The Department of Energy's Jefferson Lab is holding two public events during February. The events honor both Black History Month and 2005: World Year of Physics.
The first event "From Slave to Scientist: A Dramatization of the Life of George Washington Carver" takes place Tuesday, Feb. 8, in the CEBAF Center Auditorium beginning at 7 p.m.
This dramatization takes the audience through George Washington Carver's early struggles to get an education, his quest for a career as an artist, and his years as a teacher and inventor. The audience "meets" Dr. Carver during a concert tour. A gifted singer and pianist, he traveled throughout the South giving performances to raise money for Tuskegee Institute, where he taught and lived until the end of his life. (From Slave to Scientist was written, produced, and directed by Robin Lane of Robin Lane Productions and will be performed by Jim Spencer.)
Then on Wednesday, Feb. 16, beginning at 4 p.m. in the CEBAF Center Auditorium, notable Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory scientist, Victor McCrary will speak on "Orbiting the Sun with Qubits: An Overview of Science & Technology at the JHU Applied Physics Laboratory." McCrary, a Ph.D. physical chemist has authored or co-authored more than 40 papers and co-edited two books; and in 2002 he received the Percy Julian Award from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers.
His presentation will cover NASA plans to send a probe to orbit the sun in the next seven years. This probe will be subjected to a solar flux that will heat the probe's surface to temperatures in excess of 3500° F. In 10-20 years, the U.S. will have a quantum computer that can break any code or solve today's toughest gene sequence in fractions of the time it takes now. Challenges like these are being met by scientist and engineer investigators at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). For over 60 years, JHU/APL has provided critical contributions in the areas of national defense, space science and exploration, and homeland security. This talk will provide an overview of basic and applied research projects that are poised to answer tomorrow's critical challenges through today's research.
Both events are free and open to public. Jefferson Lab is located at 12000 Jefferson Ave., Newport News. Please enter Jefferson Lab at its main entrance — Onnes Drive and follow the Special Event signs to public parking. Everyone over 16 is asked to carry picture ID. For additional information, please call 269-5102 or visit Jefferson Lab's web site at www.jlab.org.