Kate here.
I have gobs of spare time laying around, and often I can’t figure out what to do with it.
Okay, not at all.
But one of the things I’ve happily let eat my spare time is this year’s Carl Sagan Day Chicago, which is happening in (eek!) just four days, November 1st.
Chicago’s secular community is gathering once again to celebrate the life and legacy of the great science popularizer, the beauty of discovery, and the fun of exploration.
The event will be held in Schmitt Academic Center Room 161, on DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus. The building is handicapable accessible, and accommodation can be provided upon request.
The three organizers, myself, Chana Messinger of UChicago, and Andrew Tripp of DePaul began with a meeting squashed into a break from speakers at the 2012 SSA Conference. The resulting google doc turned into G+ hangout planning sessions and emails and emails and emails. By the middle of September we had our speakers:
Dr. Peter Vandervoort, Professor Emeritus, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and a former colleague of Carl Sagan.
Dr. Angela Olinto, Chair of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Department at the University of Chicago.
Dr. Bernhard Beck-Winchatz, Associate Professor of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Studies Department at DePaul University.
AND an emcee, Matt Lowry, the Skeptical Teacher.
Last month we had our last planning meeting, where we created our Safe Space Policy, emailed groups who could be interested in sponsorship, and made final arrangements.
Since then we’ve been sponsored by Chicago Skeptics, College of Curiosity, and [aaaaaahhhh!] the Adler Planetarium, along with getting a project grant from the Secular Student Alliance.
Which is to say, this is going to be fantastic. Do you live anywhere near the Windy City? Come out to 2320 N. Kenmore (on DePaul’s campus, off the Fullerton stop on the Red Line) this Thursday. I’d love to meet you, the event is free, and you can eat apple pie and win tickets to the Adler. What’s not to like?
[Chana has her own post about Sagan Day plans on Friendly Atheist]
