Rising Up to Meet the Sky: Dangers, Research, and Hopes

As far as one may climb, some will always have the desire to reach for a more distant realm. What place, one might ask, is further from their homes than the grand expanse of space? However, the cosmos is not particularly welcoming to any that leave the doorsteps of their home planets, and dangers lurk about every airlock.

While worries abound about blanket environmental concerns with regards to living in space or on another planet, once voyaging is taken to its logical conclusion, the presence or absence of oxygen and/or water may not be the most concerning factor in space travel. Cosmic radiation is one issue that is showing a rapidly rising level of prominence due to its ceaseless and more complex nature.

There are many major questions that may be asked with regards to these bombardments of particles in space. How may travelers defend against them? Just what dangers do these particles invoke? Join Cioli Barazandeh as she speaks about the work of Dr. Fornace’s investigative team at Georgetown University and his collaborators at Columbia University, University of Texas Southwestern, and NIH. See what answers they are unveiling that put the pieces together a little more every day.

This talk will include both an introduction to particle physics and an explanation of the studies conducted. If time avails, other space-related discussions may be possible to be directed by the interest of the audience.

Audience: High IQ society members and guests, general public, ages 0-125.

What you don't know can't hurt you. Or can it?

Cioli Barazandeh offers an overview of particle physics and an update on the work of scientific investigators at Georgetown University and their collaborators that are seeking to model risk of tumorigenesis from space radiation compared to that where data is available on general exposure. A major goal of NASA’s life-science research is to decrease the dangers of space radiation to enable exploration of space. With this end in mind, Cioli presents the latest data available from the program project to engage others in this mission.

This talk, “Particle bombardments revealed: Skyfall, results, and mitigators,” will include both an introduction to particle physics and an explanation of the studies conducted. If time avails, discussion on other space-related matters may ensue, such as on the curvature of space-time or air-breathing propulsion. If any sneakiness is detected, it will be removed at once. Come participate, learn, and have fun!

Audience: Mensa high IQ society members and guests. General public, ages 0-125.

Cioli Barazandeh will visit Capitol Hill as a member of a team from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) on March 20, 2019. As an Aero/Astro Engineering student from Purdue and AIAA member, she’ll meet with several government officials to talk about Funding Stability and Competitiveness, R&D and Innovation, and Workforce Development and Enhancement in Aero/Astro-related fields, hoping to increase awareness, to impress needs upon lawmakers, to clarify misconceptions, and to answer questions. Her background in many aspects of aerospace science and engineering, including propulsion, dynamics, mechanics, and human health-related studies, makes her uniquely qualified to represent a vast gamut of aerospace-related interests.

On March 27-28, Cioli Barazandeh will join women engineers from the Society of Women Engineers in meeting with federal government officials to press home the imperativeness of having diversity and inclusion in the engineering in order to fuel innovation in STEM. She is prepared to tell her personal story and to answer targeted questions in the hopes of shaping policy and inspiring the provision of more support and funding for engineering, including aerospace science-related projects, and participants, especially from the angle of inclusion.

Particle Pandemonium: Leaving the Angry Planet...To Face the Angry Cosmos

Lots of thought and work are heading towards leaving a planet that is becoming over-populated and uninhabitable, towards leaving the old planet behind in order to learn to survive on a new world. The cosmos is not particularly welcoming to these uninvited guests, though, especially in the mere forms that are known and expected. While there are some blanket environmental concerns with regards to living in space or on another planet, such as the presence or absence of oxygen and/or water, cosmic radiation is an issue that is beginning to show an increasing level of prominence due to its ceaseless and, as of yet, “un-fixable” nature.

There are many major questions that can be asked with regards to the incoming bombardments. How may settlers defend against them? Just what dangers do these particles invoke? Join Cioli as she dives into the research of Dr. Fornace's group at Georgetown University, which aims to answer some of these questions and more, in her session: “First Contact: Imminent Collision in Vivo. Particle Physics and NASA NSCOR project work at Georgetown University.”

Audience:

Mensa high IQ society members and guests. General public, ages 0-125.