Scent and Sensibility: The Ultimate Power of Smell
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Speaker Title
Professor of Chemistry
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6979-6575
Host
Aileen Miyuki Farrar, Ph.D.
Publication Date
9-15-2026
Description
Recorded September 15, 2026
How important is our sense of smell in today's world?
As our oldest sensory system, smell once played a critical, life-saving role--helping humans detect dangers such as fire or spoiled food. With modern advancements, however, our dependence on smell has diminished, making it easy to overlook--until it is lost. Despite this perception, the olfactory system remains essential. It contributes significantly to how we experience taste, shapes our sense of comfort in environments (from our homes to our clothes), and influences how we present ourselves to others through hygiene and fragrance.
This presentation will begin with an overview of the olfactory system and how we perceive different smells. It will then introduce several causes of smell loss or distortion and discuss recovery methods, including smell training. Smell training is a structured, evidence-based approach in which individuals repeatedly expose themselves to a set of distinct scents (commonly floral, fruity, spicy, and resinous) over time. A mini-smell training will also be provided for attendees. The focus will then shift to perfumes; their composition, their effects on memory, mood, and physiology (such as heart rate). Key concepts such as fragrance layers (top, middle, and base notes), fragrance families, and commonly used materials will also be explored. Guidance will be provided on how to evaluate and select a new perfume.
Featured Speaker: Beatrix Aukszi, Ph.D., M.S.T., Professor, Department of Chemistry, Engineering, and Physics
Host: Aileen Miyuki Farrar, Ph.D., Director of Farquhar Honors Program, Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Politics
Scent and Sensibility: The Ultimate Power of Smell
Recorded September 15, 2026
How important is our sense of smell in today's world?
As our oldest sensory system, smell once played a critical, life-saving role--helping humans detect dangers such as fire or spoiled food. With modern advancements, however, our dependence on smell has diminished, making it easy to overlook--until it is lost. Despite this perception, the olfactory system remains essential. It contributes significantly to how we experience taste, shapes our sense of comfort in environments (from our homes to our clothes), and influences how we present ourselves to others through hygiene and fragrance.
This presentation will begin with an overview of the olfactory system and how we perceive different smells. It will then introduce several causes of smell loss or distortion and discuss recovery methods, including smell training. Smell training is a structured, evidence-based approach in which individuals repeatedly expose themselves to a set of distinct scents (commonly floral, fruity, spicy, and resinous) over time. A mini-smell training will also be provided for attendees. The focus will then shift to perfumes; their composition, their effects on memory, mood, and physiology (such as heart rate). Key concepts such as fragrance layers (top, middle, and base notes), fragrance families, and commonly used materials will also be explored. Guidance will be provided on how to evaluate and select a new perfume.
Featured Speaker: Beatrix Aukszi, Ph.D., M.S.T., Professor, Department of Chemistry, Engineering, and Physics
Host: Aileen Miyuki Farrar, Ph.D., Director of Farquhar Honors Program, Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Politics