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Former Space Station division director to speak in Oak Ridge on Thursday

Posted at 3:48 pm May 1, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Mark Uhran

Mark Uhran, former director of NASA’s International Space Station Division, will speak in Oak Ridge on Thursday. The title of his presentation is “An Achievable Vision for Space Exploration: Establishing a Gateway Proving Ground for Space Exploration Technology.”

The event is sponsored by Friends of ORNL. It is free to attend, and it will be held at the new American Museum of Science and Energy at 115 East Main Street in Oak Ridge.

It’s the opening of the 22nd Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series. A reception will be held in the auditorium anteroom starting at 5:30 p.m. (snacks will be served), and the lecture starts at 6 p.m. in the museum auditorium, a press release said.

“This talk should be of interest to students and the general public,” the press release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, Friends of ORNL, International Space Station Division, Mark Uhran, NASA

ORNL Director Thomas Zacharia to present community lecture Thursday

Posted at 8:51 pm July 25, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Thomas Zacharia

Thomas Zacharia

Thomas Zacharia, director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will give a community lecture on Thursday. It’s the 21st season of the Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series.

Besides being ORNL director, Zacharia is also president and chief executive officer of UT-Battelle LLC, which operates ORNL for the U. S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

On Thursday, Zacharia will talk about the scientific agenda at ORNL in a presentation titled “Science and the State of the Lab,” a press release said. The event is co-sponsored by Friends of ORNL (FORNL) and the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation (ORPSEF). It is free of charge, and it will be held at the Pollard Technology Conference Center at 210 Badger Avenue in Oak Ridge. A reception will be held in the auditorium lobby starting at 5:30 p.m. (snacks will be served), and the lecture starts at 6 p.m. in the auditorium, the press release said.

“The talk will be of interest to students and the general public,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Education, Front Page News, K-12, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: community lecture, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, FORNL, Friends of ORNL, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, ORNL, ORNL director, ORPSEF, Science and the State of the Lab, Thomas Zacharia, U.S. Department of Energy, UT-Battelle LLC

Dick Smyser Lecture on Thursday features science educator discussing total solar eclipse

Posted at 1:31 am May 16, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Chap Percival (Submitted photo)

Chap Percival (Submitted photo)

The 20th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series opens on Thursday, May 18, and it will feature Chap Percival, a science educator from Sarasota, Florida.

Percival will talk about the total solar eclipse that will occur on August 21. The title of his presentation is “Go See the Eclipse.”

This event is co-sponsored by the Oak Ridge Isochronous Observation Network (ORION), the National Park Sevice (NPS), and Friends of ORNL (FORNL), a press release said.

It’s free of charge, and it will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy, which is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. A reception will be held in the museum lobby starting at 5:30 p.m. (snacks will be served), and the lecture will start at 6 p.m. in the museum auditorium.

“This talk should be of interest to students and the general public,” the press release said.

Percival is a lifelong educator. He lives in Sarasota, Florida. He has a BA in mathematics and physics from Taylor University, an MAT in planetarium education from Michigan State University, and an MEd in instructional technology from the University of Virginia, the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Education, Front Page News, Top Stories Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, astronomy, astronomy education, Chap Percival, David Fields, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, Dick Smyser Lecture, FORNL, Friends of ORNL, National Park Service, NPS, Oak Ridge Isochronous Observation Network, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORION, Roane State, Robbie Meyer, Tamke-Allen Observatory, total solar eclipse

Dick Smyser Community Lecture on Thursday to feature advanced composites manufacturing executive

Posted at 11:16 am October 18, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Craig Blue

Craig Blue

The 19th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series on Thursday will feature Craig Blue, chief executive officer of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation.

Blue will give an overview of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation and Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. The lecture is sponsored by Friends of ORNL, or FORNL. It’s free and will be at the American Museum of Science and Energy at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge.

A reception will be held in the museum lobby starting at 5:30 p.m. (snacks will be served), and the lecture starts at 6 p.m. in the museum auditorium, a press release said. This talk should be of interest to the general public, the release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: advanced composites manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing Office, American Museum of Science and Energy, composite materials, Craig Blue, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, FORNL, Friends of ORNL, IACMI, Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, manufacturing innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, U.S. Department of Energy

Smyser Lecture: Author to discuss ‘Atomic Accidents: A History of Nuclear Meltdowns and Disasters’

Posted at 3:45 pm May 18, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

James Mahaffey

James Mahaffey

A nuclear power author will discuss one of his books, “Atomic Accidents: A History of Nuclear Meltdowns and Disasters from the Ozark Mountains to Fukushima,” during a May 26 lecture in Oak Ridge.

