Dr Robert Wilson, Nobel Laureate 15 December A Day at the Museum, STEM Lunch, Luminaries, Meet & Greet

Please note: New Date 15 December 2023 12:00 Noon to 3:00 PM

This Event has been moved from 14 December to 15 December 2023.

Featuring Dr Robert Wilson, IEEE Life Fellow, Nobel Laureate: A Day at the Museum, a STEM Lunch with Leaders and Luminaries, a Meet and Greet with Friends and Colleagues Social Experience, and a Tour of the AT&T Labs Science and Technology Center and Museum.

In preparation for the upcoming IEEE Milestone Information Project Echo, Telstar, and Discovery of Cosmic Background Radiation, 1959 – 1965 and The Big Bang Theory of the origins of the Universe, Dr Wilson will speak about his experience, Leaders & Luminaries will present their experiences.

The technical and non-technical community members alike locally and globally have been enthusiastic about preserving the Horn Antenna at Crawford Hill, and honoring the historic work and achievements associated with that antenna. This Event will provide an excellent opportunity for enthusiasts and newcomers to gather, learn, and plan for the future. History, science & technology, education initiatives, museum installations associated with the Horn Antenna, the upcoming IEEE Milestone, and related topics offer many opportunities for a lively discussion. This meeting will begin the initiative to collaborate on all things related for many years to come. We will meet with Dr Robert Wilson who will provide his first hand experience, and inspire us for the future.

IEEE ComSoc History Committee and IEEE Region 1 History Committee, IEEE Volunteers, AT&T Labs Science and Technology Innovation Center and Museum, Docents, Volunteers, Teachers, Community Members, Students collaborate.

We seek Volunteers to participate as Leaders & Luminaries in the Mentoring STEM Lunch. Please provide comments in Registration and let us know when you arrive that you would like to participate. Please send an email to kit.august@gmail.com with a Headshot and a few sentences about your technical interests we can share with students and others.

15 December 2023 with Lunch beginning at 12 Noon. Students, Teachers, Leaders & Luminaires, Community Members will meet with Dr Robert Wilson in an informal setting. Small groups of students will share the table with Leaders & Luminaries for a STEM Mentoring Experience; Students will present their posters, projects, ideas in 3 minutes;

Meet and Greet Social Experience to follow. A watch party with Horn Antenna related films will be available and playlists will be shared.

Participants will be able to Tour the AT&T Labs Science and Technology Innovation Center and Museum with expert Docents who are Leaders & Luminaries.

“This is a particularly important site in the history of science, the place where the echoes of the big bang were first detected. And preservation in some form is important.”
—Lee [Sawyer](https://robotsguide.com/robots/sawyer), Louisiana Tech University

https://spectrum.ieee.org/cosmic-microwave-background

There is no single event more transformative in the second half of the twentieth century than the discovery of the cosmic background radiation, verifying the Big Bang Theory, which described the formation of the Universe. Behind that discovery is a unique horn-antenna constructed on Crawford Hill at Holmdel New Jersey. The sophisticated functionality of the Horn Antenna was designed and developed in phases, resulting in a sensitive antenna capable of detecting cosmic background radiation, which was interpreted as the signature of the Big Bang. First Project Echo (1959 – 1961) constructed a long-distance wireless communication system which included a novel tracking horn-reflector antenna, a maser preamplifier, and an FM (Frequency Modulated) demodulator. This low noise receiver was the first to provide a high-quality long distance voice circuit via the Echo 1 passive satellite. The system capabilities were later expanded (1962 – 1963) with transmissions to the Telstar active satellite made possible by the invention of the solar cell. Further experiments (1964) led to the discovery of the cosmic background radiation, verifying the Big Bang Theory which describes the formation of the Universe.

These discoveries mentioned and directly connected with the unique antenna represent the intersection and advancement of several scientific, engineering, computational, philosophical, and cultural fields of study critically important for all of humanity. On this site, and through this Milestone, we recognize the advancement of all those fundamental constructs of our worldview.

This IEEE Milestone will be placed at the AT&T Labs Science & Technology Innovation Center and Museum, which is a secure and dignified location. The facility was designed, developed, documented by professional Historians, and is staffed with expert Docents who are themselves accomplished Researchers and Historians. Many of them have worked with the Horn Antenna, and or with people who built or used the Horn Antenna for their work. This location is filled with artifacts and history. There are other IEEE Milestones at the location. Displays and interactive media represent the milestones and researchers who participated in the antenna and related systems design, development, operation, interpretation, and sharing the revolutionary discoveries that shaped our modern world of satellite, space communications, our understanding of ourselves, and the Big Bang Theory origins of the Universe in which we live.

There is interest in developing a tour site, education center, and more to include the Horn Antenna site and also by virtual connection to focus on topics related to the Milestone, for example, radio astronomy, communication, science, programming, engineering, women who programmed at Bell Labs and Langley for example, and more.

Consider joining for A Day at the Museum, becoming involved with History, participating in the initiative.

Speaker(s): Bob Wilson

Agenda:
15 December 2023 12 Noon Welcome to the AT&T Labs Science and Technology Innovation Center and Museum

15 December 2023 with Lunch beginning at 12 Noon. Students, Teachers, Leaders & Luminaires, Community Members will meet with Dr Robert Wilson in an informal setting. Dr Wilson will provide a discussion with the group. Smaller groups of students will share the table with Leaders & Luminaries for a round robin / speed dating STEM Mentoring Experience; Students will present their posters, projects, ideas in 3 minutes;

1.00 PM Meet & Greet Social Experience with Presentations and Watch Party

Presentation by Dr Robert Wilson and Colleagues

Tour of the Museum with Expert Docents

3.00 PM Formal Program winds down with cupcakes

AT&T Science and Technology Innovation Center and Museum, 200 S Laurel Ave., Middletown Township, New Jersey, United States