The Lab's Spring Science Series kicks off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, when the Lab brings Richard S. Williams, Jr., from the U.S. Geological Survey Center in to present his life's work "Iceland: Dynamic Land of Ice and Fire." Iceland is a land of great contrasts, especially in its physical geography and geology. Glaciers and volcanoes abound in this geologically dynamic land that sits astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Eleven percent of the land is covered with glaciers, and more than 150 volcanic eruptions have been documented since Iceland was settled. Using slides and satellite images acquired during 35 years of geologic and geographic research in Iceland, Dr. Williams will discuss this land of ice and fire, emphasizing its unique geology and geography.
On Tuesday, March 12, a dramatic interpretation of science takes center stage with Dr. Rosemary Colarulli from Weiss School, Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Watch science unfold before your eyes. Catch her dynamic, dramatic presentation "Science on Stage." Colarulli received her BA in Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics at Rhode Island College and her Masters and Doctorate degrees from Florida Atlantic University in Educational Leadership. Her expertise in gifted education keeps her much in demand as a keynote speaker and educational consultant.
On Thursday, March 28, the Lab plans to bring University of Illinois physicist and baseball enthusiast Alan Nathan to JLab to present "How to Hit a Home Run - How a Physicist Thinks about Baseball." Nathan is passionate about physics and baseball. His love of each brought the two together for "The Dynamics of the Baseball-Bat Collision," a paper he wrote which was published in the November 2000 issue of the American Journal of Physics. "The Physics of Baseball" grew from the Nathan's paper and the interest of several others in the science behind one of America's favorite past times. For more about physics and baseball, visit Nathan's web site: www.npl.uiuc.edu/~a-nathan/pob/.
And on Wednesday, May 8, the Lab hosts Marcia Bartusiak, author of "Einstein's Unfinished Symphony" for a discussion of her latest book and a book signing. A new generation of observations, now being completed worldwide, will give astronomers not just a new window on the cosmos but a whole new sense with which to explore and experience the heavens above us. Instead of collecting light waves or radio waves, these novel instruments will allow astronomers to at last place their hands on the fabric of space-time and feel the very rhythms of the universe. These vibrations in space-time — or gravity waves — are the last prediction of Einstein's general theory of relativity yet to be observed directly. They are his unfinished symphony, waiting nearly a century to be heard. When they finally reveal themselves to astronomers, we will for the first time be able to hear the cymbal crashes from exploding stars, tune in to the periodic drumbeats from swiftly rotating pulsars, listen to the extended chirps from the merger of two black homes, and eavesdrop on the remnant echoes from the mighty jolt of the Big Bang itself. Barnes & Noble will have a table set up with Bartusiak's new book available for purchase.
All Science Series events begin at 7 p.m. in the CEBAF Center auditorium, located at 12000 Jefferson Ave., Newport News. The presentations last about 1 hour and a question & answer period ends the evening. The events are free and open to anyone interested in learning more about science. For security purposes, enter at the Lab's main entrance (Onnes Dr.). Everyone over 16 is asked to carry a photo I.D., and security guards may perform vehicle checks.