Photo Credit: The Office of the Registrar

From the Office of the Registrar

"The University of Utah commencement and convocation ceremonies are held annually at the conclusion of spring semester. Candidates for graduation in the summer 2013, fall 2013, spring 2014, or summer 2014 terms may attend. University Commencement will be held on Thursday, May 1, 2014 at 6:30pm in the Jon M Huntsman Center (Map). For more information, please visit the Commencement Ceremony page.

Commencement and Convocation Ceremonies are open to the public and free to attend. No tickets or RSVP required. Those who are unable to attend commencement will be able to watch the live stream via the utah.edu website, watch the rebroadcast on KUED Channel 7."

Each college holds a convocation ceremony, where students are acknowledged individually by degree. For the College of Science Convocation Ceremony, this will take place at 3:30pm on Friday May 2, 2014 at Kingsbury Hall. (Map)

Each department holds a graduation reception, where student achievements and scholarships are presented. For the Department of Physics & Astronomy Graduation Reception, this will take place at 1:00pm on Friday May 2, 2014 in the Rotunda of the James Fletcher Building. (Map)

To learn more, please visit the Commencement Ceremony page.

Photo Credit: The Office of the Registrar

Parking & Transportation
Campus parking lots may be used at no charge during commencement and convocation ceremonies. Please see our commencement parking map for parking locations as well as shuttle and TRAX stops. Additionally, since campus parking is limited, we encourage the use of UTA on these days. The use of UTA while on campus is free both days, but fare is still required for any off campus travel.

To learn more, please visit the Commencement Ceremony Parking & Transportation page.

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Image courtesy of Wikipedia

The South Physics Observatory will be opening tonight at 10:00 PM for anyone wanting to watch the Lunar Eclipse.

Visit the South Physics Observatory website for more details, directions, and some really neat astronomy photos.

Location: Roof of the South Physics Observatory at the University of Utah
View Map

Schedule
Partial eclipse begins 11:58pm
Total eclipse begins 1:06am
Greatest eclipse is 1:45am
Total eclipse ends 2:24am
Partial eclipse ends 3:33am

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From the Tanner Humanities Center website.

"Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium & a Research Associate in the Dept of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History.

Location: Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah - Sold Out
View Google Map

The lecture will be broadcast live on March 26, 2014 at 7 PM to multiple University of Utah venues:
Marriott Library's Gould Auditorium (295 S 1500 E)
Social and Behavioral Science Lecture Hall (392 S 1530 E)
Social Work Auditorium (395 S 1500 E, Rm 134)

In his lecture, Dr. Tyson makes the case for science as a way to understand human values, and how the scientific process is critical for comprehending the world and universe. It is the most rigorous means to discover elusive answers to questions large and small.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is the Director of the Hayden Planetarium and a member of the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Dr. Tyson's research interests are primarily related to the structure of the Milky Way Galaxy, and the formation of stars, supernovas, and dwarf galaxies. He directs the scientific research efforts of the Hayden Planetarium and guides its educational outreach, working closely with the Museum's Department of Education. In addition, Dr. Tyson serves as a visiting research scientist in the Department of Astrophysics at Princeton University.

In 2001, Tyson was appointed by President Bush to serve on a 12-member commission that studied the Future of the US Aerospace Industry. The final report was published in 2002 and contained recommendations (for Congress and for the major agencies of the government) that would promote a thriving future of transportation, space exploration, and national security. In 2004, Tyson was once again appointed by President Bush to serve on a 9-member commission on the Implementation of the United States Space Exploration Policy, dubbed the "Moon, Mars, and Beyond" commission. This group navigated a path by which the new space vision can become a successful part of the American agenda. And in 2006, the head of NASA appointed Tyson to serve on its prestigious Advisory Council, which will help guide NASA through its perennial need to fit its ambitious vision into its restricted budget.

In addition to dozens of professional publications, Dr. Tyson has written, and continues to write for the public. He is a monthly essayist for Natural History magazine under the title "Universe." And among Tyson's eight books is his memoir The Sky is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist; and Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution, co-written with Donald Goldsmith. Origins is the companion book to the PBS-NOVA 4-part mini-series Origins, in which Tyson serves as on-camera host. Tyson hosts the PBS-NOVA's spinoff program NOVA ScienceNow, which is an accessible look at the frontier of all the science that shapes the understanding of our place in the universe. Currently, Tyson is working on a reboot of the landmark television series COSMOS, to air on the Fox network in spring 2014.

The Tanner Lecture on Human Values is a distinguished series that instigates educational and scientific discussions relating to human values. The Lectures are held annually at Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, University of Michigan, Stanford University, University of California Berkeley, University of Utah, University of Oxford, and the University of Cambridge.

Complete 2014 Tanner Lecture on Human Values Information"

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From the Clark Planetarium's website.

NASA Traveling Exhibit

Credit: NASA

Don’t miss the NASA Exploration Systems Directorate/Space Launch System (ESD/SLS) exhibit when it is on display at the Clark Planetarium. In partnership with ATK and NASA, the SLS exhibit will be open to the public February 26 – March 2, 2014.

Guests will be able to explore launch system and flight hardware with an interactive touch screen presentation, take an up-close look at a scale model of NASA’s next rocket, the Space Launch System and multi-purpose crew vehicle, the Orion space capsule. Visitors can also have their picture taken as an astronaut.

According to NASA: “The SLS will be NASA’s first exploration-class vehicle since the Saturn V took American astronauts to the moon over 40 years ago. With its superior lift capability, the SLS will expand our reach in the solar system, allowing astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft to explore multiple, deep-space destinations including near-Earth asteroids, Lagrange points, the moon and ultimately Mars.

Remember, exhibits are always free so be sure to get in and see this before it’s gone.

Free admission. All are invited to attend. Learn More
Date: Wednesday, February 26 - Sunday, March 2, 2014
Location: Hansen Dome Theatre, Clark Planetarium, 110 South 400 West in Salt Lake City
View Location & Map

Special Night Vision Event

Join Clark Planetarium for a special Night Vision event on Wednesday, February 26, 2014, for an up close look at NASA and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

Clark Planetarium is pleased to welcome Alex Priskos, NASA's SLS Boosters Manager, and NASA Astronaut Dominic "Tony" Antonelli for this special event.

Their joint presentation will include discussion of NASA's next rocket, the SLS, and will pair nicely with the special NASA Exploration Systems Directorate/Space Launch System (ESD/SLS) exhibit that will be on display at Clark Planetarium from February 26 - March 2, 2014.

The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the Hansen Dome Theatre. Tickets to the event are $2. Members get in free. Seating is limited.

$2 admission (Tickets available here). All are invited to attend.
Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 7:00 p.m. MST
Location:Hansen Dome Theatre, Clark Planetarium, 110 South 400 West in Salt Lake City
View Location & Map

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