Stand-up comedian headlines Feb. 17 ACS meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 11, 2009
Contact: Karen B. Eldridge, Director of News and Public Information
865.981.8207; karen.eldridge@maryvillecollege.edu

“Lab Coats and Other Fashion Statements” is the title of the comedic routine Dr. Pete Ludovice will deliver to members and friends of the East Tennessee Section of the American Chemical Society (ETS-ACS) at 7 p.m., Feb. 17, in the Alumni Gymnasium at Maryville College.

The event is free and open to the public.

At the Feb. 17 gathering, Ludovice, who describes himself as a “Georgia Tech professor by day and stand-up comedian by night,” will explore such topics as how to tell if you are a chemistry nerd, what to do about chemistry’s public relations problems and how to properly accessorize a lab coat.

Ludovice holds degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois and Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has completed postdoctoral studies at IBM, NASA and the Eidgenössiche Technische Hochschule in Zürich. He is a widely sought-after researcher and lecturer because of his expertise in molecular modeling.

He co-hosts a weekly radio program, “Inside the Black Box,” that attempts to explain very difficult science concepts in terms that the lay public can understand.

“I do research in the molecular simulation of synthetic and biological macromolecules,” he explained. “I find that giving a talk, class or workshop in this field often requires a bit of humor to keep people awake.”

Wrote one colleague after seeing Ludovice perform: “Even Linus Pauling, who was obsessed with negativity his whole life, would be thrilled by this amalgam of science, musical theater and humorous antics that confirm that those of us in the chemical sciences can be funny and not just funny-looking.”

Dr. Terry Bunde, professor of chemistry at Maryville College and chair of the ETS-ACS, said he invited Ludovice in an effort to promote science to a wider audience, especially young people.

“I hope to get more secondary school teachers and their students involved in our monthly [ETS-ACS] meetings by choosing speakers who will help interpret science topics for science students. I invited Dr. Ludovice to be our first ACS-sponsored tour speaker because he has spent his life in two worlds – academic physics and chemistry and the world of comedy,” Bunde said. “I sincerely hope that all high school students in science classes can come to see Dr. Ludovice next week and that they can bring their teachers along, especially those who use pocket protectors and/or have more than one pen or pencil in their pocket at any time.

“White lab coats and safety glasses are optional,” the professor joked.

For more information on “Lab Coats and Other Fashion Statements,” contact Bunde at 865.981.8279 or terry.bunde@maryvillecollege.edu.

For more information on Ludovice, visit www.drpetecomedy.com.

Maryville College is ideally situated in Maryville, Tenn., between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Knoxville, the state's third largest city. Founded in 1819, it is the 12th oldest institution of higher learning in the South and maintains an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Known for its academic rigor and its focus on the liberal arts, Maryville is where students come to stretch their minds, stretch themselves and learn how to make a difference in the world. Total enrollment for the fall 2009 semester is 1,103.