By its nature, magic cannot have an abstract, but this routine, which comes from a long tradition, was designed in order to share the idea of ‘conservation law’ in physics and mathematics. The magician must never reveal the trick; besides, the spectators would be silly to demand the trick, for it spoils their own enjoyment like reading a detective story from the end. For this exceptional routine, however, revealing the trick is part of the show.
Tadashi Tokieda | 2025 Russell E. Marker Lecturer
Multi-legged animals such as centipedes exhibit remarkable agility across complex terrains, yet their locomotion strategies differ dramatically depending on their developmental mode. In this talk, I will present a comparative framework combining numerical modeling, organismal experiments, and robophysical modeling to explore how locomotor control and body kinematics co-evolve with developmental processes. In doing so, we establish first-principle hypotheses on how locomotion shapes development and, conversely, reveal a new paradigm for co-designing control and morphology in future agile, modular, multi-legged robots.
Baxi Chong | Mechanical Engineering
We have developed a closed-loop neurostimulation framework that synchronizes transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with individual brain rhythms to improve treatment outcomes for depression. By combining real-time EEG phase tracking with fMRI-guided targeting, stimulation is precisely aligned to each person’s neural state, yielding stronger network engagement and more reliable clinical effects. This work illustrates how adaptive control and multimodal sensing can transform neurostimulation into a precision engineering system for psychiatry and beyond.
Xiaoxiao Sun | Biomedical Engineering
The technologies and materials we rely on for clean water are outdated and inefficient. In this presentation, I will focus on emerging challenges in water treatment and the opportunities presented by modern technologies in the water industry. Specifically, I will discuss: (i) thermal regeneration of PFAS-laden granular activated carbons to break the forever PFAS cycle, (ii) application of nanobubbles in water treatment.
Onur Apul | Environmental Engineering
The Millennium Café will return November 4, 2025.
The Millennium Café will return November 4, 2025.