It’s the 19th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series. It will feature James Mahaffey, formerly of the Georgia Institute of Technology and later head of advanced research at Nanoventions Inc. in Roswell, Georgia.

The talk is sponsored by Friends of ORNL, or FORNL. It is free of charge and will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy, which is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge.

A reception will be held in the museum lobby starting at 5:30 p.m. (snacks will be served), and the lecture starts at 6 p.m. in the museum auditorium. This talk should be of interest to the general public, a press release said.

It said Mahaffey has written two popular books about nuclear power. The first one, “Atomic Awakening,” is a history of nuclear power, and it includes the Clinton Works at Oak Ridge as part of the story. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, Atomic Accidents: A History of Nuclear Meltdowns and Disasters from the Ozark Mountains to Fukushima, Atomic Awakening, Bob Hightower, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, FORNL, Friends of ORNL, James Mahaffey, nuclear power, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Today: Harlem Ambassadors for Habitat, former NASA chief astronomer, Smith on Three Bend

Posted at 11:28 am March 24, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

A reminder—There are three events happening this evening: the Harlem Ambassadors Basketball Show in a benefit for Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, a former chief astronomer at NASA who is referred to as the “mother of the Hubble Telescope” discussing the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to black holes, and local historian and writer Ray Smith discussing the Three Bend Scenic and Wildlife Management Refuge Area of the Oak Ridge Reservation.

The Harlem Ambassadors Basketball Show starts at 6 p.m. today (Thursday, March 24) at Wildcat Arena at Oak Ridge High School. This show is not only entertaining, organizers said, it also brings an important message to kids: “Stay off drugs, stay in school, don’t be a bully!”

Individuals have sponsored tickets so that student-athletes in Anderson County can come to the game for free.

The “opposing” team, the Habi-bats, is made up of local coaches and other local basketball standouts.

“We hope to fill the arena and sell lots of hotdogs, all in an effort to raise money to build and repair homes in Anderson County,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Meetings and Events, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: AAUW, Advocates for the Oak Ridge Reservation, AFORR, Alyssa Bryant, American Association of University Women, American Museum of Science and Energy, Charlotte Bowers, Clark Center Park, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, FORNL, Freels Cabin, Friends of ORNL, Grove Center, Habi-bats, Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, Harlem Ambassadors, Harlem Ambassadors Basketball Show, Hubble Space Telescope, Hubble Telescope, Manhattan Project, Nancy Grace Roman, NASA, NASA Astronomy and Relativity Programs, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Reservation, Office of Space Science, ReStore, Roane State Community College, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Three Bend Scenic and Wildlife Management Refuge Area, TNBank, U.S. Department of Energy, Wildcat Arena, wildlife management area

Former NASA astronomy, relativity chief to discuss evolution of universe, from Big Bang to black holes

Posted at 9:22 pm March 16, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Nancy Grace Roman

Nancy Grace Roman

A former chief astronomer at NASA will discuss the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to black holes during a lecture on Thursday, March 24.

It’s the opening of the 19th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series.

It will feature Nancy Grace Roman, former chief of the NASA Astronomy and Relativity Programs in the Office of Space Science.

The free lecture is jointly sponsored by Friends of ORNL, or FORNL, and the American Association of University Women, or AAUW. It will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy, which is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. A reception will be held in the museum lobby starting at 5:30 p.m. (snacks will be served), and the lecture starts at 6 p.m. in the museum auditorium. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Education, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events, Top Stories Tagged With: 19th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, AAUW, American Association of University Women, American Museum of Science and Energy, Big Bang black holes, chief astronomer, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, evolution of the universe, FORNL, Friends of ORNL, Hubble Space Telescope, Hubble Telescope, Nancy Grace Roman, Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowships in Astrophysics, NASA, NASA Astronomy and Relativity Programs, Office of Space Science, space astronomy

Pulitzer Prize-winning author of atomic bomb book gives lecture Thursday

Posted at 9:52 am October 19, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 2 Comments

Richard Rhodes

Richard Rhodes

Richard Rhodes, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “The Making of the Atomic Bomb,” will be the featured speaker at a lecture in Oak Ridge on Thursday.

Rhodes will be the guest at the 18th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series on Thursday, October 22, at the American Museum of Science and Energy.

