On Thursday, March 20, at 4 p.m., Andrei Seryi and Elena Seraia will present "From Structured Invention in Accelerators to Memory Mechanisms, a New H.M. Patient, and a Call for Future Nobel Prize Winners" in the CEBAF Center auditorium and via Zoom. Refreshments will be served in the CEBAF Center atrium at 3:30 p.m. before the presentation begins.
Abstract: Can inventiveness in science be cultivated? Are there underlying principles that drive innovation across different scientific and technological fields? Can the evolution of scientific and technical systems be predicted -- and even guided -- to enable groundbreaking discoveries? The answer to all these questions is a resounding "yes," as demonstrated through numerous successful applications of the inventiveness methodology developed by the speakers.
Drawing from their expertise in accelerator physics and genetics, as well as a lifelong personal and professional partnership, the speakers have pioneered a structured approach to scientific creativity. This methodology has been applied to research projects, technology development, and educational programs, culminating in a novel textbook on scientific inventiveness.
However, their journey took an unexpected turn when one of the speakers abruptly lost the ability to form new memories, encountering misdiagnoses before uncovering links to the famous "H.M. Patient," whose case shaped our understanding of memory mechanisms. Recognizing the potential for groundbreaking discoveries in neuroscience, the speakers propose that genetic, molecular and neurological studies of this case could yield transformative insights, which potentially could lead to a Nobel Prize for researchers unravelling the fundamental mechanisms of memory. Furthermore, the speakers believe that identifying and synthesizing a molecular agent capable of restoring memory could earn yet another Nobel Prize for those bold enough to take on the challenge.
In this talk, following the discussion on how the speakers applied their inventive principles and AI assistants to manage the challenges of memory loss, they will explore the intersection of accelerators, the evolution of free-electron lasers and molecular machines, offering bold predictions for the trajectory of science and technology over the next 30 years. This colloquium is not just a discussion of scientific progress; it is the speakers' call to action for the next generation of Nobel Prize-winning innovators.
Biographies: Andrei Seryi is the associate director for accelerator operations and R&D at Jefferson Lab. He previously served as the director of the John Adams Institute and a professor at Oxford University from 2010-2018 after working at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Seryi contributed to the development of linear colliders and plasma acceleration. A fellow of the American Physical Society, his professional interest include the development of accelerator science applications to discovery science, industry, health care and energy; organizing of scientific research; project management; inventions and innovations; and developing novel training approaches and methods.
Until 2018, Elena Seraia worked in the Oxford University medical department in radiation oncology and biology with a focus on developing comprehensive cancer treatments. Previously, she worked at Stanford University's Functional Genomics Facility, which first developed the principle of contact printing oligonucleotide DNA microarrays. Seraia was the key contributor to the first edition of Unifying Physics, creating more than 260 illustrations and contributing to the chapter on the effects of radiation and cancer therapy on DNA.