Barry Bruce, professor in the UT Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, will present “Applied Photosynthesis: Putting Nature to Work,” Friday, April 5.
Nature has developed a remarkably efficient process for harvesting solar energy to drive the process of photosynthesis. On Earth, all life relies on photosynthesis for:
- Energy: either directly (plant growth) or indirectly (the food animals eat)
- All the oxygen animals breathe
- The fossil fuels that advance our societies.
We can convert photosynthetic plants into biofuels for energy, such as ethanol. A small group of scientists, however, have begun to seek a more direct route for energy conversion. This area, termed Applied Photosynthesis, seeks to utilize the natural components of photosynthesis to harvest solar energy and convert it directly into electricity or into hydrogen to serve as a clean fuel.
The UT Science Forum takes place Friday, April 5 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the Thompson-Boling Arena Cafe (located at 1600 Phillip Fulmer Way), Room A.
Guests are encouraged to bring their lunch or purchase it from the arena. Each presentation is followed by a Q&A. The event is free and open to the public.
We have temporary parking passes available for our guests who do not have UT parking passes. An RSVP is required for the pass. To request a pass, please email Amanda Womac.