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July
21, 2009
The
Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) will present its 2009
annual meeting September 12-16 in the San Francisco Bay Area at
the Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel, 1 Old Bayshore Highway in
Millbrae, California. The theme of the 2009 gathering will be "Science
Education and Outreach: Forging a Path to the Future." Of particular
interest to formal and informal educators, and amateur astronomers,
the conference will consider how to advance a future of science
literacy, enlightenment and achievement through speaker presentations,
workshops, discussion sessions, and exhibits. This meeting, during
the International Year of Astronomy, the International Year of Science,
and the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Astronomical Society
of the Pacific, is open to all individuals with an interest in astronomy
and science education.
The meeting proper begins on Sunday evening, September 13, with
the annual members' meeting and the opening reception. Meeting sessions
begin on Monday, September 14, with the annual awards banquet held
on Tuesday evening, September 15. The meeting will conclude the
early evening of Wednesday, September 16. Registration information
can be found on the ASP website at: http://www.astrosociety.org/events/2009mtg/registration.html
The meeting will be preceded by hands-on workshops scheduled on
Saturday and Sunday, September 12-13, for formal and informal educators,
with a separate daily workshop registration fee from the meeting
registration fee. Workshop registration and additional information
can be found on the ASP website at: http://www.astrosociety.org/events/2009mtg/workshops.html
Through support from the Spitzer Space Center, a limited number
of scholarships of up to $750 are available to eligible participants.
Additional details can be found on the scholarships page at:
http://www.astrosociety.org/events/2009mtg/scholarships.html
In addition to workshops, the Astronomical Association of Northern
California will meet on Saturday, September 12. The workshops and
registration information pages provide additional information on
this "meeting within a meeting."
Sunday afternoon, September 13, is reserved for a SETI Speaker Series
featuring scientists and researchers from the SETI Institute in
Mountain View, California. Speakers include Drs. Frank Drake, Seth
Shostak, Margaret Race, and John Jenkins. These presentations will
feature current and mind-expanding discussions on the Drake Equation
at 50 years old, what aliens might look like and why it's useful
to speculate about them, initial results and data from the Kepler
Mission to see if we're finding their home worlds yet, and what
on Earth we do if we start to find them. The speakers series will
be open to the public for a $10 admission fee per person to support
the education programs of the SETI Institute and the ASP.
Founded in 1889 in San Francisco, the ASP's mission is to increase
the understanding and appreciation of astronomy by engaging scientists,
educators, enthusiasts and the public to advance science and science
literacy. Information regarding the ASP can be found online at http://www.astrosociety.org/about.html.
Specific information on the Society's array of awards for scientists,
educators and amateur astronomers is located online at: http://www.astrosociety.org/membership/awards/awards.html.
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