Magnet Mystery Hour

To an outsider taking a tour, the Magnet Lab is all glass and steel, instruments flashing, a labyrinth of hallways leading to squat cylindrical magnets organized in cinderblock cells.

Inside these cells – and lots of other places inside the sprawling 370,000-square-foot facility – researchers investigate scientific unknowns, pushing the limits of temperature, magnetic field and mechanical ingenuity to do so. Many visitors leave the lab impressed, a little perplexed, and wanting more.

With that in mind, the lab has organized the Magnet Mystery Hour, an ongoing series of talks that present the lab, its instruments and its research in a way that's accessible to the curious-minded, even if they haven't had a science class since high school (or are currently in high school!). The talks are presented by the scientists themselves – many of them leaders in their fields – in a conversational format appropriate for older students and adults. Each talk is held on a Tuesday night at 7 p.m., and is paired with a short tour of the facility at 6:30 p.m. A question and answer session follows each talk.

Next Presentation: Jan. 19, 2010

What:	DC Facilities and Instrumentation Director Scott Hannahs discusses some of the most common myths about magnetism and the Mag Lab – and he'll take your questions, no matter how strange they might be. If you like good anecdotes, you'll not want to miss this.
When:	Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010 7-8 p.m., including Q&A Short tour at 6:30 p.m.
Where:	Room B101, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory 1800 E. Paul Dirac Drive in Innovation Park

Magnet Mystery Hour 2009-2010 Academic Year Schedule

Sept. 22, 2009: The Pull of High-Field Magnets
Most of the scientists who use the magnets don't work here – and they don't pay us to use the magnets, either. DC Field Program Director Eric Palm explains who these "users" are, why they are here, and why it's important to pool national resources to advance fundamental research.

Oct. 20, 2009: Kitchen Table Science For Families
Bring a child to this Magnet Mystery Hour to discover science projects adults and children can do together. Center for Integrated Research and Learning Director Pat Dixon introduces "kitchen table science" (or in this case, conference table science) to participants, who have an opportunity to build their own electromagnets and try other fun and low-cost experiments. Seating and supplies are limited, so please reserve your spaces by sending an e-mail to magnetmystery@magnet.fsu.edu.

Nov. 17, 2009: Petroleomics – Chemistry of the Underworld
Ryan Rodgers of the lab's Ion Cyclotron Resonance (ICR) group explains how scientists use very sophisticated tools to simultaneously separate and identify thousands of separate chemical constituents within a single crude oil sample. Dubbed "petroleomics," this new field of research has major implications for how oil companies drill for and refine natural resources.

Jan. 19, 2010: Magnet Myths and Mysteries
DC Facilities and Instrumentation Director Scott Hannahs discusses some of the most common myths about magnetism and the Mag Lab – and he'll take your questions, no matter how strange they might be. If you like good anecdotes, you'll not want to miss this.

March 23, 2010: Magnets: From Mini to Mighty
There's a lot more to magnets than you think. This talk features a rundown of magnet types, uses and strengths, explained by Magnet Science and Technology Director Mark Bird in a way that will help make the facts stick.

Previous Presentations

• April 23, 2009 – Scott Hannahs, director of DC Facilities & Instrumentation
  Magnet myths.
• January 20, 2009 – Assistant Professor Sam Grant
  How MRI came to be, and what it could be used for in the future.
• November 18, 2008 – Applied Superconductivity Center Director David Larbalestier
  The mechanics and applications of superconductivity.
• September 16, 2008 – Mag Lab Director Greg Boebinger
  What do amazing materials, cleaner oil and the biggest electric bill in Tallahassee have in common? Download video

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For more information contact Amy Mast at winters@magnet.fsu.edu or (850) 644-1933.