Weekly Bulletin

April 9-15, 1997

Wednesday, April 9 8:30-10:00 p.m. Goodsell Observatory

Open House: Everyone is invited to the Goodsell Observatory open house Wednesday evening. See Comet Hale-Bopp! We expect very large crowds, so bring binoculars (if you have them) to watch the comet while you are waiting in line. Cancelled if cloudy.

Friday, April 11 12:00 p.m. CTR

Physics Table: Join us for physics table with Physics 123 speaker Kim Venn on Friday at 12:00 in the CTR. Meet in the lobby of Goodsell at 11:50 for the walk over, or join us there at noon.

Friday, April 11 1:10 p.m. Olin 141

Physics 123: Dr. Kim Venn, an astrophysicist from Macalester College, will speak about "Stellar Abundances and the Chemical Evolution of Galaxies." Using spectral data from the Keck telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope, Dr. Venn will describe how spectra from distant individual stars can be used to identify chemical abundances in external galaxies. The relative abundances of various elements will yield clues to the life histories of the stars and their role in the chemical evolution of galaxies. Everyone is invited to attend, and refreshments will be served.

Saturday, April 12 8:30-10:00 p.m. Goodsell Observatory

Open House: Everyone is invited to the Goodsell Observatory open house Wednesday evening. See Comet Hale-Bopp! We expect very large crowds, so bring binoculars (if you have them) to watch the comet while you are waiting in line. Cancelled if cloudy.

Monday, April 14 3:10 p.m. Mudd 171

Comps Talk: Come hear Tyler Rooker's comps talk, "Nonlinear Dynamics" on Monday afternoon in Mudd 171. Everyone is welcome.

Tuesday, April 15 7:00 p.m. Boliou Auditorium

Fellowship and Scholarship information meeting: If you are thinking of applying for a fellowship, such as Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, or Watson, this summer is the time to begin the application process. Come learn more about these exciting opportunities.

NEXT WEEK'S Physics 123 Speaker -- Some Special Opportunities -- Evening Lecture on Scuds, Lies, and Videotapes; and student-only breakfast with him.

The Physics 123 speaker NEXT WEEK (April 18) is MIT Professor Theodore Postol. Prof. Postol is a military and arms control expert and physicist who has worked both inside the Pentagon and in academia. In contrast to official statements from the Pentagon, Prof. Postol contends that very few, if any attempted interceptions of Iraqi Scud missiles by U.S. Patriot missiles were successful. To illustrate his case, Professor Postol will show and analyze videotapes of the attempted interceptions taken by civilian camera crews.

He will present a public lecture on his analysis of attempted interceptions of Iraqi Scud missiles by U.S. Patriot missiles in the Gulf War, "Scuds, Lies, and Videotapes: The Patriot Air Defense System in the Gulf War of 1991," in Olin 141, Thursday, April 17, at 8 PM (the night before his somewhat more technical Physics 123 talk on the same topic). In addition, he has enthusiastically agreed to join a student-only breakfast Friday morning, April 18, at 8 am in the Commercial Tea Room, for those of you interested in discussing the intersection between science and policy with him. Please contact Joel or Karen Griffith by Monday if you would like to join him, so we have an accurate count.