Kaler Science Lecture to Feature Water Resources Engineering
Tickets for Kaler Lectures cost $2 or are free for the Friends of the Staerkel Planetarium
An upcoming Kaler Science Lecture will feature a discussion on water resources engineering at the Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College on Friday, October 3.
University of Illinois Professor Ana P. Barros will present "Observing Earth from Space: What it Takes to Design and Plan a Satellite Mission" at 7 p.m. as part of the James B. Kaler Science Lecture Series. The lecture series was named for UIUC astronomer Jim Kaler, who spoke at the series for over 20 years.
Professor Barros’s research focuses on studying processes throughout the water cycle to quantify water resources, and to predict extreme events including flashfloods and landslides in mountainous regions. This includes modeling fluid mechanics and remote sensing. Much of her work involves using satellite-based measurements of radiation emitted or reflected by different surfaces on Earth to infer water cycle processes like clouds, precipitation, snow, and soil moisture among others globally.
Barros earned a bachelor's and master's degree at the University of Porto, an M.S. at the Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology, and Ph.D. at the University of Washington. She worked at Penn State, Harvard University, and served as a professor at Duke University before joining UIUC’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in 2021.
She is an elected fellow of multiple professional organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Meteorological Society.
The Kaler Science Lectures are filmed by Parkland College TV. After the talk, the planetarium will show "Einstein’s Gravity Playlist" at 8 p.m. Admission to most planetarium shows is $8 for adults or $7 for children, Parkland students, and seniors.
Tickets for Kaler Lectures cost $2 or are free for the Friends of the Staerkel Planetarium. Tickets may be purchased in person or online.
For a show schedule or information about booking the dome, call 217/351-3446 or visit planetarium.parkland.edu.