Astronomy and Physics Colloquium

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Astronomy and Physics Colloquium
Dr. David G. Fisher
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
A Personal Journey Through the Space Age
Abstract On October 4, 1957, so the history
books say, Western nations and the Unites States
in particular, were stunned to learn that the
Soviet Union had placed a small satellite into
orbit about the Earth. In a very real sense,
whether that event came as a shock or not, the
world changed foreverand the Space Age was born.
Sputnik and the subsequent early manned voyages
into space greatly affected an entire generation
of young people, spurring many to pursue science
and engineering careers the nations educational
system was revamped to stress science and
mathematics. Rather than a technical history of
the first half-century of space flight, this will
be a personal reflection on how Sputnik and the
Space Race affected the presenter and the world
around him.
430 pm C-303
October 3, 2007
Refreshments 415 pm C-302