Reunion Weekend Schedule
This is a preliminary program schedule, subject to change.
Friday, October 10, 2008
6 - 8 pm, Check-in Registration & Welcome Reception
Lobby & Ortega Observatory, F. W. Olin Physical Sciences Bldg
Gordon L. Nelson, Ph.D., Dean, College of Science
Terry D. Oswalt, Ph.D. Head, Physics & Space Sciences
Cosmic acoustics by William McNeely (Tranzen Music)
8 - 10 pm, Telescope Viewing
Ortega Observatory, F. W. Olin Physical Sciences Bldg (roof)
Saturday, October 11, 2008
8 - 9 am, Registration & Continental Breakfast
Auditorium, F. W. Olin Engineering Bldg
9 - 9:15 am, Welcome
Auditorium, F. W. Olin Engineering Bldg
Gordon L. Nelson, Ph.D., Dean, College of Science
Terry D. Oswalt, Ph.D, Head of Physics & Space Sciences & Associate Provost for Research
Ken Ports, Ph.D., Director of Strategic Operations, QTSI -- Session Sponsor
9:15 - 9:45 am, Plenary Lecture: Joseph Dwyer, Ph.D.
Auditorium, F. W. Olin Engineering Bldg
Mysteries of Lightning
Professor, Physics & Space Sciences
Director of Geospace Physics Laboratory
Florida Institute of Technology
9:45 - 10 am, Coffee Break
Lobby, F. W. Olin Engineering Bldg
10 am- 12 pm, Panel Discussion - Frontiers in Physics
Auditorium, F. W. Olin Engineering Bldg
Session Chair: Marcus Hohlmann, Ph. D., Assoc. Prof., Physics & Space Sciences, Florida Tech
Huey-Chin Ho, Ph.D. M.S. 1984 Ph.D. 1988 Physics Florida Tech
1st Physics Doctorate awarded by Florida Tech
Physicists in Business
Vice President for Operations
Gooch & Housego Florida, formerly NEOS Technologies, Inc. (Melbourne, FL)
Edward Thomas, Jr., Ph.D. B.S. 1989 Physics Florida Tech
Plasma Science: Not Just the 4th state of matter, all 4 states
Professor of Physics
Auburn University (Auburn, AL)
Flavio Mendez B.S. 1991 Space Sciences, M.S. 1991 Science Education Florida Tech
Professional Development for Teachers of Science in the 21st Century
Senior Director of the Learning Center
National Science Teachers Association (Arlington, VA)
Maher Al-Dayeh, Ph.D. M.S. 2003 Ph.D. 2007 Physics Florida Tech
Solar Energetic Particles: Past, Present, and Future
Scientific Analyst, Space & Atmospheric Physics
Southwest Research Institute (San Antonio, TX)
Leandro Almeida B.S. 2004 Physics Florida Tech
Tops at the Large Hadron Collider
W. Burghardt Turner Fellow
State University of New York (Stony Brook, NY)
Lars Johnson, B.S. B.S. 2007 Space Sciences Florida Tech
Seismic Detection and Location of Unexploded Ordinances
Research Scientist
QTSI, Inc. (Cocoa Beach, FL)
12 - 1:30 pm, Lunch
South Lawn, F. W. Olin Life Sciences Bldg
1:30 - 2 pm, Plenary Lecture: Samuel T. Durrance, Ph.D.
Auditorium, F. W. Olin Engineering Bldg
Opening Remarks: Jeffrey Volosin, Ph.D., Vice President for NASA Space Programs, Honeywell Corporation (Greenbelt, MD) -- Session Sponsor
The Astro I and II Missions
Professor, Physics & Space Sciences
NASA Astronaut, Space Shuttles Endeavor & Columbia
Florida Institute of Technology
2 - 4 pm, Panel Discussion - Frontiers in Space Sciences
Auditorium, F. W. Olin Engineering Bldg
Session Chair: Niescja Turner, Ph.D., Asst Prof, Physics & Space Sciences, Florida Tech
Karen Barker, M.S. M.S. 1984 Systems Management, M.S. Space Systems 1993 Florida Tech
Space Science Policy
President-on-leave, Brahe Corp & AIAA Space Policy Fellow, US Dept Commerce (Washington, D.C.)
Jeffrey Volosin, Ph.D. B.S. 1986 Space Sciences Florida Tech
Future of the Space Industry
Vice President for NASA Space Programs
Honeywell Corporation (Greenbelt, MD)
Pamela Marcum, Ph.D. B.S. 1987 M.S. 1989 Space Sciences, M.S. 1989 Physics Florida Tech
NASA's Kepler & Swift Missions
Program Director, NASA HQ (Washington, D.C.)
Professor of Physics, Texas Christian University (Clarksville, TN)
J. Allyn Smith, Ph.D. B.S. 1975 Biology, M.S. 1987 Ph.D. 1997 Space Sciences Florida Tech
The Large Scale Synoptic Telescope
Physics & Astronomy, Head of Department
Austin Peay State University (TN)
Max Mutchler, M.S. M.S. 1990 Space Sciences Florida Tech
Hubble Space Telescope Servicing and Science with the ACS
Research & Instrument Scientist
Space Telescope Science Institute (Baltimore, MD)
Steve Penton, Ph.D. M.S. 1989 Space Sciences, Florida Tech
SM4, the Fifth Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission
Calibration Scientist, HST Cosmic Origins Spectrograph
University of Colorado (Boulder, CO)
Dan Moorer, Ph.D. M.S. 1993 Space Systems Florida Tech
Physics, Space Sciences, and Entrepreneurship
President & CEO
Wacari Group, Inc.
4 - 5 pm, Poster Session & Refreshments (Download Poster List)
FL Tech alumni & current students
Lobby, F. W. Olin Physical Sciences Bldg
5:30 - 7 pm, Florida Tech Bookstore
Denius Student Center
*The Florida Tech Bookstore will be open exclusively for the PSS alumni's apparel & gift needs.
6 - 7 pm, Cocktail Reception
Hartley Room Foyer, Denius Student Center
7 - 9 pm, Banquet
Hartley Room, Denius Student Center
Welcome: Terry Oswalt, Ph.D., Dept. Head, Physics & Space Science, Florida Tech
Introduction: T. Dwayne McCay, Ph.D., Provost, Florida Tech
Banquet Speaker: William W. Parsons
Center Director, NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center
Sunday, October 12, 2008
10 - 12 am, Brunch
Hartley Room, Denius Student Center
Host: Anthony J. Catanese, Ph.D., President, Florida Tech