Noontime Notions: Science Series

The Noontime Notions: Science Series will begin at noon in the Rogow Room at the Transylvania County Library. Noontime Notions programs feature authors, performers, and presenters providing engaging notions for consideration, enjoyment, and discovery.   The program is made possible by the Friends of the Library and will last approximately 75 minutes.

Join presenter David Johnston for this three program series adventure to the stars.  David serves as a Solar System Ambassador for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as a Science Advisor for the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, and is co-founder of the AstroBrevard Astronomy Club. He has taught science, engineering, and math in both formal and informal settings for the past 20 years. Although his academic career was in Computer Science, David has been a life-long amateur astronomer. David and his wife, Caroline, have lived in Brevard for almost four years. They have two children, both of whom, for better or worse, are also nerds.

May 13th — Astronomy 101: the Universe in 75 Minutes

We humans have always been fascinated by the night sky. It’s been our calendar, a collection of signposts that show us the way from point A to point B, and a connect-the-dots canvas for us to draw out our myths. Join David for this (slightly compressed) survey of modern Astronomy.

May 20th — Artemis: Earth, Moon, Mars —  Our First Steps Towards Living on Other Worlds

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, 12 Americans walked on the Moon. They were the first humans to set foot on another world. Then we stopped going. Now, at long last, we’re going back. Join David as he discusses the Artemis program, NASA’s plan to take humanity back to the Moon, and then on to Mars.

May 27th — SETI: the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Are we alone in the Universe? Is life ubiquitous or rare? What about intelligent life? Are there other technological civilizations out there? Join  David as he presents a talk on SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) and attempts to explain why we can’t answer any of those questions, but may soon be able to.