College of Arts and Sciences

The Morgan Science Lecture Series 

The Morgan Science Lecture Series is made possible by a gift from the G. William Morgan Family. The purpose of the Morgan Science Lecture Series is to stimulate scientific understanding and research among the sciences by bringing innovative and prominent researchers to Appalachian State University's campus.

The College of Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce that our 2025 Morgan Science Lecture will be presented by Dr. Sylvester James Gates Jr., Clark Leadership Chair, Distinguished University Professor, and Regents Professor in Science at the University of Maryland.

• Title: "Adinkras-2-Adynkras"

• Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025

• Time: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Lecture begins at 7:00 p.m. Q&A to follow.)

• Format: In Person

• Location: I.G. Greer Auditorium, Appalachian State University (401 Academy Street, Boone, NC 28608)

• Description: This talk by world-renowned physicist Dr. Sylvester James Gates Jr. explores a fascinating intersection of art and mathematics in the pursuit of quantum gravity. Dr. Gates will describe how the discovery of a class of artistic images—a "new visual technology" developed with Michael Faux in 2004—provided the key to solving a decades-old, previously unsolvable problem known as the "Witten Problem." This problem, which contains over 4.2 billion yes-or-no mathematical puzzles, relates to quantum gravity. The speaker will also draw a historical parallel to the late 1940s, when Richard Feynman's iconic visual imagery technique, now called Feynman diagrams, revolutionized quantum physics calculations. Ultimately, this talk reveals how visual aids, from Feynman's diagrams to Gates's novel artistic images, have repeatedly empowered major breakthroughs in the field.

• Details: This event is free and open to the public with no ticketing or registration. For a disability accommodation, visit odr.appstate.edu.

• Host: The College of Arts and Sciences at Appalachian State University

• Questions? Please contact the College of Arts and Sciences at cas@appstate.edu or (828) 262-3078.

Dr. Gates will also give the following technical talk:

• Title: "A Physicist Following Faraday’s Hint in the Search for Quantum Gravity"

• Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025

• Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

• Location: Garwood Hall Room 107

• Format: In Person

• Description: Faraday’s discovery of electromagnetic induction occurred due to his inference that magnetic fields about wires must be as wheels about a spoke. This visualization led to understanding the physics of B-fields. Currently, mathematically-enabled research uses computers to augment this important tool. In this talk, world-renowned physicist Dr. Sylvester James Gates Jr. will discuss how these empower his efforts.

• Details: This event is free and open to students, faculty, and staff. For a disability accommodation, visit odr.appstate.edu.

• Host: The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Appalachian State University

• Questions? Please contact the Department of Physics and Astronomy at physics@appstate.edu or (828) 262-3090.

About the Speaker