*Note: If registration is full, we are still usually able to accommodate walk-ins and wait-listed guests; please come by in case there are free seats!
Event Information:
Curious about how the universe actually works? Join the experts from UBC’s Department of Physics and Astronomy to find out fun facts about everything from the Milky Way to radio waves in this new, accessible science series: How the Universe Works! All are welcome!
Abstract:
While car racing can appear to the general public as a parade of cars driving around tracks in circles, race drivers operating their cars at the limit are on a razor's edge, balancing and adjusting the behavior of the car with a variety of techniques that are foreign to the average road driver. At the same time, race car engineers are faced with complex compromises that generate a surprising range of solutions and performance despite the underlying principles being well understood. Using simple physics we'll take a beginner's look at race driving and the techniques used to minimize lap time, as well as the design differences between road cars and race cars, and the changes that grassroots motorsports enthusiasts must make to convert their road cars into high performance race vehicles.
Bio:
Andre Marziali, P.Eng., is the director of the Engineering Physics program at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and founder and chief scientific officer of Boreal Genomics. Marziali co-invented the concept of using synchronous mobility perturbations to create divergent velocity fields for selective focusing of nucleic acids. Today, Boreal Genomics continues to develop breakthrough technology for non-invasive, real-time detection and monitoring of tumor mutations.
Marziali received his Bachelor of Applied Science in engineering physics from UBC and his PhD in physics from Stanford University.
Andre also loves driving Ferrari’s in his spare time.
Add to Calendar
2026-02-12T18:00:002026-02-12T19:30:00The Physics of Car RacingEvent Information:
Curious about how the universe actually works? Join the experts from UBC’s Department of Physics and Astronomy to find out fun facts about everything from the Milky Way to radio waves in this new, accessible science series: How the Universe Works! All are welcome!
Abstract:
While car racing can appear to the general public as a parade of cars driving around tracks in circles, race drivers operating their cars at the limit are on a razor's edge, balancing and adjusting the behavior of the car with a variety of techniques that are foreign to the average road driver. At the same time, race car engineers are faced with complex compromises that generate a surprising range of solutions and performance despite the underlying principles being well understood. Using simple physics we'll take a beginner's look at race driving and the techniques used to minimize lap time, as well as the design differences between road cars and race cars, and the changes that grassroots motorsports enthusiasts must make to convert their road cars into high performance race vehicles.
Bio:
Andre Marziali, P.Eng., is the director of the Engineering Physics program at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and founder and chief scientific officer of Boreal Genomics. Marziali co-invented the concept of using synchronous mobility perturbations to create divergent velocity fields for selective focusing of nucleic acids. Today, Boreal Genomics continues to develop breakthrough technology for non-invasive, real-time detection and monitoring of tumor mutations.
Marziali received his Bachelor of Applied Science in engineering physics from UBC and his PhD in physics from Stanford University.
Andre also loves driving Ferrari’s in his spare time.
Learn More:
Read this article, "Mastering the physics of racing cars": https://ubctoday.ubc.ca/stories/april-17-2020/mastering-physics-racing-cars
See him talk about car racing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYp2vvUgEqE Event Location:
Vancouver Public Library - Central Branch (Alice MacKay Room, Lower Level)
