Have you ever wondered how traditional medicine, rooted in nature, holds clues for modern drug discovery? Are you curious about the scientific basis behind the therapeutic power of plants, fungi and other natural sources?Join The India Center for a discussion and interactive Q&A session on the book, "Nature Cures: Trusting the Biomolecules". Featuring the book's editor, Swati Save, Ph.D., and Senior Lecturer in the UCF Department of Biology, Rani Vajravelu, Ph.D., this event will explore the potential of naturally occurring biomolecules for healing and well-being.Free food provided. Registration Link: https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dhZjLLG2aFy8vIy

This is a 2.5 to 3 hour virtual training session designed to help two groups of business: (1) those just exploring or brand new to government contracting and (2) those down the path a bit looking to backfill some gaps. You can join late or leave early and still learn something about government contracting, but those that stick around for the whole program will receive a practical, frank, overview of the government contracting process.This webinar covers the following areas:* Introduction to the Government Contracting Process * Components of a "GIB Ready" Business * Suggestions for an Initial Marketing Tool Kit * Reactive Business Development Strategies * Proactive Business Development Strategies * Introduction to the SBA's Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) database * Potential Next StepsIn addition to the instruction, attendees will have the opportunity to receive handouts that are practical tools in helping develop your government contracting programs. The handouts will also include the slide deck of the presentation which will include a number of live links to research resources, registration sites, and certification programs.This class will be delivered by one of the Florida APEX Accelerator Consultants at UCF. The Florida APEX Accelerator provides no cost government contracting consulting to small businesses.This event is sponsored by the Florida SBDC at UCF.Virtual Location URL: https://events.blackthorn.io/en/6g3Q8Wa7/g/x4W8BcsAj4/government-contracting-overview-5a1eVO8T8s2 Registration Link: https://sbdcorlando.com/upcoming-seminars/

Title: Meta structure designs for device applicationsAbstract: Metasurfaces are extensively used to manipulate the light and increase light-matter interaction. Owing to strong plasmonic resonances, sub wavelength metal elements have been successfully used in several applications. To avoid the associated ohmic loss, we choose non-absorbing dielectrics and Mie resonance in our designs to enhance the performance in areas including single and biphoton emitters used in quantum optics application, THz source and detector used in screening application, reflective optical limiting, and photo conducting devices used in sensing applications. In this talk, I will outline the basic principles of Mie-based metasurface design and then briefly walk you through several topics we pursued/published in the last couple of years and the work in progress.About the Speaker: Dr. Srini Krishnamurthy worked for over 35 years in various positions at SRI International, Menlo Park, CA until 2019. He then worked for over 6 years as Senior Principal Scientist at Sivananthan Laboratories, Chicago, Illinois. He is an Adjunct Professor of Physics at University of Illinois-Chicago (from 2014). He has worked on various areas including first-principles band structure, electronic, optical, and magnetic properties of semiconductors, linear and nonlinear optical transmission in solids, photonics, metamaterials and metasurfaces, infrared materials and device designs, and inverse scattering methods. He received a Doctorate in Physics from University in Cincinnati in 1984, awarded Alexander von Humboldt fellowship, has been visiting professor of Physics at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and University of Illinois-Chicago. As a Humboldt Fellow, he worked at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart and Paul Drude Institute for Solid State Electronics, Berlin.Virtual Location URL: https://ucf.zoom.us/j/92964652706?from=addon

Title: Terahertz metasurface quantum-cascade vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-lasers (VECSELs)Abstract: The terahertz frequency range lies at the junction of the electronic and photonic regimes, which means that it is fertile ground for exploring hybrid systems which combine laser gain with microwave electromagnetic design. The terahertz quantum-cascade (QC) laser is an excellent example, which produces gain via intersubband electronic transitions within heterostructure quantum wells, but typically uses sub-wavelength waveguides that have a strong resemblance to microstrip transmission lines and patch antennas. I will discuss the development and recent advances to do with amplifying reflectarray metasurfaces based upon sub-wavelength arrays of such antennas loaded with QC-gain material, and their use in implementing vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-lasers (VECSELs).In the QC-VECSEL scheme, the amplifying metasurface is used as one reflector in an external cavity, which supports a well-shaped circulating THz beam. The QC-VECSEL architecture offers a solution to many problems that have plagued THz QC-lasers - namely their low emission powers and efficiencies (especially above 77 K), their limited beam quality (especially at high powers), and their limited range of continuous single-mode tunability. I will discuss several advances in the field of VECSELs in the past few years. First is the development of QC-VECSELs as stable, single-moded local oscillators for heterodyne receivers. Such lasers are in demand for future astrophysical instruments for mapping of molecular and atomic species within the interstellar medium - particularly at high frequencies above 2 THz which are difficult to access using electronic sources. We have recently shown that QC-VECSELs can provide mW to tens of mW continuous-wave power, in a near-diffraction limited beam, with large fractional tunability (up to 20% of the center wavelength). Second, is the extension of QCLs and QC-VECSELs to higher frequencies above 5 THz and approaching the lossy Reststrahlen band in GaAs. We have recently demonstrated QC-laser gain material operating up to 6.5 THz (46 μm wavelength), and tunable QC-VECSELs operating between 5.2-5.7 THz. Third is the initial demonstration of QC-VECSELs as frequency combs. Since every longitudinal mode in a QC-VECSEL interacts with the gain medium through the same metasurface resonance, there is no-spatial hole burning per se. As a result QC-VECSELs prefer to lase in single-mode, unlike waveguide QC-lasers which will spontaneously lase in multi-mode and frequency comb operation. However, we have shown that THz QC-VECSELs can be forced into a fundamental or harmonic frequency-comb regime via strong microwave modulation of the metasurface gain. About the Speaker: Benjamin Williams is Professor and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). He received his B.S. in Physics from Haverford College in 1996, and his M.S. in 1998 and Ph.D. in 2003 both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Electrical Engineering. He is currently Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions in Terahertz Science and Technology. He has received the APS Apker Award (1996), the DARPA Young Faculty Award (2008), the NSF CAREER Award (2012), and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) (2016). His research interests lie in photonic materials, devices, and applications for the terahertz and mid-infrared frequency ranges, including low-dimensional semiconductors, quantum-cascade lasers, and plasmonics and metamaterials.Virtual Location URL: https://ucf.zoom.us/j/92584023013?from=addon

If you're thinking of starting a business, it's important to take the right steps. This two-and-a-half-hour virtual webinar will give you an overview of what to know, important actions to take, and best practices on how to avoid common missteps to give your company its greatest chance of success.Learn about the journey from pre-venture to start-up to opening your business as this training covers:* Business legal entity selection * Registration and licensing * Market research and planning * Financial planning and sources of capital * And more…Register today!Virtual Location URL: https://events.blackthorn.io/en/6g3Q8Wa7/how-to-start-your-business-5a1eVO8PgVh/overview Registration Link: https://events.blackthorn.io/en/6g3Q8Wa7/how-to-start-your-business-5a1eVO8PgVh/overview

Virtual eventYour business needs a roadmap for every stage of its growth. We'll remove the mystery of how to create a business plan, the information that should be included and how to use it as a tool to keep your company on track for long term growth.Virtual Location URL: https://events.blackthorn.io/en/6g3Q8Wa7/business-plan-writing-made-easier-webinar-5a1eVO8Pi7h/overview Registration Link: https://events.blackthorn.io/en/6g3Q8Wa7/business-plan-writing-made-easier-webinar-5a1eVO8Pi7h/overview