Science, On the House

Now through Sept. 1, students, faculty and staff can visit the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science free of charge when they present their Comet Card at the box office.

The special arrangement was made possible by way of a partnership between the museum and UT Dallas in which the University is sponsoring two limited-engagement traveling exhibits:

• • “Our Neighbor Mars” (March 10–May 12) — “Our Neighbor Mars” focuses on an inspiring set of images taken by the European orbiter Mars Express, which has been circling Mars since December 2003, mapping planetary geology, mineralogy, the Martian atmosphere and searching for water. The German Aerospace Center created the traveling exhibit, complete with 3-D photos, two media terminals and a model of the space laboratory Columbus, which was launched to the International Space Station in December 2007. The exhibit was organized by German Aerospace Center DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt) in Cologne, Germany and was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Economics and Technology.

• • “Eyes on Earth” (May 24–Sept. 1) — “Eyes on Earth” is an interactive science exhibit that focuses on the Earth Observing System (EOS) and examines how satellite observations are made and what can be learned about the Earth using space technology. Visitors will learn what a satellite is, discover the different types of orbits and explore cutting-edge technology similar to that used by EOS scientists. The exhibit is produced and developed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, funded by NASA and sponsored locally by Lockheed Martin and UT Dallas.

UT Dallas’ Dr. Russell A. Hulse, associate vice president for strategic initiatives, was instrumental in securing the partnership with the museum.

Hulse’s science education efforts include working with UT Dallas faculty on developing innovative new curricula, leading further development of collaborations between UT Dallas faculty and students with the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science and working with K-12 schools. He is co-recipient of the 1993 Nobel Prize in physics. His discovery of the first binary pulsar has been called one of the top findings of the 20th century for its impact on astrophysics and gravitational physics research. He shares the award with Dr. Joseph Taylor Jr., his thesis adviser.

The free tickets are available at the box office for admission Monday through Sunday during regular museum hours. Tickets do not include admission to IMAX or the Planetarium. Visit the museum’s Website or call 214-728-5555 for more information.