National Capital Section
of the Optical Society of America

NCS-OSA.org

ANNUAL SCIENCE FAIR AND
POSTER COMPETITION AWARDS DINNER

of the National Capital Section of the Optical Society of America and
DC-Northern Virginia Chapter of the IEEE Photonics Society

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

This meeting will be held at the NASA Goddard Recreation Center. The winning optics-optoelectronics related pre-college science fair exhibits and the winning grad student posters from the April 20 competition will be displayed before the meeting and we will all have a chance to talk with the students--always an interesting event.

RESERVATIONS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR ALL.

...by 12 Noon, Friday May 11th (with your Dinner Choice.) Please see the end of this message for contact information on making reservations.

After Dinner Talk -

"A PLANETARY JOURNEY: PERSPECTIVES ON OUR PLANETARY NEIGHBORS"
Dr. Conor Nixon
Department of Astronomy
University of Maryland

ABSTRACT:
The start of the space age, which began with the launch of Sputnik 1 into orbit in October 1957, unleashed a new era of solar system investigation by robotic space probes. Beginning in earnest in the 1970s after the Moon had been conquered, probes spread out through the solar system, ultimately visiting all the terrestrial and giant planets, multiple asteroids and comets, and finally reaching the edge of the solar system, with Voyager 1 soon crossing the boundary to interstellar space. It's a remarkable amount of accomplishment in just 55 years.
Imaging, spectroscopy and photography from our spacecraft flotilla has played a huge and central role in this investigation, from surveying landing sites for Apollo Lunar Modules and Mars rovers, to providing scientific data on geology and meteorology of these strange and varied worlds. These cameras and instruments have acted as our eyes, allowing us to see in detail places where we have yet to venture ourselves. A picture is still worth a thousand words.

In this talk I will review some of the most iconic images and pictures returned by planetary space probes over the past decades of exploration, discussing the scientific or historical importance of each, and finish with a look forward to the next decade of planned planetary probes.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:
Dr Conor Nixon is a planetary scientist at the Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland College Park. For the past 12 years he has worked in collaboration with NASA on the Cassini mission in orbit around Saturn, and is Deputy Principal Investigation on the Goddard-built infrared spectrometer (CIRS). He is the author of over 60 scientific publications and articles, principally focusing on the outer planets and remote sensing techniques. Before coming to NASA he earned a BA in Natural Science at the University of Cambridge, UK and a Ph.D in Atmopsheric Physics at the University of Oxford, UK. He is a native of Belfast, Ireland. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lecture and Dinner at the NASA Goddard Recreation Area
Good Luck Road Road, Greenbelt, MD

MEETING SCHEDULE - Tuesday May 15, 2012

5:30 PM (& NOT before):
The Secured gate to the Recreation Center will open for pre-college students to set up their Science Fair Projects and grad students to set up their poster projects

6:00 PM:
Social Hour and viewing of this years winning Optics Projects from the Washington Area Regional Science Fairs and the April 20 grad student poster competition

7:00 PM: DINNER
Dinner will include appetizers and open bar with beer, wine and soft drinks during the social hour;

Choice of (Please specify when making Reservations):

With buffet salad bar, baked potato, roasted vegetables, desert and coffee

The dinner cost will be - $20.00 for Adults and $10.00 for Students (including College & Grad Students)

8:00 PM: LECTURE
"A PLANETARY JOURNEY: PERSPECTIVES ON OUR PLANETARY NEIGHBORS"
Dr. Conor Nixon, University of Maryland

********************************************************

Directions to Goddard SFC Recreation Area (on Good Luck Road)

Directions:: From the Capital Beltway (I-95/I-495) exit onto the
Baltimore-Washington Parkway , North, towards Baltimore. Almost
immediately, exit onto Greenbelt Road (Rt. 193) East, following
signs towards NASA Goddard Space Flight Center [you will turn
left from the exit ramp onto Greenbelt Road].
If you are approaching from the Outer Loop of the Beltway, on the
exit road to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway there is a slip road
that leads directly on to Greenbelt Road eastbound, so, in this case,
you would not turn "left" on to Greenbelt Road

Traveling East on Greenbelt Rd,
continue past the Goddard main entrance (on the left),
pass one more traffic light, and turn left at the next light onto Good Luck Road.
Look for a gate on the left, within less than ΒΌ mile.
There will be a guard at the gate to admit visitors after 5:30 PM.

________________________________

>>>>>>> SPECIAL NOTICE <<<<<<<<

Reservations are required with your dinner choice. Goddard security requires advance notice of the names of those who will be admitted
at the Good Luck Rd. Gate after 5:30PM. Also the caterer needs to know how much food to order.
Please make your reservation no later than 12 Noon Friday May 11th.

For reservations with your dinner selection [Steak, Chicken or Vegetarian Lasagna] Please contact:

Jim Heaney (301)286-9133
James.B.Heaney@nasa.gov
Or
John Burris (301)614-6031
John.F.Burris@nasa.gov

Reservations due by 12:00 Noon Friday 11 May.

Please share this announcement with your colleagues, and tell them to look at our Web Site at:

http://NCS-OSA.org

If you would like to receive the meeting announcements, please send an email to MJLahart@aol.com asking that your name be added to our mailing list.

Previous Meeting Announcements

Legacy NCS-OSA Website