Members of the Old Westbury campus community were in for a show as they attended Astronomy Night: An Evening Under the Stars on the SUNY Old Westbury Panther Park soccer field. The event, hosted by the Collegiate Science & Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program, the Chemistry & Physics Department and the Biological Sciences Department, gathered students and faculty to observe constellations and celestial bodies, and learn about careers in the field of astronomy.
“The moon, Saturn and Jupiter were all in the sky at the right time for observation,” said Dr. Michael Kavic, Assistant Provost for Research and Strategic Academic Initiatives, and Associate Professor in the Chemistry & Physics department. "Aside from being a physicist or astronomer, it was fun to demonstrate how astronomical observations could lead to pathways in careers in the tech industry and artificial intelligence."
“The technology that we used for Astronomy Night was the same as in our Astronomy course in the Chemistry and Physics department," said Assistant Professor Dr. Matthew Lippert. “Showing real-world applications of the telescopes, binoculars and green lasers was a powerful applied learning opportunity.”
The more than 40 students in attendance came prepared with chairs, blankets, snacks and hot beverages. The organizations and departments that hosted the event look forward to hosting another Astronomy Night to educate and inspire Old Westbury students in Spring.