SETI: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence - Perspectives of an Earth Scientist
(45-min free, pre-eclipse lecture)
by Dr. Donna Jurdy, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Northwestern University.
1:30PM Welcome Reception
2:00PM Introduction by Dan Kelleher, Midwest GeoSciences Group
2:10PM Tom Sale (15-20 mins) ECLIPSES AND CELESTIAL BODIES: Shining a Light on History and Science during this Magical Moment of Darkness
(Dr. Tom Sale, Emeritus Professor of Civil Engineering and Past Director of the Center for Hydrology in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University)
2:30PM Donna Jurdy (40-45 mins) SETI: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence - Perspectives of an Earth Scientist
(Dr. Donna Jurdy, Emeritus Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Northwestern University)
3:15PM Supplemental Q&A
3:30PM Adjourn.
Over 50+ years of listening and searching for evidence from an alien intelligence has not led to a single credible example. Thus, the "Fermi Paradox" remains unanswered. Possible explanations for "The Great Silence" abound. The 'Rare Earth' hypothesis, developed from studying the Earth’s fast start of life, but slow advance to intelligence, may offer evidence of the unlikely development of numerous intelligent civilizations. Radio telescopes, at limited wavelengths, are the current technology for ongoing investigations.
Analysis of media coverage, themes in science fiction and film, hoaxes, and psychological factors will be discussed. The scientific, societal, religious, and political impacts of an actual First Contact scenario will be included. Northwestern University’s special role in the history of SETI will be noted. The ongoing 'exoplanet' discoveries from NASA missions continue to provide numerous examples of possible earth-like planets in life-hosting systems. Future initiatives will utilize new technology by searching for signals in optical or infra-red wavelengths. Another future approach will be to search for direct evidence of life, instead of auxiliary signals. Still, what observations would offer proof of life?
Donna Jurdy, PhD
Dr. Donna Jurdy, Distinguished Lecturer for the Association for Women Geoscientists and Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Northwestern University. Dr. Jurdy’s current research includes planetary tectonics of Venus, the magnetic lineations on Mars, and Titan's surface.
Dr. Jurdy is internationally-recognized for her planetary research and her ground-breaking approach to study the dynamics of plate tectonics. Her approach was to test hypotheses proposed using the present plate geometry and velocities by using past plate motions. She looked at the rotation of the lithosphere with respect to hotspots, correlations of plate speeds with latitude, speeds of continental versus oceanic plates, and motions between hotspots. She showed that episodes of back arc spreading were often triggered by changes in plate motions. Hence she played a major role in developing an approach that is now a standard and powerful tool in geodynamic studies.
These accomplishments led to her election as a Geological Society of America (GSA) Fellow. She also won a National Science Foundation award for distinguished woman scientists and served as an AAPG Distinguished Lecturer.
Dr. Jurdy continues intriguing research in comparative planetary science, looking at different planets and moons. These show her typical style: asking interesting questions and approaching them in imaginative ways. For example, showing that true polar wander may be occurring on Io in response to its extensive volcanism. Also, she looked at magnetic lineations on Mars, suggested to have been formed by plate tectonics, and found strong evidence against this attractive hypothesis. Her accomplishments led NASA to repeatedly ask her for advice on proposed planetary missions.
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