March for Science Park City announces its participation in a national effort to raise awareness of the benefits science brings to society.
On Earth Day, April 22, 2017, Park City will hold a march in solidarity with partner organizations that include many leading scientific, academic, and educational institutions. Among these is the National March for Science in Washington, D.C. The march will by followed by a speakers forum with globally award-winning scientists and internationally cited educators- all residents of the Utah scientific community. The Park City march will begin at 9am at the Wasatch Brew Pub parking lot at the top of Main Street, circling back to that location. The speakers forum will begin at 11:30 at the Jim Santy Auditorium.
In February 2017, the concept of a March for Science went viral, with 287 satellite marches planned around the world, and more coming online every day. More than 50,000 volunteers have responded to offer assistance nationally, and over 3,000 scientists and nonscientists have shown interest in the Utah effort.
March organizers have gathered information that reveals the many ways that science and scientists serve their communities. #ScienceServes showcases how science saves lives, protects communities, and advances the public interest. Scientists perform critical civic duties and the March will help make their valuable public service roles more visible.
Park City has added a speakers forum to educate and illuminate around some of our most pressing issues, and highlighting some of our most promising technologies.
Dr. Rob Davies – “A Livable World Begins With Science”
Utah’s own Climate Science Guru, Dr. Davies is a Physicist at Utah State University, and State Coordinator at Utah Climate Center. He is also co-creator of The Crossroads Project, a performance art and communication project weaving together information, imagery and music to effect more visceral communication of the challenges ahead.
Dr. Rob Macleod – Mobilizing Support for Science and Research
Dr. MacLeod specializes in explaining very complex systems to those of us who may not have as many acronyms in our quiver (see below) and is frequently recognized for his teaching excellence. He has received generous support from the NIH , the NSF, and other private and public agencies
Co-founder /Associate Director of the Scientific Computing and Imaging (SCI) Institute, Associate Director of the Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute (CVRTI) Associate Chairman and Director of the Undergraduate Program in Biomedical Engineering and co-founder of Consortium for Electrocardiographic Imaging (ECGI) and the Center for Arrhythmia Research and Management (CARMA)
Dr. Chris Johnson – Visualizing the Future of Biomedicine
Dr. Johnson is Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and founding director of the Scientific Computing and Imaging (SCI) Institute at the University of Utah. Big data imaging is changing everything and the interactive imagery Dr. Johnson will share is simply art. His research in scientific computing and scientific visualization have resulted in a myriad of awards and fellowships: including the NSF Presidential Faculty Fellow (PFF) award from President Clinton, a DOE Computational Science Award, the Presidential Teaching Scholar Award, the Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology from Utah Governor Michael Levitt, the Utah Cyber Pioneer Award, and the University of Utah’s most prestigious faculty award, the Rosenblatt Prize.
Dr. Katharine Coles:
Past Utah Poet Laureate, Director of the Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute, and co-director of the Utah Symposium in Science and Literature, recipient of the Guggenhiem Fellowship in creative arts. Much of Katharine’s striking poetry weaves through the connected worlds of science, our natural surroundings, and a keen use of language to bring our consciousness alive.
Dr. Dan Moench – If Science Loses, All Is Lost:
Dr. Moench is President of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE) and was Nominated by the Obama Administration at a Washington, DC conference as one of 50 finalists to receive the award “Champion of Change” for his work on global warming.
Dr. Miriah Meyer – AQ and U: Empowering Citizens Through Science
Dr. Meyer is an Astrophysicist and USTAR Rockstar. A Ted Fellow, MIT list of 100 most creative people, science writer for Chicago Tribune, post doc research fellow at Harvard.
Miriah is the recipient of a NSF CAREER grant, aMicrosoft Research Faculty Fellowship, and aNSF/CRA Computing Innovation Fellow award. She was named a University of Utah Distinguished Alumni, both a TED Fellow and a PopTech Science Fellow, and included on MIT Technology Review’s TR35 list of the top young innovators and Fast Company’s list of the 100 most creative people. She was also awarded an Fellowship that landed her a stint as a science writer for the Chicago Tribune. Dare we say Whiz Kid?
“Scientists aren’t just working in labs wearing white coats,” said Caroline Weinberg, MD, MPH a health educator and science writer and March cochair.“They are testing our water, developing vaccines, and helping to keep our farms and fisheries productive. The March for Science unites scientists and people everywhere who love and appreciate science to stand together and ensure that we can all continue to enjoy all the benefits science gives us.
Park City March Lead Organizer Josh Hobson said, “We want to offer not only an opportunity to gather and march, but also to hear from these amazing scientists that live here, in our community” Hobson continues “we are also providing lunch, so folks can stay for the speaking series, and still hop down to SLC, if they would like to join our sister march.”
Park City March co-organizer Ginger Tolman said “the excitement around the speakers is exiting to see, and it’s important to note, none are coming with a message of hopelessness, but with a message of action and promise.”
Organizers are accepting donations to help fund the marches. Inquiries about volunteering, and other topics can be directed via email addresses on this release, and the Facebook page; https://www.facebook.com/marchforscienceparkcity/
