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The Many Stories of Glass

The Many Stories of Glass

Mario AffatigatoGlass has accompanied humanity since its earliest times. From an origin in which glass was considered akin to jewelry by the ancient Egyptians, it became an everyday object after the invention of glassblowing and its widespread adoption in the Roman Empire. In this three-week forum presented by Fran Allison and Francis Halpin Professor of Physics Mario Affatigato, each presentation will reveal a different facet of glass as well as some of its secrets. The series will explore glass in art and architecture, glass made by nature and by biological organisms, and the surprising ways glass has shaped human history. We will look at the intriguing role of glass vessels and instruments in alchemy, the origin of the fabled glass created on the island of Murano near Venice, and the material’s transformative impact on science through lenses, telescopes, microscopes and laboratory equipment. We will discuss glass in its modern context, where it has found surprising uses in medicine, dentistry, lasers, cell phones and other electronic devices. Week one’s session will focus on the historical origins and development of glass. In week two, we will turn to glass art and the evolution of glass production in the Middle Ages. The final session will highlight the uses and development of glass in science and technology, bringing the story up to the present day and the critical role of glass in today’s world.

Thursday Forum is held in Kesler Auditorium on the first floor of Hickok Hall. Each weekly session begins with registration and refreshments from 8:45-9:15 AM, followed by the lecture until 11:30 AM. The presentations blend lecture, media such as film and music, and discussion.

Admission to each four-week forum series is $40. Admission to individual lectures and each session of two- and three-week forums is $12 per week. Admission includes the lecture and morning refreshments of coffee, tea and pastries. Payment can be made in person on Thursday mornings by cash or personal check. Credit card payments can be processed by registering online in advance at www.coe.edu/why-coe/events/thursday-forum.

In the event of inclement weather, consult local media outlets to find out if the day’s forum will take place.