Upcoming BHSU Geek Speak to explain the forces in the universe

Dr. Parthasarathi Nag, professor of mathematics at BHSU, will explain the fundamentals of nature through various field theories, possibly originating from Superstring theory -- the latest candidate for the theory of everything, in the upcoming Geek Speak lecture "Supersymmetry, Superstrings and the quest for the Theory of Everything." The discussion will take place Thursday, Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. in Jonas Hall, room 110. The event is free and open to the public.

The Black Hills State University Geek Speak lecture Thursday, Nov. 17 will explain the fundamentals of nature through various field theories, possibly originating from Superstring theory -- the latest candidate for the theory of everything.

Dr. Parthasarathi Nag, professor of mathematics at BHSU, will present "Supersymmetry, Superstrings and the quest for the Theory of Everything" Thursday, Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. in Jonas Hall, room 110. The event is free and open to the public.

Nag's presentation will focus on the Superstring theory, which is thought to be the best candidate for the theory of everything. Theory of everything is a hypothetical master theory that will provide a coherent theoretical framework of physics, fully explaining all physical aspects of the universe.

"We are essentially trying to understand the fundamentals by asking deep philosophical questions -- what we are made of, who we are, and why we exist," says Nag.

Superstring theory, a shorthand for supersymmetric string theory, encompasses particles that have not yet been observed, according to Nag.

"These super particles could be a part of dark matter, and the development of advanced technology is needed to detect these elusive particles," says Nag.

Scientists at the Sanford Lab, located in the Black Hills, added Nag, are currently looking for the correlation between these particles and dark matter.

"People are hoping that this theory is the best description of Einstein's dream of the unified theory, the theory of everything," says Nag.

After the presentation, Nag hopes the audience will have a better idea about the fundamentals of nature, and the mysteries that are still being solved.

The Geek Speak lecture series, sponsored by the BHSU University Honors program, features academic discussion and topics not normally discussed in the traditional classroom. The goal of the weekly lectures is to expose students to diversity within the disciplines.

For more information, contact Dr. Courtney Huse Wika, director of the University Honors Program and assistant professor of English, at 605-642-6918 or email Courtney.HuseWika@BHSU.edu.

In addition to the on-campus presentations, some Geek Speaks will also be presented at the Jacket Zone store in downtown Spearfish. The following on-campus Geek Speak presentations, which are held Thursdays at 4 p.m. in Jonas Hall, room 110, are scheduled for this semester:

Dec. 1, The University Honors Student Capstone Defense by Karin Humar, business administration-marketing major from Slope, Slovenia. Humar will graduate Dec. 10 as International University Scholar.