Mark your calendars if you can be in Schenectady, New York April 25 and 26. The National Science Foundation will be putting on a program of talks open to the public by researchers doing science in Antarctica. The location is historic Proctor's Theater in downtown Schenectady, from 1-4pm both days.
This is an unprecedented opportunity to see and hear scientists talking about their work, the unique continent of Antarctica, and how it ties in to the problem of Climate Change. The program is a first for the N.S.F. and came about thanks to the Scotia-based 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard. They and the N.S.F. have a long working relationship in Antarctica; they're sponsoring this event to give the general public a chance to find out what's going on down at the bottom of the world. (more)
This is truly a rare opportunity to hear scientists talking about their work in their own words. Doing science in Antarctica is a vastly difficult undertaking; people who can get projects funded are not doing trivial stuff. The Proctor's listing for the event gives an idea of the range of topics:
Conversations from Antarctica Seminar
April 25 - 26, 2009
Conversations from Antarctica will provide reports from the scientists and climate experts working in Antarctica at Proctors GE Theatre on Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M.
Admission is free, but seating is limited, so interested persons are urged to come early.
The theme for the seminar on Saturday, April 25, will be From Dinosaurs to Black Holes. Click here for a list of topics and speakers.
On April 25 there will be a reception in the Fenimore Gallery at the conclusion of Day 1 from 4:30 P.M. to 6 P.M.
The theme for the seminar on Sunday, April 26 will be Global Climate Change: the View from Antarctica. Click here for a list of topics and speakers.
On April 26 there will be a film presentation from 4:30 P.M. to 5:45 P.M. of Warner Herzog’s Encounters at the End of the World.
Admission is $3 for seminar attendees and $6 for the general public.
This is the kind of experience that is difficult to get; normally you'd have to haunt college campuses or research institutions/science seminars to see and hear what these people have to say. The work they do can be of literally world-shaking importance, but it's not something that generally translates well through traditional media filters. Since this is the first time the N.S.F. has attempted something like this, a strong welcoming response from the public would seem to be in order, especially after years of anti-science propaganda which continues today.
Following the talks on Sunday there will be a showing of Werner Herzog's 2007 film "Encounters at the End of the World". I wrote a review of the film after seeing it in October, 2007. It's another idiosyncratic work from Werner Herzog that is none the less compelling and contains moments of staggering visual beauty as he attempts to come to grips with what exactly drives men and women to come to one of the most extreme environments on earth to satisfy their curiosity about the way the world works. Herzog attempts to get the scientists to say in their own words why they do what they do, and opens a window on a world most of us will never experience directly. The film is worth tracking down on its own merits.
Repeat: this is an amazing opportunity - especially if you're a science geek or simply want to hear about people doing science at the End of the World. Beyond that, a strong showing of support by the public could have the N.S.F. thinking about doing more of these kinds of events which would be a very good thing.
For more information, here's where to contact Proctors.
Getting to Schenectady and Proctors is relatively easy. There are places to stay, places to eat, things to see. Schenectady is off the New York State Thruway and there's an Amtrak station only a few blocks from Proctors.
INCIDENTALIA
Schenectady is known as the City that Lights and Hauls the World, and the source of all those wild SciFi ideas. (According to Barry Longyear who when asked by a reporter "Where do you get your ideas?" said straight faced "If you are a member of the Science Fiction Writers Assoc., you can send a dollar to a P.O. Box in Schenectady, and they will send you an idea." He later used that title for a collection of his stories. It ultimately inspired a film festival also at Proctors.)
Schenectady's Antarctica connection is across the Mohawk River in Scotia/Glenville at the Stratton Air National Guard Base, where the 109th Airlift Wing can be found - when they're not down at the South Pole. (They're the world's most exclusive ski club!) On the other side of the Schenectady County Airport is the Empire State Aerosciences Museum which has quite a collection of vintage military jets and other exhibits.