NJ Center for the Book and Monmouth County Library
present

Science is FUNdamental
a day of exciting and enlightening events
September 26, 2010,  from 1:00pm to 5:00pm

Rockets and robots shooting for the stars… 

Science is fundamental, and on Sunday, September 26, it’s free to the public at Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive in Manalapan, from noon to 5 p.m.

The New Jersey Center for the Book and Monmouth County Library invite the public to participate in a program featuring astronomy, physics and robotics that will launch a month-long focus on the excitement of science.

Former astronaut Bob Cenker will be the featured speaker during the Sunday, September 26, program.  Participants in the program also will include Mike Centrella, Phil Burkholder, Mike Lemonick, Fred Carl, Jim Raleigh and representatives of StarLab.

Exhibits and programs will be provided by the Marine Academy of Science and Technology, High Technology High School, Biotechnology High School and Health Sciences High School. The Boy Scout Council of Monmouth County will sponsor programs and badges in science.

The mission of the Science is FUNdamental program initiative is “to underscore the importance of science literacy in today’s environment,” according to Renee B. Swartz, who chairs both the NJ Center for the Book and the Monmouth County Library Commission. All programs are free and open to the public.

See what it's all about -- click to view the planning committee video

Beginning Sept. 26, the NJ Center for the Book together with the Monmouth County Library will host a series of science-themed programs for all ages at the Library Headquarters in Manalapan and various other county library branches.

The keynote speaker at the Sunday Sept. 26 Science is FUNdamental kickoff event at Library Headquarters will be Columbia Space Shuttle astronaut Robert J. Cenker of East Windsor, N.J.  Cenker traveled over 2.1 million miles in 96 Earth orbits and logged over 146 hours in space during Space Shuttle Mission STS-61-C, which ran from January 12-18, 1986.Cenker was selected by RCA as a Payload Specialist; and approved by NASA to fly on the space shuttle Columbia.  During the six-day mission, he performed a variety of physiological tests, observed the deployment of the RCA Satcom Ku-1 satellite, and operated an infrared imaging camera.Cenker’s lecture will highlight an afternoon of science demonstrations and exhibits on Sept. 26 at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan.

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The lower gallery area of the Library will be transformed into a giant science fair, with exhibits on rocketry, astronomy, satellite communications, computers and robotics. STARLAB, an indoor planetarium, will take the spotlight in the exhibit space, along with an exhibit from Liberty Science Center. 

Also participating will be the Monmouth County Boy Scouts, and faculty and students Monmouth County Vocational School District including the Marine Academy of Science and Technology, the Academy of Allied Health and Science, and the High Technology, Biotechnology and Communications High Schools.  Cenker will speak at 1:30 p.m. and answer questions and sign autographs.
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Crew of the Columbia STS 61c Mission
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Other speakers / presenters will include:

• Mike Centrella, Momentum Technology Partners, discussing rocketry.
• Phil Burkholder, of Orbital, discussing the Hubble Telescope.
• Fred Carl of Camp Evans, discussing satellite communications.
• Mike Lemonick, senior science writer for Time Magazine, discussing physics and the Big Bang theory.
• The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, discussing the science of crime scene investigation.
• Georgian Court University, NASA Educator Resource Center, Teaching about Science Exploration
• Geoff Reddington with the Astronomical Society of Toms River
• James Raleigh, Former NASA engineer, discussing the the NASA Apollo mission
• Monmouth County Vocational High Schools
• Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, Crime Scene Investigation
• StarLab, a digital educational astronomical environment
• Cynthia McGlynn, Presenting for New Jersey Network
• Brian Patton and Dave Peins of Robodyssey will present materials and live demonstrations with robots on using robots for computer science, engineering and electronics education.

The Sept. 26 event will be followed by series of entertaining, educational and illuminating Science is FUNdamental programs in October designed for all ages.

The Teen Science Experience will span an entire weekend on Saturday Oct. 2 and Sunday, Oct. 3 at the Library Headquarters. On Oct. 2, sign on for Cool Science workshops and make homemade ice cream with the aid of liquid nitrogen, learn how a laser show works and jump into the “destruction zone,’ where you’ll learn how things work by taking them apart! On Oct. 3, Rutgers Physics Support Specialist David Maiullo will present his physics demonstration show – including an exploding hydrogen balloon and the science of shooting a person on roller skates with a fire extinguisher.

The Cool Science workshops will then go on tour at the Monmouth County Library branches: on Saturday, Oct. 9 at Wall, Allentown and Howell; at Ocean Township Library Wednesday, Oct. 13; at Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury and Marlboro on Saturday, Oct. 16; and at Hazlet Township Library on Saturday, Oct. 23.

Throughout October, children’s programming at most Monmouth County branches will offer events for youngsters on the Science is FUNdamental theme.  Watch eco-friendly circus acts, be amazed by the Piccirillo Sciencetelling experiments and participate in science story time. Check with your local branch for date and time for children’s Science is FUNdamental events. 

Science is FUNdamental programming is sponsored by The New Jersey Center for the Book and co-sponsored by the Monmouth County Library.