Friday, November 1, 2024 • 6 – 9:30pm At the Canyon Country Campus
Special Guest Speaker:
Dr. Jason Wright
Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State “Intelligent Ways to Search for Extraterrestrials”
Event Highlights:
• Faculty and student presentations
• Tours of the Takeda Science Center
•Hands- on demonstrations and activities
•High-powered telescopes for viewing
•FREE event and open to the community
FLEX credit available
Food available for purchase For
Sponsored
ABOUT THE SANTA CLARITA
COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
The Santa Clarita Community College District serves a 367-square-mile service area in northern Los Angeles County. College of the Canyons (COC), the single college within the district, has campuses in Valencia and Canyon Country as well as online. Located on a 153-acre campus in Valencia and a 70-acre campus in Canyon Country, the College offers classes during fall and spring semesters, as well as summer and winter intersessions. COC offers approximately 99 associate degree programs and 176 certificates, along with 28 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs available in the University Center from multiple partner institutions.
Opened in 2007, the Canyon Country Campus has become known as a comprehensive campus that offers high-quality instructional programs, supportive student services, and meaningful community partnerships. In the past sixteen years, the campus has offered approximately 9,000 classes and served more than 74,000 students. The campus continues to transform with excellent facilities and enhanced services, such as the Takeda Science Center, which provides state-of-the-art laboratory and classroom space for highdemand instructional programs, and the Student Services & Learning Resources Center, which offers integrated student support functions, library, tutoring, and classrooms. These dynamic facilities provide engaging classrooms, labs, student spaces, and support services in the center of campus. Overall, the Canyon Country Campus continues to provide relevant and supportive opportunities and pathways for students, including a significant number of classes offered in focused, short-term formats providing many convenient enrollment options.
College of the Canyons has maintained its status over the years as one of the largest employers in the Santa Clarita Valley and is a vital cultural, educational, and economic force in the region. The Canyon Country Campus contributes to this educational work and community impact. For more information, including class schedules and registration information, please visit the website below: COLLEGE OF THE
17200 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita, CA 91351
(661) 362-3800 | www.canyons.edu/ccc
EVENT AGENDA
*6 – 7pm Science Showcase (Upper Plaza)
Faculty and student presentations / Tours of the Takeda Science Center
Paul Wickline, Campus Associate Vice President, and Mr. Anthony Michaelides, Campus Dean
*7:15 – 7:20pm Local Group Astronomy Club (Upper Plaza)
Dave Flynn, Member, The Local Group Astronomy Club of SCV
*7:20 – 7:30pm Update From Our Students (Upper Plaza)
Professor Teresa Ciardi and the Aerospace and Science Team
*7:30 – 8:15pm Intelligent Ways to Search for Extraterrestrials (Upper Plaza)
Presenter: Dr. Jason Wright, Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State University
*8:15 – 8:45pm Q&A
*8:45 – 9pm Closing Remarks
Thank you for joining us!!
*Estimated Times
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER
Dr. Jason Wright
Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State University
Intelligent Ways to Search for Extraterrestrials
The modern scientific search for extraterrestrial life, and what media portrayals get right and wrong about it.
Come listen a bit more...
Dr. Wright is a member of the Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, and director of the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center. He works on a variety of problems related to stars, their planets, and life in the universe. His work in SETI includes searches for signs of extraterrestrial industry via waste heat (e.g. Dyson Spheres), and the development of curricula in the field.
Dr. Wright also studies stars, their atmospheres, their activity, and their planets. He is an Instrument Team Project Scientist for NEID, a PL of NexSS, a co-PL of MINERVA, and a member of Habitable Zone Planet Finder team. He teaches at the University Park campus, and has an active group of students and postdocs.
MARS HELICOPTER
By Professor Teresa Ciardi
In my opinion, it would be very egotistical to think that humans are the only technologically advanced and communicative life in the entire universe. As human technology advances, astronomers are learning new details about exoplanets within our Milky Way galaxy. The possibilities have led to a spike in astrobiology research. “Astrobiology research at NASA focuses on three basic questions: How does life begin and evolve? Does life exist elsewhere in the Universe? What is the future of life on Earth and beyond?” One way to answer the big NASA questions is to search for technosignatures which includes listening for communicative signals from other star systems. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) began in 1960 with Project Ozma. In 1960, it was assumed that the frequency for the 21-cm hydrogen emission line in hydrogen’s atomic spectrum would be known by any technologically advanced life so the first search was for a 1420 Hertz frequency (the frequency of the hydrogen line).
The Drake equation predicts the statistical probability of life based on what has been observed. One factor, the number of planets out there that have environments suitable for life (as we know life), is why there are space telescopes like the James Webb attempting to characterize exoplanets. The question, “Are We Alone” is as old as humans. It is a fundamental question that begs to be answered. What do YOU think?
