Events
CEMINAR
The most important community-oriented activity we sponsor is CEMINAR, formerly MicroMorning, a monthly seminar series where students and postdocs in the CEMI program present their work. Usually 2 individuals present 20-25 min talks (+ 5 min questions) to fill the hour, but on rare occasions we invite an outside speaker. CEMINAR is primarily designed to provide CEMI students and postdocs with an opportunity to practice giving a formal talk to a friendly Caltech audience. Numerous collaborations have been sparked between labs at Caltech thanks to creative connections made during these seminars. View past CEMINARS
CEMINAR
CEMINAR is on the second Wednesday of every month.
UPCOMING
Wednesday, July 10, 2024, 4:00 pm
4:00-5:00pm Chen 130
5:00-5:30pm Socializing (snacks and drinks will be provided)
"Poking around the twilight zone"
Calvin Rusley
Fischer Lab
The evolution of phototrophy has had an enormous impact on the productivity of Earth’s biosphere. However, the evolutionary diversity and origins of the phototrophic reaction center protein family are obscured by the “twilight zone” of sequence comparison - after a certain level of divergence, related sequences become indistinguishable from unrelated ones by classic sequence comparison methods. Leveraging recent machine learning developments in protein language models, we present preliminary attempts to illuminate the twilight zone and enable multi-billion-year time scale sequence comparison.
"Catalytic reduction of cyanide to ammonia and methane at a mononuclear Fe site"
Christian Johansen
Peters Lab
Nitrogenase enzymes catalyze nitrogen reduction (N2R) to ammonia and the reduction of non-native substrates, including the 7H+/6e− reduction of cyanide to CH4 and NH3. CN− and N2 are isoelectronic, and it is fascinating to compare the mechanisms of synthetic Fe-catalysts capable of both reductions. Here we describe the catalytic reduction of CN– to NH3 and CH4 by a selective mononuclear Fe-complex ((P3Si)Fe(CN), also competent for N2R. Mechanistic study allows the consideration of pathways to the observed CH4/NH3 products (distinct from the CH3NH2 and C2+ products) and the comparison of the (likely) mechanism/s of CN– and N2 reduction.
Social Events
In addition to CEMINAR, CEMI sponsors social events during the academic year:
Fall Poster Sessions: All CEMI labs present one or more posters on their lab’s research. This helps incoming/current students and postdocs remain up-to-date on that latest research projects going on across the campus. One attractive feature of Caltech is that students admitted in any graduate program are welcome to rotate in any lab (as long as the lab is taking students), so this poster session can open up new interests and areas for exploration. It also can spawn new collaborations between labs.
Spring Lectures and Evening Gala: To celebrate the start of the calendar year, we invite a keynote speaker from outside Caltech to give a seminar, plus a few shorter talks by assistant professors or postdocs at Caltech and other local universities. These “Spring Lectures” are open to anyone interested. As a companion event, we hold a formal gathering for a limited number of CEMI sponsors, faculty, and students and postdocs currently being supported by CEMI grants. The evening’s entertainment is organized by a different CEMI lab each year, and the evening culminates with a presentation of the “CEMI Oscars” (we are close to Hollywood, after all…), roasting CEMI members for notable achievements in the past year, all in good fun. View past lectures
Spring Happy Hour: In recognition of the fact that sometimes the most inspired ideas come when we least expect them, we promote casual conversation between all members of the CEMI community supplemented with drinks and food at the start of the spring term (no posters required!).
CEMI Spring Celebration of Science: This hour-long science program featured short lightning talks from CEMI graduate students and postdocs followed by time to talk with the speakers and socialize with our CEMI colleagues. The inaugural event was held on May 12, 2021.
Workshops
CEMI occasionally supports training courses at Caltech that provide members of the CEMI community with an opportunity for intensive training in a particular area. Any member of the CEMI community is welcome to suggest a topic for a workshop. Please contact the CEMI administrator if you have an idea. View past workshops