Lawrence Academy presents...
Carrie Nugent
Near-Earth Asteroids: Why Dinosaurs Should Have Studied Physics

Monday, April 18 at 7:00 PM.
Richardson-Mees Performing Arts Center

*Free and open to the public*

About Carrie Nugent

Dr. Nugent, an Assistant Professor of Computational Physics and Planetary Science at Olin College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, is an expert on Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) and focuses her research on asteroid detection. Asteroids can tell us about the solar system's history, but they also pose an existential threat to humanity. Sixty-six million years ago, a rock from space brought a catastrophic end to the age of dinosaurs. In 2013, an asteroid damaged the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Most recently, a meteor was the prime suspect in last month's mysterious boom over New Hampshire. As such, Dr. Nugent specializes in finding and tracking the space rocks that could give humanity its worst day ever. A skilled and experienced science communicator, Dr. Nugent gave a popular TED talk (link) and followed up with the book "Asteroid Hunters" (2017, TED Books, Simon and Schuster). She hosts SPACEPOD (link), a podcast in which she sits down with different space experts and asks them to talk about their corners of the cosmos. During her visit to Lawrence Academy, Dr. Nugent will work with our science classes and present to the community.

Along with content-specific information about asteroids, Dr. Nugent will share her expertise as a popular science communicator and her experience as an astrophysicist. Science teacher David Strasburger is thrilled about the prospect of Dr. Nugent's work with his Astronomy classes and the LA Astronomy Research Team (LAART).

About the Visiting Scholar Program

Established in 2010 and named in honor of longtime former faculty member Bill Mees, the J. William Mees Visiting Scholar Program provides the means for Lawrence Academy students to enjoy first-hand opportunities to learn what professionals do in their fields, how they go about their work, and what makes them successful.

Event Information

Dr. Carrie Nugent presented her talk entitled "Near-Earth Asteroids: Why Dinosaurs Should Have Studied Physics" to the LA community (and public) on Monday, April 18.

If you were unable to attend Dr. Nugent's informative presentation, please feel free to watch the recording by clicking here.