AEROSPACE & SCIENCE TEAM
Currently, our NASA RockSat-X team is in the process of preparing their conceptual design review for NASA, and our NASA HASP team is finalizing sensors they will add to a telescope-camera system as they prepare their 2025 proposal. Both projects entail designing, fabricating, and launching a novel scientific experiment payload aboard NASA flight vehicles. NASA HASP (High Altitude Student Platform) utilizes a high-altitude balloon to reach an altitude of 22 miles above sea level, while the RockSat-X program goes even further to the vacuum of space aboard a NASA rocket!
RockSat-X is working on their payload, a capsule system with a gyroscope, and a LiDAR imaging system. This LiDAR system uses sensors to map and model the area at the speed of light to create a topographical map of the area and detect any local damages. The gyroscope will stabilize a deployed capsule that will have atmospheric sensors onboard. Meanwhile, HASP is investigating the feasibility of adding two features to the successful 2024 NASA HASP telescope-camera system: a spectroscope to analyze spectra of the Sun and other stars and solar panels to test functionality at the stratosphere level.
The Aerospace and Science Team is an inclusive program at the College of the Canyons that continually seeks to reach new members through its extracurricular opportunities. A STEM major isn’t a requirement! People who can animate, are interested in business, or love art are needed here! With the purpose of “Changing the Future Faces of STEM”, it provides an environment open to all skill levels and interests for students to lead and contribute to real-world projects like NASA HASP, RockSat-X and RockOn.
Contact advisor Teresa Ciardi at teresa.ciardi@canyons.edu to join.
For more information, please visit: https://www.canyons.edu/asg
Astronomy & Physics Club
For more information, please email: apclub@my.canyons.edu or visit: https://www.canyons.edu/studentservices/campuslife/clubs/list.php
Biological & Environmental Sciences
For more information, please visit: https://www.canyons.edu/academics/biology/index.php
Civic Engagement Club
For more information, please email: linda.beauregard-vasquez@canyons.edu or visit: https://www.canyons.edu/studentservices/campuslife/clubs/list.php
Cougar E-Sports
For more information, please email: esports@canyons.edu https://www.canyons.edu/studentservices/campuslife/clubs/list.php
Earth and Space Sciences
For more information, please email: renee.wolf@canyons.edu or visit: https://www.canyons.edu/academics/earthsciences/index.php
Helping Us Become (HUB) Club
For more information, please email: linda.beauregard-vasquez@canyons.edu or visit: https://www.canyons.edu/studentservices/campuslife/clubs/list.php
Library
For more information, please visit: https://www.canyons.edu/academics/library/index.php
MESA/MESA LAB – Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement
For more information, please visit: https://www.canyons.edu/academics/mesa/index.php
Psychology Club and Psi Beta Honors Society
For more information, please email: psychclub@my.canyons.edu or visit: https://www.canyons.edu/studentservices/campuslife/clubs/list.php
Society of Physics and Engineering Students
For more information, please email: ashahla@my.canyons.edu or visit: https://www.canyons.edu/studentservices/campuslife/clubs/list.php
Chemistry Club
For more information, please email: cocchemclub@gmail.com or visit: https://www.canyons.edu/academics/chemistry/club.php
CANYON COUNTRY CAMPUS FACILITIES
The Takeda Science Center is a beautiful and important facility at the Canyon Country Campus. Opened for initial classes in Fall 2021, the four-story structure is situated at the center of campus on Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook Drive, a campus road named in 2018 to honor the Chancellor’s 30+ years of service to College of the Canyons. With nineteen state of the art classrooms and labs, this facility is an important part of student access, engagement, and success on campus. An adjacent terraced amphitheater and plaza also provides student instruction and gathering space outdoors alongside the facility.
Our newest building, the Student Services & Learning Resources Center, is located to the south of the Science Center and provides a one-stop center for student support services, tutoring, library, and classroom spaces. Together, these two facilities are dynamic, student-benefiting landmarks at the heart of the Canyon Country Campus.
Our sincere THANKS to all who made this evening possible!
College of the Canyons Board of Trustees
Edel Alonso • Sebastian Cazares • Jerry Danielsen
Carlos Guerrero
Interim Superintendent/President
David Andrus
Guest Speaker
Dr. Jason Wright, Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State University
The Antelope Valley Astronomy Club and the Local Group Astronomy Club of Santa Clarita
The Star Party Committee
Teresa Ciardi • Anthony Michaelides • Jamie Page
Maria Sanchez • Paul Wickline
All COC Departments, Clubs, and Staff who support this event!
Additional Information about the Canyon Country Campus, including info on how to support student scholarships, is available at — www.canyons.edu/canyoncountry.
