What is Relativity? Leading Astrophysicists Explain Einstein’s Theory in Lecture Sept. 25

Adam Lowenstein September 17, 2015

Author Jeffrey Bennett, Professor Daniel Batcheldor Lead Free Event

MELBOURNE, FLA. — This year is the 100^th anniversary of the publication of Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, and two leading astrophysicists will explain this seminal work and celebrate its importance at a free public lecture at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at Gleason Performing Arts Center on the Florida Institute of Technology campus in Melbourne.

Jeffrey Bennett, author of the 2014 book, What is Relativity?, and Daniel Batcheldor, head of Florida Tech’s Department of Physics and Space Sciences, will be featured in the fall edition of the Ortega Lecture Series, part of the university’s Public Science Lecture Series.

Batcheldor and Bennett will discuss common misconceptions about science in general and relativity in particular. They will talk about which analogies have been most successful in helping students and the public grasp the basics of relativity. They will also explore what implications relativity has in terms of black holes and the shape of the universe itself.

Following the discussion, at approximately 9 p.m., members of the audience will be invited to pose their questions to Bennett, who holds a B.A. in biophysics from the University of California at San Diego and an M.S. and Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Questions may also be tweeted ahead of the event using the hashtag #RelaFIT.

Prior to the lecture, starting at 6:30 p.m., Bennett will sign his books in the lobby of Gleason. A limited number of copies of What is Relativity? will be available for purchase at the time, and Bennett will be happy to sign any of his other books if they are provided. These include Cosmic Perspective, the most popular university-level introductory astronomy textbook, and the children’s book series, “Science Adventures with Max the Dog.”

Visit http://www.fit.edu/map/ for a campus map. For more information on the lecture, call 321-674-7207.