You've seen it in comics or across the silver screen: Wakanda, an afro-futuristic society built upon the leverage of natural resources, primarily vibranium. Isolated from the Western world, Wakanda was technologically superior, highly educated and largely pacifist all while rooted in African tradition. But how closely do real-life "vibranium-like" materials mirror those of the fictional metropolis?

In this guest lecture exploring “vibranium-like" materials, MLK Scholar Thomas Searles will introduce the physical properties of these materials to give real-world examples of superconductivity, flexible electronics and photonics and energy storage/transfer. Searles will tell the story of Black Panther in the context of both STEM education and opportunity, to highlight the importance of building the technical skills of the next generation.

Find out how that concept of workforce development relates deeply to the current work that Searles and his colleagues at Howard University are undertaking to develop the next generation of Black scientists and engineers through the National Quantum Initiative.

Zoom link available upon registration.

Click here to register for this event!