Science and Nature
Robin Jordan, Ph.D., graduated from the
University of Sheffield, England in 1967 with
B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Physics. After three
years as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Ames
Laboratory, Iowa State University, he joined the
University of Birmingham, England, first in the Centre for
Materials Science and later in the Physics Department. He
joined FAU as a Professor of Physics in 1989. In 1994, he was
selected by the student body as the Distinguished Teacher of
the Year; in 1998, he was selected as the FAU Researcher of the
Year; in 1999, he received an Excellence in Undergraduate
Teaching Award; and in 2003, he was selected as one of the
Master Teachers in the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of
Science. Professor Jordan retired from FAU in 2009 but was
awarded the rank of Emeritus Professor and still teaches parttime.
He lectures frequently to local societies and groups on the
history and philosophy of science and on scientific
misconceptions, and has taught several courses for LLS. He is a
dynamic and enthusiastic lecturer with an engaging style that
appeals to students at all levels.
Student Testimonials
- "Dr. Jordan is an excellent instructor."
- "He has extensive knowledge of his subject matter and his lectures are well-prepared and illustrated."
The Important Discoveries of Some Less Well-known Scientists
There are many scientists whose accomplishments were
revolutionary and of great importance. However, despite their
often colorful and interesting lives, their names and
achievements are much less well known than those of the
“greats,” like Galileo, Newton and Einstein. That is my theme
for these lectures; to bring these individuals, their lives and
their achievements out of the shadows.
Six Lectures
- André-Marie Ampère (1775-1836) - Despite not attending school, Ampère received an excellent
education mainly through self-study. He is most well known
for defining a way to measure electric current but he also made
important contributions in chemistry and mathematics. Living
at the time of the French Revolution, his life was full of tragedy.
- Carl Frederic Gauss (1777-1855) - Gauss is considered by many to be the greatest mathematician
of the 19th century. Born to poor, working-class parents his
genius was recognized at an early age. His discoveries and
writings have left a lasting mark in many areas of mathematics
and physics, particularly in the study of electricity and
magnetism.
- James Prescott Joule (1818-1889) - Joule was the son of a wealthy brewery owner in northern
England. Although he inherited the business, he was more
passionate about physics. Through his extensive research, he
established that different forms of energy — electrical, heat and
mechanical — are intrinsically the same and can be converted
from one form to another, which led to his discovery of the
Law of Conservation of Energy.
- Pierre Curie (1859-1906) - French physicist Pierre Curie was one of the founding fathers
of modern physics and is best known for his contributions to
the study of magnetism and as a pioneer in radioactive studies
with his wife, Marie Curie. He died in tragic circumstances in
1906 after being run over by a horse-drawn carriage in Paris.
- Lise Meitner (1878-1968) - She was an Austrian physicist who worked on radioactivity
and nuclear fission. She and her collaborator, Otto Hahn,
discovered nuclear fission, that is, the splitting of the uranium
nucleus into smaller parts with the release of large amounts of
energy. Despite receiving numerous honors in her lifetime, they
were overshadowed by the fact that the Nobel Prize committee
seemingly ignored her contribution by awarding the 1944 Prize
solely to Hahn.
- Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) - She is best known for her pioneering role in the discovery of
the structure of DNA. At times brusque and combative, she
aroused quite a lot of hostility among her male peers. Without
her knowledge, a colleague showed the results of some of her
studies to James Watson, who was working on his own model
of DNA with Francis Crick. Later, Crick and Watson received a
Nobel Prize, taking most of the credit and barely mentioning
the contributions of Franklin.
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| Course # F6W4 — Full 6 Weeks
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| Place: | Room 151 (Annex), Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Wednesdays, October 19, 26; November 2, 9, 16, 30 2016 |
| Time: | 2:15 - 3:45 PM |
| Fee: | $51 / member; $76 / non-member |
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| Course # F4W5 — Last 4 Weeks
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| Place: | Room 151 (Annex), Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Wednesdays, November 2, 9, 16, 30 2016 |
| Time: | 2:15 - 3:45 PM |
| Fee: | $34 / member; $54 / non-member |
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