Visiting Scientists Series

The Visiting Scientists Series (VSS) was established to inspire and educate young people and the public about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

VSS showcases scientists working in a variety of fields, with the intent to reach a diverse audience and to inspire local students to consider careers in science. VSS also provides resources for educators, educates members of technical organizations, and informs the community on science and technical issues.

Thanks to the Visiting Scientists Series Committee for bringing yet another quality educational presentation to Bismarck!

Humans have been doubling what we know and what we can do every 30 years since the Renaissance, and after each lifetime of such change, it is always easy for an older person to believe that life is now “too fast”. If the universe started with a Big Bang, it appears that human understanding of that universe is now going through an explosive new creation of its own. A shift in human society is going on today that will totally eclipse the growth increases of the Renaissance, and history will look back at this decade with reverence and awe. We’ll explore some of the data that supports this prophecy, and look at what may happen to the world—developed and developing– as we go through this “Parallel Bang” of understanding.

This presentation will be held at The University of Mary in Arno Gustin Hall. Arno Gustin Hall, on the north campus, is directly west of the Clairmont Center, and can also be accessed from the first floor of the Harold J. Miller Science Center.

This presentation is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the Visiting Scientists Series, which includes representatives from Bismarck State College, Bismarck Public Schools, Gateway to Science, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, St. Mary’s Central High School, USGS, The University of Mary, and the ND Society of Professional Engineers.

The first Bismarck Science Pub will be held on Tuesday, January 24 at 8 pm, and members of the public over the age of 21 are invited to this free event in the Langer Room at Peacock Alley, 422 East Main Avenue. Dr. Bacon will lead discussion on the internet, where it’s been, and where it may be going. Come to eat and drink, or just listen and discuss!

Dr. Bacon will also be presenting at Gateway to Science’s Winter Wonderland on Saturday, January 21. For more information on Winter Wonderland go to Gateway to Science or call 701.258.1975.

Jack Bacon has often been called “A New Carl Sagan.” He is an internationally-known motivational speaker, a distinguished lecturer (emeritus) of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and one of the most requested speakers in the world for topics concerning technology and the factors that shape human society. A noted futurist and a technological historian, he has written three popular books entitled “My Grandfathers’ Clock,” “My Stepdaughter’s Watch,” and “The Parallel Bang,” and a fourth, “Killer Apps for the Green Global Village,” is in the works. In his daily work, he is on the management team overseeing the construction and operation of the most complicated technical project in history: the International Space Station.

A graduate of Caltech (B.S. ’76) and the University of Rochester (Ph.D. ’84) his extensive career includes roles in the development of many cutting edge technologies, including controlled thermonuclear fusion, the development of the electronic office & factory automation, and the globalization of business.

VISITING SCIENTISTS SERIES PAST PRESENTATIONS 2002-2011

Check our Calendar for dates and schedules on Visiting Scientists Series Presentations.