The title of his presentation is “The Light of New Fires: Energy Challenges Yesterday and Today.” This presentation is jointly sponsored as part of Nuclear Science Week in the Knoxville/Oak Ridge area by UT Battelle LLC, the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, and Friends of ORNL. The event is free of charge and will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Nonprofits, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: American Museum of Atomic Energy, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, energy challenges, Friends of ORNL, Nuclear Science Week, Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, Richard Rhodes, The Making of the Atomic Bomb, UT-Battelle LLC

Planning to preserve history of K-25, which could be part of national park

Posted at 4:38 pm March 25, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

K-25 Building Aerial View

Now demolished, the former mile-long, U-shaped K-25 Building, pictured above, was once used to enrich uranium for atomic weapons and commercial nuclear power plants. Located in west Oak Ridge, the site could become part of a new Manhattan Project National Historical Park. There is a separate effort to preserve K-25’s history; that work could be incorporated into the new park. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy)

 

It was once the world’s largest building under one roof and part of the one of the largest industrial projects ever, a top-secret program to build the world’s first atomic weapons in World War II.

Today the building is gone—demolition was completed in December 2013—but the stories of what took place inside the former mile-long, U-shaped K-25 Building could live on in a replica equipment building, viewing tower, and history center.

And K-25 could become part of a new Manhattan Project National Historical Park approved by Congress in December and signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 19. The 14-page bill was the culmination of 15 years of work, said Colin Colverson, Manhattan Project Park lead in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office.

The law recognizes the Manhattan Project as one of the most significant events in U.S. history, with assets and history that must be preserved. It’s considered one of the top scientific achievements of the 20th century, and Oak Ridge residents still marvel at how quickly the three local sites (K-25, X-10, and Y-12) were built and began operating in all-out race to build an atomic bomb before Germany. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Alexander Inn, American Museum of Science and Energy, Atomic Heritage Foundation, atomic weapons, B Reactor, Barack Obama, Beta 3, Building 9204-3, Building 9731, City of Oak Ridge, Cold War, Colin Colverson, Congress, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, DOE, equipment building, Friends of ORNL, gaseous diffusion, Graphite Reactor, Hanford, Heritage Center, history center, K-25, K-25 Building, K-25 history, Karen Doughty, Los Alamos, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Manhattan Project park, Mark Watson, National Park Service, nuclear weapons, Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Office, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board, ORNL, Ray Smith, scientific achievement, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Interior, uranium, viewing tower, World War II, X-10, Y-12

K-25 historic preservation the subject of Thursday lecture

Posted at 1:59 am March 11, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

K-25 Footprint

A view of the K-25 footprint. (Image courtesy Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association)

 

The project to preserve the history of the former K-25 Building, once the world’s largest building under one roof, will be discussed during a Thursday evening lecture in Oak Ridge.

It’s the opening of the 18th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series. It’s jointly sponsored by Friends of ORNL and the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association.

The presentation will provide an update on the K-25 historic preservation efforts by the U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management, a press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, East Tennessee Technology Park, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Nonprofits, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, AMSE, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, DOE Environmental Management, East Tennessee Technology Park, Friends of ORNL, Heritage Center, K-25, K-25 Building, K-25 Gaseous Diffusion Plant, K-25 Historic Preservation, Karen Doughty, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, ORHPA

Energy policy professor, former ORNL manager to discuss sustainable energy

Posted at 8:22 am June 19, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Marilyn Brown

Marilyn Brown

The 17th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series opens on Thursday, June 26, featuring Professor Marilyn Brown, director of the Climate and Energy Policy Lab in the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

The title of her June 26 lecture is “Technologies and Policies for a Sustainable Energy Future.” It’s sponsored by Friends of ORNL. The event is free of charge and will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy at 300 S. Tulane Ave. in Oak Ridge.

Before moving to Georgia Tech in 2006, Brown managed the Efficiency, Renewables, and Electric Grid Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She is also a board member of the Tennessee Valley Authority. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Community, Education, Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Science, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: climate, Climate and Energy Policy Lab, climate change, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, energy, fossil fuels, Friends of ORNL, Georgia Institute of Technology, Marilyn Brown, Nobel Peace Prize, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, School of Public Policy, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance, sustainable energy, Technologies and Policies for a Sustainable Energy Future, Tennessee Valley Authority

Professor to discuss embryos; ‘troubled ground’ between science, society

Posted at 7:00 am September 24, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Jane Maienschein

Jane Maienschein

The 16th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series on Thursday, Oct. 3, will feature Professor Jane Maienschein, director of the Center for Biology and Society at Arizona State University.

She will give a talk titled “Embryos Under the Microscope: Negotiating Contested Ground Between Science and Society.”

The event is sponsored by Friends of ORNL. It is free of charge and will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy at 300 S. Tulane Ave. in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Community, Education, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, Arizona State University, Center for Biology and Society, developmental biology, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, embryo, Embryos Under the Microscope: Negotiating Contested Ground Between Science and Society, fetus, Friends of ORNL, Jane Maienschein, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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