9:30 AM: Coffee and Danish
Contact Freddie Smith for Reservations / Cancellations at 312-842-7100 or Freddie@mcri.org by Noon, Friday, May 10th

10:00 AM: Presentation
In this presentation, we will examine the histories of the research into reflection, diffraction and polarization, and will address such questions as: are photons particles; how do we know this; can photons decay; what is their life span; is matter needed for the existence of photons; and what are metamaterials? The images you see around you and through imaging instruments like microscopes are all interconnected. What we think we understand about light today is a result of a long history of battles and friendships formed and lost between experimentalists and theoreticians. Still the entrance to our understanding is not in sight, for we still do not know what a photon is.

Bio Sketch: Bill C. Mikuska received his BS and MS in chemistry from the Illinois Institute of Technology with emphasis in physical chemistry and chemical physics. Research studies included gas-surface interactions by molecular beams and X-ray induced defects in alkali halide crystals. A 30 year teaching career at Triton College followed where he engaged students to use polarized light microscopy in independent study projects. He was president of the State Microscopical Society of Illinois for 9.5 years and has received the Emile Chamot award. Bill is also a fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society. He taught classes in polarized light microscopy to high school students, high school and middle school teachers, and engineers at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and at the Argonne National Laboratory. He is a member of the Rowfant Club, a bibliophilic society founded in Cleveland in 1892. His interests range from classical music (organ performance and practice), Venetian and French glass, antique bronzes, art, meteoritics, mineralogy and botany.

Map to Mikuska Residence, 3005 Avenue Loire, Oak Brook, IL:

Follow Eisenhower Expressway west, which then becomes Roosevelt Road (Rte. 38).

Continue along Rte. 38 to Rte. 83 and go SOUTH to 31st Street exit ramp and exit right and proceed west to Meyers Rd.  Turn right.  You will now get into the LEFT MOST land ad turn left into Chateaux Woods Subdivision (Avenue Loire street sign).  Follow the yellow road on the above map to the second house on the left side of the street marked 

Alternatively, take I55 west to Kingery Hwy. (Rte. 83) and go north to 31st Street exit.  Proceed west to Meyers Road.  Turn right and follow the instructions above.

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