Author to Discuss ‘The Science of NASCAR’ at the Hett on Feb. 4
(LEBANON, Ill., January 21, 2016) - A scientist and author who is fascinated by all
things related to speed will discuss “The Science of NASCAR” on Thursday, Feb. 4 at
7:30 p.m. at McKendree University’s Hettenhausen Center for the Arts. Dr. Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, author of “The Physics of NASCAR: How to Make Steel
+ Gas + Rubber = Speed,” is a guest of the Distinguished Speaker Series. The free
program is open to the public. Ticket reservations are recommended; call the Hett
box office at 618-537-6863.
Prior to her talk, students from the University’s Psychology Club will be in the Hett
lobby with hands-on demonstrations of auto racing reaction times, NASCAR flags, and
the chance to take photos in auto racing helmets, offering something fun for all ages.
Leslie-Pelecky appears every other Friday on the Sirius XM NASCAR (Channel 90) “Speedway”
satellite radio program to discuss current tech-related events. She has served as
a guest contributor or writer for motorsports programming on ESPN, H2 and VOOM HD,
as well as the National Science Foundation’s Science of Speed web series.
She is particularly interested in the culture of science and how the existing culture
affects women and other underrepresented groups. Before she became a full-time writer,
Leslie-Pelecky was a leading researcher in the field of nanomedicine, focusing on
magnetic nanoparticles - small spheres with diameters a fraction of the width of a
human hair. She also developed nanoparticles for medical diagnosis and treatment processes
including drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging and chemotherapy.
Leslie-Pelecky spent most of her academic career as a professor in the Department
of Physics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her research has been supported
by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department
of Energy, the Office of Naval Research, and other federal and state funding agencies.
Dr. Diandra Leslie-Pelecky
