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Geology in Disaster Movies

Does Hollywood Get it Right?

Presented By:

Abstract:  Hollywood has produced numerous geology-themed disaster movies. Although these movies are generally made to provide entertainment for large audiences; they inadvertently contribute to the audience’s perception of the geological processes and what a scientist is and does. The plots of disaster movies typically contain bits of scientific truth but are unfortunately dominated by outrageous misrepresentations of scientific reality. However, Geoscientists, compared to our colleagues in chemistry or physics, are portrayed favorably as knowledgeable, concerned and generally ethical individuals.

We will analyze and critique scenes from some of Hollywood’s geology-themed movies. We will examine the validity of the scientific concepts presented in the films by comparing them to the scientific reality.

*Bio: Lars Ehm is an Associate Professor at the Department of Geosciences at Stony Brook University, member of the Mineral Physics Institute at Stony Brook and holds a joint appointment with the National Synchrotron Light Source II at Brookhaven National Laboratory. He obtained his Doctoral degree in Natural Sciences in 2003 from Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, in Germany under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Wulf Depmeier, Prof. Dr. Björn Winkler and Dr. Karsten Knorr. Prior to joining the faculty at Department of Geosciences at Stony Brook University, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington (2003-2005) and a Postdoctoral Associate at the Mineral Physics Institute at Stony Brook University (2005-2007).

His research focuses on understanding the structure-property relationships in minerals and Earth materials at extreme environmental conditions. His research is mainly performed at national and international large scale synchrotron facilities, such as the NSLS II in Brookhaven, PETRA III in Germany and the ESRF in France, where he is not only a user of the facilities but a developer of new experimental techniques and instrumentation. The application of his research provides insight into the structure and processes in Earth’s and Planet’s deep interiors.

Buffet Dinner with the Presentation

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*This presentation is not eligible for PDH certification