U of G Hosts Talk by Popular Chemist
May 17, 2011 - News Release
Known for demystifying science for the public, chemistry guru Joe Schwarcz will speak at the University of Guelph’s War Memorial Hall May 20 at noon as part of the International Year of Chemistry (IYC).
The bestselling author and McGill University professor will discuss “Chemistry in the Crosshairs: Better Living Through Chemistry.” His talk is free and open to the public.
"Dr. Joe" is giving public talks across Canada during the 2011 IYC.
“Dr. Joe is well-known for his informative and entertaining public lectures,” said Bonnie Lasby, recruitment officer in the College of Physical and Engineering Science. “We are holding this event to help promote chemistry. Many people have a bad impression of chemistry and don’t see it as an attractive career choice. We are trying to show that great things have been discovered through chemistry and that this area of study will continue to play an important role in solving scientific mysteries and improving life.”
Schwarcz teaches chemistry at McGill and is the director of the university’s Office for Science and Society. His lecture topics range from the chemistry of love to the science of aging. Using stage magic to make scientific points is one of his specialties.
He hosts the Dr. Joe Show, a weekly radio show airing in Montreal and Toronto, and writes a weekly column called The Right Chemistry for the Montreal Gazette. He has made hundreds of television appearances as a chemistry expert on the Discovery Channel, CTV, CBC, TVOntario and Global Television. He also hosted Science to Go, a Discovery Channel series on common foods.
Schwarcz has written a number of bestselling books, including Radar, Hula Hoops and Playful Pigs, The Genie in the Bottle and That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles.
His teaching and science promotion have earned him numerous awards, including the American Chemical Society’s Grady-Stack Award for interpreting chemistry for the public. Other honours include the McNeil Medal from the Royal Society of Canada, the Royal Canadian Institute’s Sandford Fleming Medal, the Purvis Award from the Society of Chemical Industry and the Chemical Institute of Canada’s Montreal Medal. Schwarcz has an honorary doctorate from Athabasca University.
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53338, lhunt@uoguelph.ca, or Deirdre Healey, Ext. 56982, dhealey@uoguelph.ca.
