SOL SPEAKER LIASIONS
SOL Speaker Liaisons will be assisting in bringing in speakers from their Regions and helping us bridge the time zone gap.
LT Pam Kingsley – USS Mercia, Region 20. Europe, Ireland and Great Britain
CMDR Ronel du Preez – USS Dauntless, Region 8. Bloemfontein; Free State; South Africa
Call out: Looking for Regional Sol Liaisons worldwide. Regional Sol Speaker Series Liaisons – STARFLEET (sfi.org)
We are seeking Regional Sol Liaisons to assist with bringing speakers in from around the world and making our events more accessible to everyone regardless of the time zone differences. Contact sfsci-director@sfi.org if you are interested or would like more information!
Welcome to the Sol Speaker Series sponsored by STARFLEET Sciences, a monthly online event free to SFI members! We provide interesting and inspiring presentations on a variety of science topics and you have an opportunity to ask questions of our guests at the end of their talks. All events are posted on SFI’s YouTube Channel.
UPCOMING EVENT:
September 19th, 7pm EST (worldtimebuddy.com)
Sharife Gacel, Analog Astronaut
“Artemis: From the Earth to the Moon”
If you’re curious about humanity’s next steps on the Moon, this is the presentation for you. Learn about the Artemis program, the spacecraft involved, and how humans are preparing to live and work on the Moon. You’ll get the opportunity to go behind the scenes with rarely seen images and get the inside scoop from an analog astronaut researcher who simulated a Moon mission in isolation.
Sharife Gacel is an Analog Astronaut, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a passion for sharing space with others. As an Analog Astronaut researcher, she served as the Medical Officer and her ongoing research is titled “The Impact of Crew Isolation and Lunar Simulation on Human Behavior.”
FUTURE EVENTS:
October 17th, 7 pm EST
Arjun Ayyangar, NASA Solar System Ambassador
“Black Holes”
We will discuss the formation of black holes, their variable size range, and the evidence of their existence. We will also describe how understanding black holes will give more insights on understanding the universe.
Arjun Ayyangar is a volunteer NASA Solar System Ambassador since 2018, and has received his Masters Degree in Computational Sciences and Robotics from South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and another Masters Degree in Computer Science (Machine Learning Specialization) from Georgia Institute of Technology. He is currently working as a Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin, Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Arjun Ayyangar is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the piano, harp, organ, Indian Instrument Veena and Persian Instrument Santur. He is a Goodwill Ambassador for Empower the Children. His YouTube site is https://www.youtube.com/Ayyangar
November 15th, time tbd – NOTE THIS IS A FRIDAY
Major Sam McEvoy, UK Space Command
“Protecting the Final Frontier”
Space is a congested and competitive domain. Hazards in space range from space weather to space debris. The space domain also includes a growing range of threats, including nefarious activity from hostile and irresponsible actors seeking to maximise their advantage in the space domain.
Based in Buckinghamshire and staffed by Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, alongside civil servants and contractors, UK Space Command’s mission is to work with allies and partners around the world to make space safe, secure, and sustainable for all generations.
https://www.raf.mod.uk/what-we-do/uk-space-command/
Major Sam McEvoy is a serving UK Army officer and lifelong Trekkie who is currently working at UK Space Command. A devout technophile, his career has included such areas as Space, Artificial Intelligence, and Quantum Computing for UK Defence.
December 5th, 7 pm EST
FCAPT Randy Mitson
“Discover the Algonquin Radio Observatory in Region 13”
The Algonquin Radio Observatory (ARO), located in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, was established in 1959 by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) as a radio-quiet site for advanced research. The observatory is home to Canada’s largest radio dish, the 46-metre antenna, which has been instrumental in significant astronomical discoveries, including the detection of quasars and pulsars. The ARO has contributed to manned lunar missions by receiving telemetry and tracking data, and today, it remains an essential part of the global positioning system (GPS) network. Since 2007, Thoth Technology Inc. has operated the site, continuing its work in very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), satellite downlinks, and deep spa.
PAST SPEAKERS 2024
January 18 – Star Trek Star Charting: It All Fits Now! ~ Larry Nemecek, Author of Star Trek: Stellar Cartography
Feb 15 – Astronomical Highlights 2024 and Beyond ~ John French, Abrams Planetarium, Michigan State University.
March 21 – Bound for Space! We Are Go for Grow! ~ Dianea Phillips, Aerospace Educator
April 18 – Astrophotography: Yes, You Can! ~ Commodore Mike Calhoun, Director of STARFLEET Sciences
May 16 – The History of Astro-Imaging ~ Dr. Ron Brecher, Astrophotographer
June 20 – We are not alone. The quest to search for life from Socrates to Webb and Beyond ~ Salem Emara, NASA JPL Space Ambassador
July 18 – Models for How Space/Time Travel Could Work – Matthew Szydagis, UAlbany SUNY
Aug 15 – Physiology and Space Exploration, Phyllis Friello, Johnson Space Center
YOUTUBE LINKS TO SOL EVENTS ON THE SFI YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Promo – https://youtu.be/m5SeRIfs3Lk?si=tMtcvSMqKKCfODPy
Jan event – Larry Nemecek https://youtu.be/tgcqzrmbn9k?si=tdXDPB2z8-nNI0fM
Feb event – John French https://youtu.be/DmetwemXgrQ?si=5b6-aXj8Lj6vUFZv
Mar event – Dianea Phillips https://youtu.be/fGR3-HGMeQA?si=16tQj2m8dEZOE5c9
Apr event – Mike Calhoun https://youtu.be/TnZZyCjkTTs?si=XTpcnAiQP9wEzTag
May event – Ron Brecher https://youtu.be/2SbcEfc-580?si=JxHfLz2O1rpdv1k0
June event – Salem Emara. https://youtu.be/oS7Ymz5HAaM?si=owFYw_JccUv_nbv
July event – Matthew Szydagis. https://youtu.be/p9vE4Gw9bqU?si=vguXmbd1k2UL7AXs
August event – Phyllis Friello. https://youtu.be/jHX8cRHmnoI?si=ciuhuQEGLI6qBuId