Please visit our main calendar to find appropriate events across the sciences. If you have an event to share with the CIS, please contact Anika (adane@wesleyan.edu).

This Week's Seminars: 

Animal Studies Seminar: Karen S. Emmerman

Wednesday, October 21, 12:00pm, Allbritton 311

Defending Animals, Disappointing People: Ethics, Veganism, and the Relationships That Matter

Biology and MB&B Seminar: Alex Aksenov, University of Connecticut

Wednesday, October 21, 12:15pm, Casper A102

The Dark Side of the Molecular Universe

Host: Fisher

Physics Colloquia: W. Benjamin Rogers, Brandeis University

Thursday, October 22, 11:50am, Exley 058

Teaching Nanostructures to Build Themselves

NSM Luncheon: Timothy Ku, E&ES

Friday, October 23, 12:00m, Woodhead Lounge

Beyond Blue Carbon: Tracing the Sources and Fate of Organic Matter in Sediments

Pizza and drinks will be available starting at 11:50 am. We look forward to seeing you there!

This Week's Events: 

NSM Graduate Student Poster Session

  • Mon, Oct 19 from 3:30pm-5pm in Casper 3rd Floor Atrium

Please join Wesleyan’s Bailey College of the Environment for the 2nd Justice Lab workshop with community organizer Ala Ochumare this Tuesday 10/20 from 5-7:30 PM in Allbritton 311 (222 Church St. Middletown)! Free and open to the public. Dinner included. 

Rooted & Responsible

Tuesday, October 20 | 5 - 7:30 PM | Allbritton 311

Learn what anti-racist sustainability in environmental initiatives looks like day-to-day. Build confidence in interrupting harm, navigating conflict, and showing up responsibly on campus, in the community, and in your future roles.

Daily Practice • Responsibility • Anti-Racist Action

Free and open to the public. Dinner will be served.

Chemistry Open House

Wednesday, October 21, 12:15pm, Casper A201

Learn about the Chemistry major and minor!

Goldwater Scholarship Info Session and Q&A

Wednesday October 21 at 12:15-1:15pm in Fisk 201 (register on WesNest )
The Goldwater Scholarship is a scholarship and national award for sophomores and juniors who plan to pursue a research career in STEM. Each year Wesleyan can nominate 4 students (sophomores or juniors) for the Goldwater Scholarship (transfer students and veterans can be nominated in excess of this limit). In order to be considered for the nomination, you must meet the Goldwater eligibility requirements and submit an application for Wesleyan’s campus deadline on November 16, 2026.
Wesleyan's Office of Fellowships will be offering an information session on the Goldwater Scholarship on Wednesday October 21 at 12:15-1:15pm in Fisk Hall, Room 201, the Global Studies Center. It is strongly suggested that all students interested in applying attend the information session. Please register on WesNest to help us get a head count for ordering lunch.
The steps you need to take and resources available to you as you compile your application will be covered at the event. If you are interested in applying, one step you can take before then is to complete the online interest form via the Goldwater Scholarship website. This is the first step to gain access to the official online application.

Space Night at the Observatory

Learn about what's up in the night sky at Space Nights, beginning with a half-hour interactive presentation by department students and/or faculty on space news or recent astronomy discoveries, followed by observing through telescopes when it's clear. Events are aimed at high school level and above, but all visitors are welcome. Registration is not required. Events take place during the academic year on Wednesdays at 8 p.m.

Fall 2026 Schedule: September 16th, 23rd, & 30th; October 7th, 14th, 21st, & 28th; November 11th & 18th; and December 2nd & 9th. 

Math and Computer Science Open House

Thursday, October 22, 12:00pm, Woodhead Lounge

Learn about the Math & Compuer Science department and majors!

The Center for the Arts warmly invites you to…

Creativity and Critique in the Age of AI

A lecture and Q&A
with Professor Christoph Lindner
President of the Royal College of Art
October 22, 4:30pm – 6 pm
Ring Family Performing Arts Hall
Free and Open to the public
Drawing on experimental case studies in art and design—ranging from intelligent fashion and drone aesthetics to rewilding data and sonic farming—Professor Lindner posits that critical thinking not as a resistance to AI but instead as a way to enhance creative potential while contending with AI’s ethical, environmental, and cognitive implications.
Professor Lindner is spending the day visiting Wesleyan to learn about our arts departments and programs. He is particularly excited to meet as many of our students, faculty, and staff as might be interested — so we hope this lecture serves as an invitation to robust and engaging conversation.

 

What You’ll Learn

How NASA scientists study black holes, neutron stars, and the high-energy universe through X-ray astronomy

How the upcoming LISA mission, scheduled for launch in 2035, will detect gravitational waves and open an entirely new window into the cosmos

What it’s like to contribute to international space missions and cutting-edge astrophysics research

How a student from rural southern Ohio navigated college, graduate school, internships, and professional opportunities to build a successful 22-year career at NASA Goddard

Thoughts for students interested in research, graduate school, and careers in aerospace, science, and engineering

Perfect For Students Interested In:

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Physics
  • Mathematics
  • Aerospace
  • Research Careers
  • Space Exploration

There will also be a live Q&A, so bring your questions about research, careers, internships, graduate school, and working at NASA.

