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Dr. Luisa Rebull, associate research scientist with the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), will visit Louisiana Tech University, April 28 to discuss her work in infrared astronomy as part of the Wallace Herbert Memorial Astronomy Lecture Series.

Rebull’s presentation, “From IRAS to Spitzer and Beyond: 30 years of Space-Based Infrared Astronomy” will take place at 6:00 p.m. in University Hall on the Louisiana Tech campus.  The event is free and open to the public.

According to Rebull, 2013 was a significant year in infrared astronomy, marking the 30^th anniversary of the launch of IRAS, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite, which revolutionized our view of the infrared cosmos.  2013 also marked the 10^th anniversary of the launch of the Spitzer Space Telescope, which at the time, was the most sensitive infrared telescope ever built and helped to revolutionize our understanding of galaxy evolution, exo-planets, and star formation.

“The Herbert lecture series allows the College of Engineering and Science to keep alive the spirit of Wallace Herbert by bringing outstanding researchers and lectures in astronomy and astrophysics to Louisiana Tech,” said Dr. Lee Sawyer, director of the physics program at Tech. “We are grateful to the Herbert family for their continuing support of this lecture series.”

The Wallace Herbert Lecture Series is named after former Louisiana Tech mathematics professor, Wallace Herbert, who led the volunteer effort of a group of Tech science and engineering faculty in building an observatory for the university that would eventually serve all of northwest Louisiana.  The group performed all of the construction, scientific research, and fundraising necessary to build a 12.5 inch reflecting telescope.

The Louisiana Tech Astronomy Club will also be on hand with some of the Tech telescopes for public viewing.   For more information, contact Sawyer in Louisiana Tech’s physics department at 257-4911. Written by Catherine Fraser – cfraser@latech.edu