POTSDAM — “A Bioengineer Goes to Capitol Hill” will be presented by Clarkson University Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering Professor Laurel Kuxhaus at the next Clarkson University Science Café at 7:15 p.m on Wednesday, Jan. 27.

Policies set by our federal government affect our lives every day, from the roads we use to the air we breathe. Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes in Congress? In today’s rapidly changing world, how do our elected officials gather the information and evidence needed to guide policy decisions on issues ranging from climate change to artificial intelligence? How do scientists and engineers, who seek to use scientific knowledge to address societal issues, play a role in this process? Professor Kuxhaus will share her experiences working as the 2018-19 American Society of Mechanical Engineers Congressional Fellow in Bioengineering and demonstrate how engineers can help shape science and technology policy.

Traditionally, Science Cafés have brought together local university and college professors and townspeople in relaxed, informal settings, such as coffeehouses and pubs. For the health and safety of all, we have shifted to ZOOM, a virtual platform for the spring 2021 talks. The speaker will make a short presentation about a topic in his or her field and, as always, there will be plenty of time for questions and discussion.

Zoom meeting links for each talk (required to access the meeting) will be sent to all Science Café participants who shared their email addresses.

To attend, send a request or any questions to ScienceCafe@Clarkson.edu or visit http://www.clarkson.edu/sciencecafe for updates.