October 16, 2009 marks the beginning of National Science and Technology Week 2009. From Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 25, organizations and institutions from across the country will host events to celebrate, teach, and promote science to children and young adults.
National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) is an annual week-long event that began in 1990 to celebrate science and technology in everyday life. This year there are over 30 scheduled events throughout British Columbia, including workshops, seminars, lectures, contests, and more, all centered around the theme of "Exploration and Discovery: Past, Present, and Future."
This year, TRIUMF is proud to present two events in celebration of NSTW'09. On October 17, TRIUMF, along with the University of British Columbia (UBC), and Simon Fraser University (SFU), will kick-off the 2009/2010 season of one of its most popular outreach and education events, the Saturday Morning Lecture Series. The following weekend, on October 24, TRIUMF, in partnership with the Old Barn Community Centre, presents a "Science in the Movies Night" featuring a special screening of The Atom Smashers.
The 2009/2010 Saturday Morning Lecture Series explores topics on the Frontiers of Modern Physics. This month's lecture features William Hsieh (UBC) speaking on Short-term Climate Variability and Prediction. The morning also includes a special career panel: "How I became a scientist - the career paths of five BC scientists," giving students a chance to hear from and ask questions of professional scientist from a range of careers in the science and technology industry. The lecture is on Saturday, October 17, from 10am - 12pm, at TRIUMF. There is no charge for admittance and students are encouraged to bring friends and interested family members. Teachers and members of the public are also welcome.
The second event is a "Science in the Movies Night" featuring The Atom Smashers, a documentary-style film chronicling the search for the Higgs-boson: a yet-undiscovered subatomic particle that could explain how matter - and therefore, life - can exist. Part science, part international competition, and part human drama, The Atom Smashers watches its captivating characters in and out of the laboratory as they race along the intersections of politics, culture, and the possibility of the discovery of a lifetime. The screening will be followed by a discussion panel with two particle physicists from UBC and TRIUMF. All ages are welcome to this free event on Saturday, October 24, from 7pm - 9:30pm at the Old Barn Community Centre (6308 Thunderbird Blvd.).
Through these events, TRIUMF hopes to share the spirit of exploration and discovery in the world of particle and nuclear physics and to inspire young people to learn more about this exciting field.
For dates, times, venues, and more detailed information on the above two events, click here. More information on NSTW'09, including a complete list of events can be found here.
-- Meghan Magee, Communications Assistant