Houston Science Enthusiasts

The James A. Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University presents an event featuring NASA Astronaut and former Johnson Space Center Director Ellen Ochoa.

DESCRIPTION: "Women have long played a vital, yet often underrecognized, role in science. Despite meaningful progress, gender disparities persist worldwide, shaped by institutional barriers, cultural expectations, and unequal access to education, research opportunities, and leadership roles.

"As part of the Joni Sue Lane Lecture Series, this event will feature Ellen Ochoa, a pioneering astronaut and engineer whose career reflects both the challenges and possibilities for women in science. Ochoa became the 11th director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in 2013, the first Hispanic and second woman to lead the center, and flew four space shuttle missions as the first Hispanic woman in space. Drawing on her experience across research, spaceflight, and leadership, Ochoa will reflect on the evolving role of women in science, the barriers that remain, and the importance of expanding access and representation for future generations."

Event page and registration: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/event/joni-sue-lane-lecture-series-exploring-space-conversation-astronaut-ellen-ochoa

NOTE: RSVP'ing on this Meetup page DOES NOT mean you are registered for the event itself.

Campus parking: https://parking.rice.edu/parking-facilities-and-rates

To sign up for the Baker Institute newsletter, including upcoming events, go here: https://bakerinstitute.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a8b4052d865ef65a2030dbb9d&id=130c6f9ea3

IN-PERSON: The Rice Space Institute presents a William V. Houston Memorial Lecture by Erwine F. van Dishoeck, emeritus professor at Leiden University, The Netherlands.

Description: "Thousands of planets have been discovered around stars other than our Sun. But how and where are these exo-planets born, and why are they so different from those in our own solar system? Which ingredients are available to build them? Thanks to powerful new telescopes, including the new James Webb Space Telescope and Atacama Large Millimeter Array, astronomers can now zoom in to planetary construction sites and study their composition. Water and a surprisingly rich variety of organic materials are found near forming stars. Can they be delivered to new planets to form the basis for life elsewhere in the universe?"

Rice event page: https://events.rice.edu/event/436036-p-a-william-v-houston-memorial-lecture-ewine

Duncan Hall on Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Duncan+Hall/@29.7204417,-95.3986348,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x8640c07ea908bc75:0x1cccdf7e41bbd95e!8m2!3d29.7204417!4d-95.3986348!16s%2Fg%2F1q5btlbx3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MTAxMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Campus parking: [https://parking.rice.edu/parking-facilities-and-rates](https://parking.rice.edu/parking-facilities-and-rates)

We talk about current events, scientific discoveries, books, technology, and whatever else sparks a lively discussion. We meet at Under The Volcano. Look for the table with a flashlight. Additional street parking is available nearby.

Come for a beer, a soda, a tea, or just the company.

Grab a seat, introduce yourself, and join the conversation!

ONLINE: The Houston Astronomical Society presents a talk by Peggy Mueller about the science behind auroras.

Description: "The aurora has fascinated observers for millennia, inspiring myths and prompting questions about its origins. Since the 1960s, observations from spacecraft, satellites, and ground-based observatories have greatly advanced our understanding of the physical processes responsible for auroral displays. A commonly cited definition describes an aurora as a natural light display in Earth’s upper atmosphere caused by charged particles from the Sun colliding with atmospheric atoms. This talk examines how our current understanding of the Sun-Earth connection challenges and extends this simplified description, exploring the complex processes that ultimately produce auroral emissions."

Speaker bio: Peggy Mueller has been a member of the Houston Astronomical Society since 2021. Her desire to understand the mechanisms that generate the aurora deepened after viewing and photographing the Northern Lights in Lofoten, Norway and in Finnish Lapland.

This meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. To attend, you must register for the meeting. You can use the link below. You will receive an email with the details of the meeting and a link that will allow you to join in.
Register here.

You only need to register once!
Join us on Thursday, November 5th, at 7:00 pm CT. See you then!