Physics Public Lecture , Professor Nima Arkani-Hamed, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ and Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large, Cornell University

Title:  What’s the point of doing fundamental science?

Abstract:  Academics routinely proclaim the glories of curiosity-driven, basic research.  But what is the real point of this work?  Why should we dedicate resources—both financial and intellectual—to the pursuit of questions of seemingly little practical importance, when the world has so many more obviously pressing problems?  In this talk, I hope to instigate a frank, no-holds barred discussion with the audience on this interesting and important topic.

Host:  Yuval Grossman and Csaba Csaki