UW-Madison, Adler Planetarium host star-studded event

Some bright stars in the university’s research galaxy will join Chicago’s Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum Tuesday, April 24, for a show on the frontiers of discovery, from Earth’s origins to life on Mars.

The 10 a.m.-2 p.m. public program at Adler will feature interactive presentations from UW–Madison faculty related to astronomy, earth science and planetary science research.

Included will be a talk by geologist John Valley, whose study of a 4.4 billion year-old zircon crystal is getting worldwide attention for challenging theories about the origins of the Earth and Moon.

The unique event will be part of a public service road show called UW-Madison On The Road, organized through the Wisconsin Alumni Association. This three-year-old outreach campaign brings civic and educational programs to major cities in Wisconsin. This is the first year the program has extended to the Chicago area, home to more than 27,400 UW–Madison alumni.

“We are delighted to bring some of our faculty stars to a terrific facility like Adler,” says Phillip Certain, dean of the College of Letters and Science, a sponsor of the event. “It is particularly exciting to be able to share some of our newest discoveries with our alumni and friends in the Chicago area.”

Tuesday’s presentations, which will be repeated over the 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. time frame, include:

• “The Cool Early Earth,” by geologist John Valley, a discussion of the implications of the world’s oldest piece of zircon crystal.
• “Spuds in Space,” by botanist Judith Croxdale, who was part of a NASA space shuttle experiment examining the growth of food crops such as potatoes in microgravity.
• “Search for Evidence of Life on Mars,” by geologist William Barker, who will bring along a piece of the Martian meteorite that sparked a debate over whether Mars was once hospitable to life.
• “Weather in Space,” by planetary scientist Sanjay Limaye, a look at some of the extreme weather conditions within our solar system.

The theme of boundless discovery is explored from many perspectives, including presentations on plumbing Great Lakes shipwrecks, developing atomic-scale “nanotech” materials, and the history of astronomy.

On Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m., astronomy professor Eric Wilcots will deliver the keynote address at an alumni reception at Adler, titled “UW’s Eyes in Space.” UW–Madison alumni and guests are invited to this event and can reserve a ticket by calling (608) 262-9651.

On Wednesday, April 25, the UW–Madison entourage has a full day of visits planned at Providence-St. Mel School, an inner-city Chicago school that is acclaimed for its academic successes and track record of preparing all students for higher education. The UW–Madison group will learn about the unique school and work to establish stronger ties with school officials.

The Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum opened in 1930 as the first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. It houses a renowned collection of historical astronomical pieces, nine new exhibition galleries and the world’s first “StarRider” theater.

Created in 1998, On The Road advances the university’s commitment to the Wisconsin Idea, a tradition of sharing knowledge and resources with the citizens of the state and beyond. For more information, contact the Wisconsin Alumni Association, (608) 262-2551.