Community Cinema, presented by WTTW and ITVS in partnership with Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, is excited to offer an advance screening of MAKERS: Women In Space, tracing the history of women pioneers in the space program and featuring the next generation of women engineers, scientists, mathematicians and astronauts.
Women In Space is one of six episodes in the PBS MAKERS series that profiles the impact women have had over the past 50 years in industries once largely closed to women—comedy, politics, space, war, business, and Hollywood. Through intimate interviews with trailblazing women known and unknown, viewers will be given a rare glimpse—sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and always candid—of what it was like for women to be pioneers in their fields.
MAKERS: Women in Space traces the history of women pioneers in the U.S. space program. The hour also features the next generation of women engineers, mathematicians and astronauts—the new group of pioneers who continue to make small but significant steps forward. Produced by Michael Epstein and Sara Wolitzky. Directed by Michael Epstein. Narrated by Jodie Foster.
The screening of ‘MAKERS: Women In Space’ will be followed by a community discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing women in STEM fields.
PANEL BIOS:
Laura Trouille, Astronomer, Northwestern University & Adler Planetarium
Laura Trouille is an astronomer at the Adler Planetarium and Northwestern University. She uses astronomical images to understand the role of supermassive black holes in galaxy evolution. Her education research is on incorporating computational thinking and modeling into high-school STEM classes. As a member of the American Astronomical Society Committee on the Status of Women, she contributes to the blog http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com.
Lucianne Walkowicz, Astronomer, Adler Planetaruim
Lucianne Walkowicz is an Astronomer at the Adler Planetarium, and a 2012 TED Senior Fellow. She studies stars and how they influence a planet’s suitability as a host for alien life. She is also an artist and works in a variety of media, from oil paint to sound. Her website can be found at http://tangledfields.com.
Laura Whyte, Director, Citizen Science at Adler Planetarium
The citizen science department at the Adler Planetarium is home to a development team who design and build Zooniverse websites – the worlds largest and most successful collection of citizen science projects. This team, who bring expertise in technology, education, science outreach and research, reach beyond the internet into the local community through school visits, youth programs and hack days events. As former astronomer, high school teacher, museum educator, and web developer, Dr. Whyte leads these initiatives and the opportunity they bring to engage a wider Chicago audience in actively doing science.
Moderated by Brandis Friedman, Correspondent, Chicago Tonight, WTTW, Chicago’s PBS Affiliate
PRESENTED BY: WTTW Channel 11, ITVS, Women & Girls Lead and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, in partnership with Chicago Foundation for Women, Adler Planetarium and the Chicago Council on Science and Technology.
For more on each group, please visit their websites:
ADLER PLANETARIUM: http://www.adlerplanetarium.org
CHICAGO FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN: http://www.cfw.org/
CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND SPECIAL EVENTS (DCASE): www.cityofchicago.org/dcase
WTTW: http://www.wttw.com
ITVS: http://itvs.org/.
COMMUNITY CINEMA: communitycinema.org.
WOMEN AND GIRLS LEAD: http://womenandgirlslead.org.
PBS: www.pbs.org
MAKERS is a landmark television and digital-video initiative that aims to be the largest and most dynamic collection of women’s stories ever assembled. MAKERS is owned and operated by AOL. Founder and Executive Producer is Emmy award-winning filmmaker Dyllan McGee.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER FOR THIS FREE EVENT, VISIT: : http://women-in-space-chicago.eventbrite.com