This September the University kicks off its 42nd year of hosting the Stony Brook Open Nights lecture series. This free series, geared to the general public, began in Fall 1973 with the arrival of Comet Kohoutek and proved to be so popular that they have continued ever since. The talks are held most Fridays during the fall and spring semesters.
The lectures are grouped into four categories: Astronomy Open Night (usually the first Friday of the month), The Worlds of Physics (second Friday of the month), Geology Open Night (third Friday of the month) and The Living World (fourth Friday of the month). Depending on faculty availability, the schedule may not always follow the usual monthly order. Faculty speak on aspects of their expertise, research or a topic of public interest.
All lectures are held in Room 001 (ground floor) of the Earth and Space Sciences (ESS) Building at 7:30 pm. The lectures are growing in popularity, so please arrive early to get a good seat. Observing the skies through the ESS rooftop telescope will follow the lectures, weather permitting. Check the websites for more information about each lecture as the dates approach.
Teachers take note: It may be possible to get in-service credit for any or all of these lectures, as well as for related geology programs. Visit the website and follow the in-service link for more details.
2015-2016 Open Night Schedule
Astronomy Open Night
September 4: Distinguished Professor James Lattimer, Blowing in the Ether: Einstein’s Legacy
October 2: Associate Professor Alan Calder, “What did New Horizons teach us about the system formerly known as Planet Pluto?”
October 30: Professor Fred Walter, “The Past and Future Habitability of Mars”
December 4: Research Assistant Professor Takamitsu Tanaka
February 5: TBA
March 4: Research Associate Professor Doug Swesty
April 8: Assistant Professor Neelima Sehgal
May 6: Associate Professor Michael Zingale
(All speakers are from Stony Brook’s Department of Physics and Astronomy)
World of Physics
September 11
October 9
November 6
December 11
February 26
March 11
April 15
May 13
Geology Open Night
September 18
October 23
November 13
January 29
February 19
March 25
April 29
The Living World
September 25: Associate Professor Demian Chapman, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS), Fin-ale: Averting Extinction of the World’s Sharks and Rays
October 16: Professor Christopher Gobler, SoMAS, speaks on coastal ocean acidification
November 20: Assistant Professor Catherine Markham, Department of Anthropology, “Evolution of Social Complexity in Chimpanzees and Baboons”
February 12 (Darwin Day)
April 1
April 22 (Earth Day)
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