The Science (Fiction) of Dune

Michael Werner will discuss the science behind Dune. Explore survival on the desert world of Arrakis, space travel, and the Leviathan sandworms that continue to inspire more than 50 years later.

Michael Werner completed his PhD at the University of Chicago in molecular genetics in 2016. He then did a postdoc at the Max Planck Institute in Tuebingen, Germany where he studied how the environment influences development. He now continues this research at the University of Utah as an Assistant Professor in the School of Biological Sciences. Michael is a sci-fi enthusiast and drew inspiration for his career from reading.