NASA’s Fleet of Solar Spacecraft

Location: In person at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Moris Library, Guyon Auditorium.  Watch and discuss on YouTube Live @NASASolarSTEAM

The Sun impacts many aspects of our daily lives; some of its effects are more obvious, like those on weather patterns and agriculture, while other effects are more subtle, like space weather and auroras.  In order to study the Sun and its interactions with the Earth in more detail, NASA has launched a series of heliophysics spacecraft that focus all their time and energy on studying the Sun and its surrounding environment.  Join us for a tour through some of NASA’s more successful solar probes.  We will talk about the spacecraft themselves as well as some of their more exciting scientific discoveries.

The Sun’s Role in the Earth’s Climate

Location: In person at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Moris Library, Guyon Auditorium.  Watch and discuss on YouTube Live @NASASolarSTEAM

The Earth’s climate is a dynamic system that responds in complex ways to changes in the amount of energy received and lost. Energy received from our Sun is the primary energy input to the system and initiates variations in climate across different timescales. In this talk, we will explore how climate-system processes can alter the climate response, sometimes in surprising ways that are different from what we’d expect.

Space Weather

Location: In person at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Moris Library, Guyon Auditorium.  Watch and discuss on YouTube Live @NASASolarSTEAM

Just as there is weather within our atmosphere (like rain, snow, heat, and wind), space weather can come in the form of radio blackouts, solar radiation storms, and geomagnetic storms caused by disturbances from the Sun.  Unlike terrestrial weather events, like a hurricane, space weather has the potential to impact not only the United States, but wider geographic regions. These complex events can have significant economic consequences and have the potential to negatively affect numerous sectors, including communications, satellite and airline operations, manned space flights, navigation and surveying systems, as well as the electric power grid.  This talk addresses what drives space weather, what its effects are, and what efforts are being made to predict it. 

Remembering the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse – SIU Student Experiences

Location: In person at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Moris Library, Guyon Auditorium.  Watch and discuss on YouTube Live @NASASolarSTEAM

On April 8, 2024, an estimated 30,000 people from around the world visited the SIU campus to view a total solar eclipse. SIU students were a critical component in the success of that major event. Hundreds of student volunteers assisted in countless roles; they collected research data, managed a livestreaming broadcast of the eclipse, provided outreach to visitors on campus, and assisted with so many other necessary duties. Through all the work of everyone involved, SIU was able to offer an amazing “once in a lifetime experience” for all who visited campus.

Impact of a Solar Eclipse on a Bee Colony

Location: In person at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Moris Library, Guyon Auditorium.  Watch and discuss on YouTube Live @NASASolarSTEAM

Presenters:  Dr. Steevn Still, Dr. Logan Park, Chris Roberts and Emma Wiker.

During the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse, Dr. Still and his team studied how a bee colony responds to the rapid changes in daylight and temperature brought on by a total solar eclipse.  The research team, which includes two SIU students, will present their study as well as their current findings.

Steven Still, Assistant Professor, Southern Illinois University School of Agricultural Systems and Education. Dr. Still was born in Champaign, Illinois and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He completed his BS in agriculture with a minor in agriculture education at The Ohio State University before teaching high school agriculture for eight years in central Ohio, during which time he earned his M.Ed. He earned his MS in crop sciences and his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Illinois.

Dr. Logan O. Park is the Associate Professor of Forest Recreation and Park Management in the Forestry Department of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.  He has completed degrees in Environmental Chemistry (B.S., Furman University), in Natural Resources Planning – recreation management (M.S., The University of Vermont) and in Forestry – interdisciplinary studies in the sociology and ecology of outdoor recreation (Ph. D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University). His current research interests include mechanisms of impacts to soundscapes, cultural resources, soils, vegetation, water, and wildlife; computer simulation modeling of protected area planning measures; practical indicators, standards, and monitoring methods development; and integrated management approaches to preventing/mitigating resource impacts and protecting visitor experiences.

Celebrating the One Year Anniversary of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse

Location: In person at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Morris Library, Guyon Auditorium.  Watch and discuss on YouTube Live @NASASolarSTEAM

Moderator:  Corinne Brevik

Panelists: Bob Baer, Karla Berry, Matt Williams, Sarah Vanvooren, Gena Albert

Understanding Sun Exposure Risks in Military Personnel: A Public Health Perspective.

Location: In person at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Moris Library, Guyon Auditorium.  Watch and discuss on YouTube Live @NASASolarSTEAM

Sun exposure represents a major occupational hazard for military personnel, substantially increasing their risk for both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. This presentation will discuss specific challenges faced by service members, especially those deployed in high-sun environments, and the effectiveness of current military gear and practices in offering essential UV protection. Highlighting variations in skin cancer rates across different branches and ranks, the discussion will focus on the need for responsive strategies in prevention and screening and compare proposed advancements to safeguard at-risk personnel. 

Justin McDaniel, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Public Health in the School of Human Sciences at Southern Illinois University. He also has a joint appointments in the Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer’s Research and trEatment (CARE) and the Department of Population Science and Policy in the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.  His scholarly interests center on social determinants of health among military veterans.