Engineers and scientists handle computational tasks in dramatically different ways since computers arrived less than 50 years ago. For the human story, come hear Alfred Clark, Jr., give an anecdotal saga of the transformation at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16, in the Welles-Brown Room of Rush Rhees Library on the University of Rochester's River Campus.

Recognized for excellence in research and teaching, Clark is professor of mechanical engineering, mathematics, and biomedical engineering at the University. His talk, titled "From Slide Rule to Laptop," is the next presentation in the continuing series of Tea Talks, which are sponsored by River Campus Libraries and are free to the public.

Clark's lifelong addiction to computers began during a summer job with Phillips Petroleum in 1956 when he programmed for a Datatron on punched paper tape. Today he is immersed in technology for his classroom teaching and research projects. His skill as a teacher has earned Clark honors as the 1994 New York State Professor of the Year and a recipient of the Goergen Award for Distinguished Achievement and Artistry in Undergraduate Teaching at the College in 1998.

Additional Tea Talk lectures are scheduled for Feb. 6 and March 20. The talks are presented on selected Sundays in a casual atmosphere with tea and biscuits. For more information, contact (585) 275-4461.