What The Future Holds

Research ShowCASE 2010

When non-scientific types of people hear the word “research,” they roll their eyes and shrug their shoulders. They think of research as mathematical formulas, advanced computer programs, and sterilized laboratories – way beyond their reach. Not so with the upcoming Research ShowCASE event taking place at Case Western Reserve University, Veale Convocation Center, on Thu 4/15, from 8AM – 3PM.

Free and open to the public, the Research ShowCASE exhibition provides fascinating visual displays, demonstrations, hands-on simulations, multi-media presentations, expert panel forums, and opportunities to directly question the research teams. This collaboration of academicians, graduate-level and post-doc researchers, and medical personnel from Northeast Ohio’s universities and hospitals shows us cutting edge advances and what the future holds in store.

Of particular interest this year, Darin Croft, assistant professor, Case Department of Anatomy, will display an exhibit from his studies of 40 million to 10-million-year-old fossils of ancient mammals from South America. “Studying fossils,” said Croft, “is important. We find common themes that help us to conserve species and environments today. By studying the past from the perspectives of the fossils, we can make better predictions about the future.”

Iwan Alexander, professor, Case Department of Engineering, is the faculty director of the Great Lakes Energy Institute, a 2-year old university initiative pursuing energy research. “A panel of experts will present Advancing Energy Research and Education for a Better World from 8am -10am at Research ShowCASE,” said Alexander. “Case researchers are focusing on the renewable energy sector including wind turbine power, energy storage, and the next generation of materials to create solar photovoltaics,” he added.

Latisha James, director for the Center for Community Partnerships, described the upcoming panel discussion about the CWRU health research conducted with Cleveland Metropolitan School District as significant work benefitting the students. “The Cleveland school district is our number one community partner,” she said. “We offer a number of health care programs there for the children like Healthy Smiles, blood pressure screenings, smoking prevention, mental health evaluations, and research into how home foreclosures affect the young students,” James added. This community health forum, 12 noon – 2pm, will start with a Welcome by CWRU President Barbara Snyder, and will be moderated by WKYC evening anchor and senior health correspondent Monica Robins.

Jared Bendis, Creative Director of New Media at the Kelvin Smith Library Freedman Center, has an exciting exhibit for the art history buffs. He visited Dijon, France, and digitally photographed the Mourners Medieval Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy (presently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art). They are 16-inch alabaster grieving figures, almost 40 figures in all, which were completely restored in 2005. You can now see these mourners from every possible angle, almost like seeing them in person, from directly overhead to behind. You can see them from 360′ around and also from a 45′ angle. You can see the lines and pores of the skin, the alabaster, and the intricate wrinkles of the cloth cloaks. Not only is this artwork quite remarkable, but so is this effective use of technology.

Visit https://ora.ra.cwru.edu/showcase/index.cfm for more information about this year’s Research ShowCASE and a schedule of panel presentations and events.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Susan Schaul, who says the act of writing is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. The challenge lies in getting the pieces to fit together and make sense.

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