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Research Cafe

Catastrophic Epilepsies: from Traditional to Novel Treatments | Featuring Dr. Jokubas Ziburkus

April 23, 2014

Come learn and talk about:
- What is catastrophic epilepsy?
- Why 30% or more of children with epilepsy are unresponsive to the available medications?
- What are the emerging and alternative treatments in pediatric epilepsies?

About Dr. Ziburkus:
Dr. Ziburkus Jokubus is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Houston. His research mainly focuses on a pediatric form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome. He seeks to understand the early neural network dysfunctions that underlie formation of epilepsy and is currently experimenting with a neurotransmitter like molecule adenosine in preventing the formation of Dravet syndrome. Jokubas has published his findings in high caliber Neuroscience and Clinical Neuroscience journals and most recently has won UH Teaching Excellence Award.To learn more visit the webpage for Dr. Ziburkus


Game Changers: Opportunities for US Energy Growth and Renewal | Featuring Scott Nyquist

March 27, 2014

Description: Learn about what shale energy will do for the economy and the future of big data and infrastructure.

Mr. Scott Nyquist is the global co-leader of McKinsey's Sustainability & Resource Productivity Practice and a leader of the global Energy Practice. He works with energy and industrial companies to develop strategies for performance transformation and find opportunities in energy efficiency and in clean energy. Scott has published extensively on the challenges and opportunities facing global energy markets and is a regular speaker at industry conferences.To learn more visit Mr. Scott Nyquis's profile.


Affordable Care Act | Featuring Patricia Gray

November 6, 2013

Description: Learn about the Affordable Care Act.  Join in the discussion on why we have an individual mandate and the importance of having health insurance. 

Patricia Gray

Patricia Gray, Director Research; Health and Policy Institute, UH Law Cener.  Patricia Gray earned her JD from South Texas College of Law and her LL.M. in Health Law from the University of Houston Law Center where she is Director of Research for the Health Law and Policy Institute.  She practiced law in Galveston for 21 years where she was a partner in the Galveston firm of Yarbrough, Jameson & Gray.  She was elected six times to the Texas House of Representatives where  she was twice named one of Texas 10 Best Legislators by Texas Monthly magazine.  As a member of the Texas House, she chaired the Texas House Committee on Public Health and was the House sponsor for legislation creating the Texas Children's Health Insurance Plan which insures more than 500,000 Texas Children.   Upon retirement from the legislature, she was awarded the Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service by the American Medical Association Foundation.  Prior to joining the Health Law & Policy Institute, she was as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the UH Law Center, a special member of the graduate faculty at the Institute for Medical Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch and a Special Assistant for Health Policy at UTMB.  She is a frequent presenter on health policy issues.  She is the co-author of Control Measures and Public Health Emergencies:  A Bench Book for Texas Judges. To learn more visit Patricia Gray's profile.


Why Microfinance Matters | Feat. Dr. Saleha Khumawala

October 9, 2013

Description: Microfinance is an innovative new field which focuses on providing financial access to the poor.  It has been hailed as an important tool in poverty alleviation in third world and developing countries and now possibly in developed nations like the US as well.  Learn the principles and applications of Microfinance as well as the benefits of implementation and challenges faced by this industry.

Dr.Saleha khumawalaAbout Dr. Khumawala: Dr. Saleha Khumawala is Professor of Accounting and Director of Nonprofit Management and Microfinance Program at the Bauer College of Business.  She teaches and does research in the field of Government and NonProfit Accounting and her current research in Microfinance has expanded considerably.  She  also developed and teaches two courses on Microfinance where students work on microfinance projects locally in Houston.  She is also the lead advocate for the establishment of the Center for Microfinance at the University of Houston and heads the current Microfinance Program.  She has widely published in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance, Accounting Horizons, Advances in International Accounting, Journal of Public Budgeting Accountability and Financial Management and others and has made numerous presentations at national and international conferences. She is an active member of the American Accounting Association and served as the President of the Government and NonProfit Section.  Dr. Khumawala is also an advisor to several nonprofit organizations in Houston and serves on the Board of directors for  Pennies for Education and Health . To learn more visit Dr.Saleha Khumawala's profile.


Energy Powers the Future | Feat. Dr. Peter Bishop

September 4, 2013

Description: Forces and factors that are shaping the future of energy in general and Houston in particular over the next few decades.  Learn how you can participate in the changes taking place in the energy landscape right here at the University of Houston.

Dr. Peter BishopAbout Dr. Bishop: Dr. Peter C. Bishop is an Associate Professor of Strategic Foresight and Director of the graduate program in Futures Studies at the University of Houston. Dr. Bishop specializes in techniques for long term forecasting and planning. He has published two books on the subject, Thinking about the Future: Guidelines for Strategic Foresight (2007), and Teaching about the Future: The Basics of Foresight Education (2012, both with co-author Andy Hines. He delivers keynote addresses and conducts seminars on the future for business, government and not-for-profit organizations. He also facilitates groups in developing scenarios, visions and strategic plans for the future. Dr. Bishop's clients include IBM, the NASA Johnson Space Center, Nestle USA, Tetra Pak, the Shell Pipeline Corporation, the Defense and Central Intelligence Agencies, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Texas Department of Transportation, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Center for Houston's Future. Dr. Bishop is a founding board member of the Association of Professional Futurists. Learn more...

MS in Foresight | Dr. Bishop on FOX26 | UH News featuring Dr. Bishop

What are Research Cafes? Research Cafes are informal, interactive discussions open to everyone interested in the topic being  presented. Participation in the dialogue between the audience and the speaker is strongly encouraged.