for us to work on grand challenge problems such as climate change motivates the final part of my talk, which will discuss why we need to recruit, educate, and retain physicists from a broad demographic."