The photo is of Mme. Marie Curie in her laboratory.
REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR THIS FREE HYBRID EVENT
Hamptons Observatory (HO), a 501(c)(3) NYS nonprofit that relies on public support has served the South Fork since 2005. Hamptons Observatory offers all of its programs free-of-charge so that everyone can enjoy the wonders of their Universe. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help support our work. Thanks!
Hybrid Astronomy Event
“Dava Sobel: The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science” (A Free, Hybrid Event)
SPEAKER: Dava Sobel, acclaimed author & Pulitzer Prize finalist
CO-HOST: Southampton Arts Center
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED:
To attend In-Person: https://bit.ly/DavaSobelTalk-InPerson
To attend Virtually: https://bit.ly/DavaSobelTalk-Virtual
You may register either for the in-person lecture and stargazing, or to attend virtually (to watch the live lecture online). The lecture will be recorded; those who wish to view it at a later date don’t have to register, just go to our YouTube channel where it will be posted a week or so after the talk.
Registration is limited so please register only if you plan to attend.
If you only want to attend the stargazing portion of the evening: don’t register, just drop by between 7:00 and 8:00 PM.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
Acclaimed author and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Dava Sobel, will speak about her new book “The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science.” Following her presentation, Ms. Sobel will be available to autograph copies of her book, which will be available for purchase at the event.
The discovery of two new elements—polonium, named for her homeland, and radium with its strange powers—brought the Polish-born Marie Sklodowska Curie to the world’s attention in 1898. Both elements were “radioactive,” a term she coined to describe their unusual behavior.
As radioactivity reshaped physics and chemistry in the early 20th century, Mme. Curie met regularly with a coterie of scientists, including her friend Albert Einstein. For decades she stood out at international conferences as the only woman in the room. Meanwhile she made room in her laboratory between 1906 and 1933 for more than forty aspiring female scientists. During the First World War, she drove her personally outfitted mobile X-ray units to combat zones accompanied by her seventeen-year-old daughter, Irène. Together they trained some 150 French women as X-ray technicians. After Irène completed her university studies, she followed her mother into the lab and won her own Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935.
Weather permitting, in-person attendees will enjoy stargazing by telescope with Hamptons Observatory founding Board member and Academic Chair of Science at Suffolk County Community College, Sean Tvelia. Feel free to bring your own telescope.
“The Elements of Marie Curie” is much more than a biography. It is a tribute to a woman who redefined what was possible for women in science, inspiring generations to follow her. Sobel's elegant prose and thoughtful use of personal and historical accounts bring Curie to life, offering a nuanced portrait of a woman whose contributions to science were matched by quiet strength, humility and commitment to humanity. This is an essential read, capturing both her genius and her legacy.” —Chen Ly, New Scientist
Dava Sobel is a highly acclaimed, award-winning author of seven books, including best-sellers The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of Harvard University Took the Measure of the Stars; Longitude (on which a NOVA documentary and a four-hour mini-series were based), and The Planets. Dava was a 2000 Pulitzer finalist for her book, Galileo's Daughter, which served as the basis for an Emmy Award winning PBS documentary. She is currently Poetry Editor of Scientific American and formerly a science reporter for the New York Times. Dava has been a member of Hamptons Observatory’s Advisory Board since its inception.
Hamptons Observatory thanks the Southampton Arts Center for its kind collaboration, and Dava Sobel for so kindly sharing her expertise.
While this lecture is free, donations to support our programs are needed and deeply appreciated regardless of the amount. To make a tax-deductible donation to support our mission, please click HERE. Thanks!
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS FREE, VIRTUAL EVENT:
In-Person Attendance: https://bit.ly/DavaSobelTalk-InPerson
Virtual Attendance: https://bit.ly/DavaSobelTalk-Virtual
Contact us for further info, questions, or to join our mailing list.