Expert in search for extraterrestrial intelligence to speak

The “founding father” of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, Frank Drake, will give a free public lecture at UW–Madison at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19 in 1315 Chemistry Building, 1101 University Ave.

Drake, who serves on the board of trustees of the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, is an emeritus professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of California-Santa Cruz, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and former director of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.

Drake says several scientists from the SETI Institute are involved in the search for life on Mars as members of the NASA Mars exploration team. Drake conducted the first radio search for extraterrestrial intelligence in 1960 as a staff member of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Though radio astronomers have been listening for messages for many years, he says the search so far has barely begun looking at potential sources.

The SETI Institute is a non-profit organization that employs about 130 people, mostly scientists. Over the last ten years, the institute, which does not receive any government funding, has received more than $55 million from individuals, corporations and foundations. It now uses time on the Arecibo telescope and in 2005 will start using the new Allen Telescope Array, the world’s first professional-class radio telescope devoted to SETI observing.

Drake’s appearance is sponsored by the Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy (WISL), which is directed by Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, UW–Madison professor of chemistry. WISL is devoted to increasing the science literacy of the general public to help people make intelligent decisions, encouraging young people to go into science, and encouraging scientists to communicate with the public.