October 23, 2026

 Free to participate

Register here: https://forms.gle/Nov1bSnkMBgZnByM7

Whether you’re interested in research, space science, engineering, or simply figuring out your next career step, Dr. Hornschemeier Cardiff’s story demonstrates how curiosity, persistence, and a passion for discovery can lead to incredible opportunities.

 

  • Additional Seminars of Interest

    NSM Departmental Seminar Series

  • Workshops
    The fall schedule will be available soon.
  • Other Events

    Please visit our main calendar to find appropriate events across the sciences. If you have an event to share with the CIS, please contact Anika (adane@wesleyan.edu).

    Please note: FLXS has multiple sessions with different specialties. Click the Handshake link to learn more.

     

    Event

    Future Leaders in Surgery Symposium (FLXS)

    Sep 19th - October 31, 2026 • 9:00 am - 3:30 pm EDT

     

    Hello!

    I wanted to invite you to our next webinar, featuring Pfizer's Edward Broughton, Senior Director, Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research.

    In 45 minutes Ted will dash through drug development from start to finish: discovery, preclinical testing, the three phases of clinical trials, regulatory and reimbursement approval, and what happens after a drug becomes widely available. Why are new drugs so expensive? Why does research attention flow so unevenly? Obesity draws breakthrough after breakthrough and enormous investment, while antibiotics struggle for viability despite a looming infectious disease crisis.

    Whether you're a medical scientist or otherwise curious about where your medicines come from, you'll leave with a clearer picture of the scientific, economic, and technological forces that drive it all.

    Please join us on Monday, September 14 at 9AM ET by registering here: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/9czertw75o4s

     

    Hope to see you soon,

    Jungwon Byun
    Cofounder @ Elicit

  • Recent Events

     

     

    Join WesWIS MONDAY, Oct. 12, from 12-1 p.m. in Casper B130 to listen to WesWIS's own Steering Committee alumna, Anan Afrida '26, present her talk "From AI Research at MIT to Software Engineering at Apple: Navigating CS Research, Industry, and Graduate School."
    Anan is currently a software engineer at Apple and previously conducted research at MIT. This would be a great opportunity to hear a first-hand account from a Wesleyan graduate how her professional journey developed (and make a wonderful connection)!

    Join the Wesleyan Optical Society for “Building Lulatek,” a guest talk with Daniel Park, Founder & CEO of Lulatek and a fellow Wesleyan student.

    Lulatek is a sleep-technology company developing intelligent sleep wearables. Daniel will discuss the company’s journey from its first product—a premium silk sleep mask—to a smart mask in development that aims to sense the wearer’s sleep state and respond with gentle, precisely timed feedback.

    The conversation will explore how hardware, sensing, and design intersect, including the potential role of optical technologies in capturing physiological signals during sleep. Daniel will also share lessons from building a hardware company as a student and advice for students interested in starting their own ventures.

    Date: Monday, October 12, 2026
    Time: 12:00–1:00 p.m.
    Location: Exley Science Center, Room 201 (Stearns Classroom)

    The talk is open to everyone. Whether you’re interested in optics, engineering, sleep technology, or entrepreneurship, we hope you’ll join us!

    Best,
    Wesleyan Optical Society

    The 36th Leermakers Symposium: Physical-Organic Chemistry in Action

    Please join us for the 36th Peter A. Leermakers Symposium on October 10th in the Casper Life Sciences Building! This wonderful event has not been held in over a decade but is returning this year with a fantastic lineup of speakers! You can register online here or by using the QR code on the poster. Student attendees receive discounted registration, and student poster presenters receive free admission (registration still required).

     

     

    Happy October! It is officially Wesleyan’s Pride Month, and we are so excited to bring back our annual StarGAYzing event.

    Come star gay-ze with us on Friday, October 9th at the Van Vleck Observatory. Check out cool space stuff through a telescope, enjoy treats, mini talks on queer topics in astronomy, a planetarium show, and more. All ages, genders, identities, and majors welcome!  Address: 96 Foss Hill Drive, Middletown, CT

    Event information, including registration link, can be found here.

    Our first research resource fair of the academic year will be held Friday, October 2, 2026, 1:30pm-3:00pm, in the Casper Life Sciences building.

     

    Pfizer Connecticut Pharma/Biotech Lab Open House

    Pfizer's Groton, CT research laboratories are hosting a Career Opportunities in the Pharmaceutical Industry open house on Thursday, September 24th.  They'll be providing lab tours and discussing opportunities in process chemistry, medicinal chemistry, analytical chemistry, material science, and formulation.

    https://www.pfizer.com/groton-connecticut

    If you have an interest in learning about Pfizer's early talent recruiting and what goes on in the largest research laboratory in New England, you should consider attending this on-site event. Scan the QR code below to 

    Questions? Contact Erika Buckle at CTColleagueResourceGroups@pfizer.com for answers.