Monday, May 20, 7:00 p.m.
Fueling the economic engine of scientific enterprise in Southern California, the Mount Wilson Observatory and its founder, George Ellery Hale, were the motivating forces that transformed the San Gabriel Valley into a major center of technological achievement, spawning institutions such as the California Institute of Technology, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and a host of other science-based organizations found here today. On Monday, May 20 at 7:00 p.m., DAVE JURASEVICH, the Superintendent at Mt. Wilson Observatory, will take the audience on a journey back in time, reliving the storied history of this greatest of American institutions. Walk in the footsteps of the finest astronomers of their age. Learn how they deciphered the code of the heavens, and marvel in their discoveries -- concepts that firmly put us in our place in the Universe and forever changed our view of the world in which we live.
As the world’s preeminent observatory during the first half of the twentieth century, Mount Wilson holds a unique place in the history of scientific endeavor. It was here that the great astronomer, Edwin Hubble, a San Marino resident, established the cornerstones of modern cosmology by unlocking the secrets of an expanding universe, paving the way for our understanding of the Big Bang and ultimate fate of the cosmos.
Dave Jurasevich attended the California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Retired from the chemical industry, he is currently engaged as Superintendent of the historic Mount Wilson Observatory where he is responsible for operation and maintenance of the historic venues of that facility, infrastructure oversight, engineering support and management of capital projects, as well as active participation in public outreach efforts.
Seating is limited and attendance to this free monthly series has been to capacity so arrive early!
