The Southworth Planetarium Science Lecture Series opens its seventh year with a presentation by Edward Polewarczyk on the Space Shuttle Program. 

The lecture will be held on Thursday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30, admission is by donation, and light refreshments are served. Southworth Planetarium is located in the USM Science Building at 70 Falmouth Street in Portland; ample free parking is available in the evening.

Mr. Polewarczyk is the retired Director of Orbiter Production and Operations at the United Space Alliance, a principal contractor for the Space Shuttle Program. He has been deeply involved in the program from 1974 until the end of the program. He will present a lively and fascinating view of the Space Shuttle Program from many points of view: the astronauts, the mission control team, and the many contractors behind the scene who made every flight possible. It will be an informative and enjoyable evening and I invite you to join us and to invite friends, colleagues, and students who might be interested.

The Southworth Planetarium Science Lecture Series was founded in 2012 and offers monthly talks to the general public presented by scientists in a variety of fields. Past lecturers have included faculty from USM, the University of New England, Maine Medical Center, the University of Maine Climate Change Institute, and the Yale University School of Medicine among others, and topics have ranged from ancient astronomy to joint replacement technology to “What’s in Portland’s Trash”!  Lectures are generally held on the third Thursday of each month during the academic year. All lectures begin at 7 pm and last about 90 minutes including a question and answer period.  

Cheers,

Jerry LaSala

Professor of Physics

Director, Southworth Planetarium