A Smithsonian lecture provided through UNMC’s Time Travelers partnership with the Durham Western Heritage Museum will be available on campus June 27.
The noon lecture “Engineering Innovation in Contemporary Architectural Design,” will be in The Lied Transplant Center, Rooms 8707-8708. Dr. John Ochsendorf, professor of architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will discuss recent architectural challenges that depend on modern engineering innovations to execute, featuring several case studies. Dr. Ochsendorf is a structural engineer with multi-disciplinary research interests including archaeology, the history of construction and sustainable design. E-mail Jill Carson at jlcarson@unmc.edu if you would like to attend.
The Smithsonian lecture is part of the medical center’s Time Travelers partnership with the Durham Western Heritage Museum. The Durham Western Heritage Museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.
Also on June 27, there will be an exhibit viewing and lecture at the museum from 5 to 8 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available from 5 to 6:30 p.m., with the lecture beginning at 6:30 in the Swanson Gallery. RSVP to Ashley at (402) 444-5071 by June 26 if you would like to attend.
As part of the Time Travelers program, UNMC, The Nebraska Medical Center and UNMC Physicians employees and their families, as well as students, receive free admission to the museum exhibits with a valid student / employee ID.
The program provides free family admission for two adults and any dependant children under the age of 21. The museum, located at 801 S. 10th St., is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.
The following temporary exhibits are on display at the Durham Western Heritage Museum through the summer:
Engineer It! – on display through Sept. 3
ENGINEER IT! is an educational and entertaining traveling exhibition developed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) that presents science as an open-ended discovery process. Visitors of all ages explore the fun and creative sides of engineering by designing boats, buildings, bridges, windmills, and airplanes, and then testing their performance in water tanks, shake tables, and wind tunnels. In addition, visitors experiment with gears and pulleys, operate a cargo crane, and learn about careers in engineering through video presentations. In ENGINEER IT!, visitors engage in open-ended, multiple-outcome activities designed to present elements of the experimental process.
Tools of the Ancients – on display through Sept. 24
The miracles of modern engineers rely on technology and tools available. True innovation is rare. Ancient civilizations faced the same constraints, and could only rely on simple tools that forced their early engineers to find solutions. Their solutions were truly innovative and often far ahead of their time. In fact, when we compare modern tools with ancient tools, the principles of operation have not changed. What has changed is the sophistication of the tool itself. This exhibit displays the evolution of the tools we use today.
Midlands Engineering Marvels – on display through Sept. 17
This photographic exhibit presents a selection of remarkable projects designed and built by several prestigious Omaha-based engineering and architecture firms, both nationwide and abroad.