Sturm Memorial Lecture

In memory of Kenneth E. Sturm, a Wesleyan alumnus, this annual event is held in the spring and is open to the public. It features a presentation from an astronomer that is outstanding in their field and able to communicate the excitement of science to a lay audience. The event is free and open to anyone.

Speaker: Dr. Rebecca Oppenheimer, American Museum of Natural History

From white dwarfs to neutron stars, and brown dwarfs to planets, the universe is full of "degenerate" objects, a term from physics that refers to the exotic state of compact matter within them.  Understanding the nature of degenerate objects is vital for a complete description of two of the most important cosmic processes: stellar death and planetary birth. Dr. Rebecca Oppenheimer, co-discoverer of the first known brown dwarf, discusses three decades of her own research on these small but fascinating denizens of the universe.

Dr. Oppenheimer is a Curator and Professor at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.  She is a comparative exoplanetary scientist who investigates planets that orbit stars other than the Sun.  Her optics laboratory is the birthplace of a number of new astronomical instruments designed to tackle the problem of observing nearby planetary systems directly, with the ultimate goal of finding life outside our solar system.

Where: Ring Family Performing Arts Hall, Wesleyan University

Reception and telescope viewing at the Van Vleck Observatory to follow the lecture.

The Sturm Memorial Lecture is sponsored by the Astronomy Department, the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life, and NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium.

Click here to download a printable flyer for the 2024 Sturm Lecture.

Past Speakers