David M. Meyer, Ph.D. of Northwestern University

The 2020 Engineers Week Theme is “Engineers: Pioneers of Progress.” Engineers – like all pioneers – use their knowledge, creativity, and sense of adventure to cross frontiers. Engineers have led us into space and deep below the ocean's surface. They have connected millions of people through advances in communications and transportation.

The National Engineers Week (EWeek) was founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951. The EWeek (February 16–22) is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing the understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers. During EWeek  we celebrate engineers and how they improve our lives. The need for the next generation of practical inventors and innovators continues. Who will step up?

So what can be more fitting than the study of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) which revolutionized our understanding of the universe both near and far.  Its stunning images of stars, nebulae and galaxies have captivated our attention and inspired students of all ages.  In this introductory video we will view the scientific stories behind 10 of HST’s most spectacular images. These images were chosen on the basis of their visual beauty and scientific impact. Out of these ten images, due to time constraints, we can only view two lectures tonight: The Rationale for a Space Telescope and Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 and Jupiter.  First, the video will show the key advantages of the space telescope over a ground based observatory in imaging the cosmos. Then the video will show the solar system event of the century: the 1994 images of fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 slamming into the planet Jupiter.

Biography:

David M. Meyer, is a Professor of Physics and Astronomy, director of Dearborn Observatory, and co-director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics at Northwestern University. He received his B.S. in Astrophysics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison after completing a senior honors thesis on ultraviolet interstellar extinction. Professor Meyer earned his M.A, and Ph.D in Astronomy at the University of California, Los Angeles.