Calendar includes Telluride Science events as well as public events held at the Center.
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Town Talk: Life in Color
June 10 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Natalie Shustova, University of South Carolina
Photochromic materials are quietly woven into the fabric of our daily lives, yet they are also driving some of the most exciting frontiers in science and technology. One familiar example is transition lenses for glasses which darken in sunlight and return to clear indoors, offering both UV protection and visual comfort. These lenses illustrate a core strength of photochromic materials: their ability to reversibly switch between states in response to external stimuli such as light, heat, or pressure. What makes these transformations truly powerful is their speed and reversibility, features that have inspired innovations far beyond eyewear. For instance, window coatings that darken when exposed to high-intensity sunlight not only drastically reduce the costs associated with air conditioning, but newer technology can also convert the absorbed sunlight into electricity, offering a sustainable and cost-effective approach to powering our homes and offices.
Ongoing research in photochromic materials is trying to bring the same concept of rapid and reversible switching between states to the next level by controlling important material properties outside of just color, including conductivity, magnetism, catalytic activity, and the ability to harvest solar energy. Thus, some materials can even mimic natural photosynthesis by capturing solar energy and directing it through engineered pathways to the desired targets. Overall, from color-changing fashion and smart surfaces to molecular computing, on-demand drug delivery, and encryption technologies, photochromic materials are poised to revolutionize how we interact with the world around us. Learn more in this Telluride Inside & Out article.
Town Talks will be held on Tuesdays at the Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village June 3 to August 12 (with the exception of July 1). Doors open at 6 pm and the program starts at 6:30 pm. Free and open to the public.
Thanks to our title sponsor Alpine Bank and Telluride Mountain Village Owner’s Association.
