October 17-26 is National Science and Technology Week 2008! Across Canada, events are being held to celebrate, teach, and promote science. Natural Resources Canada is taking the lead role in the federal government and all agencies are encouraged to participate. As part of the festivities, TRIUMF is holding several events throughout the week. On October 21, the LHC launch event will be open to the public, and at noon of the same day there will be a career panel for students thinking of entering the field of science. In addition, on Saturday, October 25, TRIUMF will begin its 2008-2009 Saturday Lecture series.
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 marks TRIUMF's first formal participation. The goal of National Science and Technology Week is “creating an environment in which people of all ages – in particular young people – may engage in science and technology and interact with S&T professionals” as well as “fostering a culture of science and technology in Canada,” according to Geoff Munro, the chief scientist of Natural Resources Canada. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the International Year of Planet Earth.”
The first of TRIUMF’s events is a Canadian inauguration of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, which will start at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, October 21, at the TRIUMF facility. In addition to live videoconferencing with CERN and Canadian representatives at the formal inauguration, Canadian scientists will explain the importance of the LHC science program and their hopes for its breakthrough discoveries. Beginning at 12 p.m. three scientists, one each in particle physics, fuel cell technology, and marine chemistry, will explain their career and answer questions posed by high school and first year university students. In addition to the panel at noon, TRIUMF will also be giving free tours of the facility.
Beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 25, TRIUMF will launch its autumn high school physics lecture series as part of NSTW. Though intended primarily for high school students, particularly those taking chemistry or physics, these lectures are open to the general public as well. The lecture series intends to introduce the audience to the facts about the quantum world in a systematic and non-technical way, starting with the basics and progressing to more advanced material. The lectures are offered as a partnership between TRIUMF and the UBC Physics and Astronomy Department. The two lectures for October 25 are Prelude to Quantum Mechanics: Classical Wave Motion by Patrick Bruskiewich and Sound Waves and the Physics of Music by Chris Waltham.
Find out more details about TRIUMF's planned events here. More information on National Science and Technology Week, including a list of other events being held throughout BC, can be found here. The British Columbia Innovation Council also has information on NSTW events in BC. Visit this page for more information on the TRIUMF and UBC lecture series.
Correction: The inauguration of the LHC, originally stated to begin at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, should have been reported as 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 21. We have corrected this error and apologize for any confusion it may have caused.
By Kaitlan Huckabone
TRIUMF's Communications Assistant