POTSDAM – Clarkson University is set to relaunch its popular Science Café series this fall in downtown Potsdam, offering a platform for researchers to engage with community members on various scientific topics including childhood development, virtual reality, mathematics, and astronomy.
The free discussions will take place at 7:15 p.m. in the Potsdam Civic Center Community Room, located at 2 Park St. The series aims to make scientific research accessible and foster informal conversations between experts and the public.
Fall 2026 Science Café Schedule
The upcoming schedule for the Science Café includes a variety of engaging talks:
- October 28 — “How Bedtime Routines Help Build Children’s Emotional Resilience.” Ying Zhang, an assistant professor of psychology at Clarkson, will discuss the impact of bedtime routines on children’s emotional health. Zhang will address how family stress, parenting experiences, and bedtime rituals interplay to influence emotional regulation and behavior, while providing research-backed strategies for families to enhance their children’s resilience and development.
- November 4 — “What Does Your VR Headset Know About You?” Shafique Chaudhry, an associate professor in Clarkson’s David D. Reh School of Business, will explore the hidden data generated by user movements in virtual reality. This talk will delve into how artificial intelligence can analyze VR behavior to differentiate users, assess familiarity with tasks, identify signs of fatigue, and potentially aid in rehabilitation and physical therapy.
- November 18 — “Mathematical Illustration, Experimentation, and Exploration.” Gabriel Dorfsman-Hopkins, an assistant professor at St. Lawrence University, will showcase how illustration can serve mathematical research and communication. The discussion will highlight techniques such as computer graphics, sculpture, digital fabrication, and fiber arts, and will explore how creative projects can lead to mathematical discoveries and art installations.
- December 2 — “Starlight Detectives: How Astronomers Actually Decode the Universe.” Benjamin Roulston from Clarkson’s Department of Physics will provide insights into modern astronomy tools. Participants will learn about telescopes, spectroscopy, and methods used by astronomers to detect planets and study the cosmos. The discussion will also focus on the increasing reliance of astronomy on coding and large datasets to identify noteworthy objects among billions of stars.
All talks in the Fall 2026 Science Café series are free and open to the public, encouraging participation from all interested community members.
