“Busting Myths about Stress and Memory: Evidence from Behavioral Studies and Neurocognitive Networks" by Dr. Amy Smith

Fall Seminar: “Busting Myths about Stress and Memory: Evidence from Behavioral Studies and Neurocognitive Networks"

• Friday 1pm October 2nd 1pm
• Buckman Theater 
• Dr. Amy Smith, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
• Amy Smith is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. Before joining QU, Amy earned her B.A. in Psychology and Mathematics at SUNY Potsdam and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology at Tufts University. At QU, Amy teaches classes on cognition and statistics and runs a research lab investigating the effects of psychological stress on memory and problem-solving.
• We all rely on our memory in stressful situations, such as when we have to give a high-pressure presentation in front of our peers. The results of over two dozen experiments have suggested that, in these stressful moments, our memory is impaired. By taking a closer look at the nature of the memories that are impaired by stress, my research has begun to show a different pattern of results: stress does not universally impair memory. Rather, stress may impair memory for information that is not well-learned, but can actually enhance memory for information that is well-learned. In this talk, I will discuss both the behavioral findings from my research and the neural mechanisms involved in stress and memory that support this emerging theory.

Latest Research on Stem Cells April 22th

Spring Seminar: Latest Research on Stem Cells

• Distinguished Lecturer, April 22th                                             
• Mt Carmel Auditorium 
• (Sir) Dr. Christopher Lange, Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• Latest Research on Stem Cells
• Prof. Lange’s entire career has dealt with understanding the mechanisms of how ionizing radiations affect molecules (especially DNA and the induction and repair of double strand breaks), how the kinetics of those changes affect cell survival and how changes in cell survival determine the survival of tissues, organisms, and tumors. This has led to many seminal works, often more than a decade ahead of the field. These studies have also shown the importance of radiation research in many other fields of science (physiology, cell biology, structural biology, genetics, biophysics, polymer physical chemistry, etc.) and medicine (radiation oncology, sonography, etc.). With a National Cancer Institute Research Career Development Award (1972-77), Lange showed that double-strand breaks (DSBs) in the DNA double helix are reparable in mammalian cells (previously they were thought to be irreparable and lethal). Most recently, he has addressed the necessity of hippocampal neurogenesis (from neural stem cells) for the therapeutic action of antidepressants in adult non-human primates. Please come and hear this esteemed Professor of Physiology & Biophysics from the SUNY Downstate School of Graduate Studies from SUNY Downstate Medical Center.

“The Nondestructive Assessment of the Internal Condition of Trees” by Dr. Robert Marra

Spring Seminar: “The Nondestructive Assessment of the Internal Condition of Trees” by Dr. Robert Marra, Assoc. Agricultural Scientist, CT Agricultural Experiment Station

• Feb. 27, 2020 4:00pm
• SC 120
• Dr. Marra has expertise in plant pathology, mycology, fungal genetics, population biology, evolution, and molecular biology.  While forest pathology is his principle research interest, Dr. Marra studies a range of plant pathosystems from various perspectives, including population biology, ecology, and mating system evolution. Dr. Marra earned a BS from SUNY-Binghamton (1990) in Biology/Russian and a PhD from Cornell (1998) in Plant Pathology/Mycology. 
• Dr. Marra has developed knowledge and expertise in the use of a new technology for nondestructively assessing the internal condition of trees, identifying cavities, rot, and incipient decay, long an elusive goal of forest pathologists, arborists, and others interested in knowing the extent of internal decay and defect in trees.  The advent of tomographic technologies has made this goal attainable.  Similar to CAT scans used in medical diagnostics, sonic and electrical impedance tomography use sound waves and electrical currents to detect irregularities in structure and composition, as well as water content.  Combining the results of both types of measurements can result in a remarkably accurate depiction of the tree’s internal condition.