Dr. Samuel Lightner, chair and professor of physics at Westminster, concludes the Westminster College Faculty Forum with a discussion on the telescopes in Hawaii Wednesday, April 28, at 11:30 a.m. in the McKelvey Campus Center Theater.

"Of the 30 largest telescopes in the world, seven of them are located on a single mountain top in Hawaii, Mauna Kea," Lightner said.  "Why was this location chosen?  What are the characteristics of the telescopes?  Why do we need telescopes?  What's it like to visit these giants of Mauna Kea?  What are some of the images from these telescopes?  I will answer these questions and more during this presentation.  I will also describe my experiences during a week-long workshop I attended at Mauna Kea."

Lightner, who has been with Westminster College since 1970, earned his undergraduate degree from Randolph-Macon College, and his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.

Faculty forum, established in 1990, serves as a venue for the exchange of ideas and information among Westminster College faculty.  Speakers present their research, teaching ideas, lectures, performances, special programs, and uses of technology to keep faculty informed about the work of colleagues from many disciplines.

All events are free and open to the public.  For more information contact Lightner at (724) 946-7204 or e-mail lightner@westminster.edu.

Dr. Samuel Lightner