Dr. Noemi Custodia-Lora

Think you know a lot about the physical world around you? Two upcoming scientific lectures, offered through the Northern Essex Community College’s Speakers Bureau, will aim to challenge that.

On Thursday, January 31 at 7 p.m., the Peabody Institute Library will host “How Much Do You Know about the Common Cold?” presented by NECC’s Dr. Noemi Custodia-Lora, vice president of Lawrence Campus & community relations and former professor of natural sciences. Custodia-Lora’s presentation will cover a range of common misconceptions surrounding the virus and offer up some surprising remedies.

“How Much Do You Know about the Common Cold?” is free and open to the public. Interested attendees may register through the Peabody Institute Library website. The Peabody Institute Library is located at 82 Main Street, Peabody, MA.

Custodia-Lora holds a Ph.D. in physiology-endocrinology from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the Universidad de Puerto Rico. She joined the faculty of NECC in 2003, teaching courses in nutrition, human biology, and anatomy & physiology before serving as assistant dean of Foundational Studies and Liberal Arts & Sciences, and later serving in her current role as a vice president.

The second science lecture, also held at the Peabody Institute Peabody, will be presented by Dr. Michael Cross, professor of chemistry. Titled “Radioactivity in Your Life,” it will challenge what we know about radioactive materials and their prevalence in the modern world. The talk will take place on Thursday, March 21 at 7 p.m.

Dr. Michael Cross

“Radioactivity in Your Life” is free and open to the public.

Cross holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Utah, where he specialized in oxidative lesions in DNA and RNA. He teaches courses in chemistry and forensic sciences. Prior to joining the faculty of NECC, Cross was an instructor of chemistry at the College of Eastern Utah.

Northern Essex offers associate degrees in biology, applied science, and chemistry, physics, and environmental science.

The Speakers Bureau has faculty and staff speakers available to present to public and private school systems, libraries, service clubs, and more.

For additional information on this program, please visit the Speakers Bureau website or contact the group at speakersbureau@necc.mass.edu or at 978-556-3862.