Dr. Giovanni Fazio, one of the world’s leading astrophysicists, presented “Where Are We? Our Place in the Universe,” taking us on a trip starting at the Earth and traveling to the edge of the Universe.
Dr. Fazio’s qualifications for this lecture are so legendary, and so numerous that they defeat any attempt at a short summary, much like the subject of his talk. He is Senior Physicist, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Lecturer, Astronomy Department, Harvard University; and a Faculty Member, International Space University, Strasbourg, France.
Early in his career, he was a pioneer in the development of gamma-ray astronomy using balloon-borne telescopes and later became co-principal investigator for the gamma-ray detector experiment on NASA¹s first Orbiting Solar Observatory. His involvement in the first infrared astronomical telescope to fly on the Space Shuttle and his contribution as principal investigator for the Spitzer Telescope, launched in 2003, have paid off in volumes of intriguing new discoveries as well as some of the most awe-inspiring images ever captured of the universe.
Dr Fazio addresses what is literally the very largest possible subject with a highly approachable, yet compelling sense of wonder. We are delighted that he can provide a grand beginning to what we hope is a long-lived series that surprises and delights the mind.
