More Uncertainty

You may recall the very successful event called “Uncertainty”, back at the end of August. I blogged about it here and here, among other places.

Well it is time for the second one in the series. Recall that it is part of the Provost’s Visions and Voices series, which has been running since August, with a huge program of events of all sorts.

Here are some words about the event:

Uncertainty is woven into the very fabric of the universe, both at the heart of matter, and matters of the heart. Our first program focused on uncertainty in journalism, in theater, in physics, in religion. For the second program, we inject a new set of actors into the mix. Returning to journalism but in a very different context, USC’s Larry Pryor of the Annenberg School will join JPL senior research scientist Moustafa Chahine to investigate how and why journalists failed in their efforts to understand and convey the true nature of uncertainty surrounding the global warming issue. Showing how uncertainty is a central tool in art, composer Veronika Krausas of USC’s Thornton’s School of Music–accompanied by performers–will discuss and illustrate how uncertainty plays an essential role in music, from both the composer’s and listeners’ perspectives. And finally, uncertainty in engineering? You bet. Uncertainty is perhaps the one thing that IS certain, whether one is building a concert hall or a desk. USC alumnus Farzad Naeim, an engineer who played a leading role in the structural engineering of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, will tell us how it works.

This program will take place at the Annenberg School at USC at 7PM on Thursday the 16th November, and is free. Some directions can be found on the USC website here. It is recommended that you enter at gate 6, and apparently, you can follow the yellow “Annenberg Event” signs to the Annenberg building. (I’d make sure to have an idea of where it is beforehand though. Look on the maps.)

-cvj