Michael Dennin, physics & astronomy professor, will discuss "Foams & Superheroes: Physics of the Ordinary and Extraordinary" as part of the Discover the Physical Sciences 2008-09 Breakfast Lecture Series, sponsored by UC Irvine's School of Physical Sciences. Dennin teaches a class called "The Science of Superheroes" and has appeared on national TV as an expert on the physics behind Superman, Spider-Man, Batman and "Star Wars."

University Club (bldg. 801, grid H7 on campus map: www.today.uci.edu/pdf
/UCI_09_map_campus_core.pdf)

This event is free and open to the public. Breakfast will be served. Reservations are requested at 949-824-7252 or events@ps.uci.edu. Media planning to attend should contact Jennifer Fitzenberger at 949-824-3969 or jfitzen@uci.edu. Parking is free in the University Club lot.

With amazing feats of speed, strength and agility, superheroes have captured our imaginations since the first comic strip. But if someone really were faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, what laws of physics would need to be overcome? And how would a superpower actually affect someone and his or her surroundings? Dennin will discuss the science behind superheroes, as well as the impressive abilities of foam and bubbles, which he researches in his laboratory.

Dennin earned his bachelor's at Princeton University and a master's and doctorate at UC Santa Barbara. After working as a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA, he joined UCI as a faculty member in 1997. He has received two of UCI's highest awards - the Distinguished Assistant Professor Award for Research in 2001 and the Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching in 2007.