Keynotes

Wednesday, April 24 - 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Title: “Copper, the Capital, and Carroll”
Speaker: Dr. Keith Edgerton, History Professor at MSU Billings
Abstract: Carroll College was founded during the early, formative period of Montana’s colorful late 19^th and early 20^th century history. It was an age when copper mining in Butte influenced nearly all facets of political, social, and economic life in Montana, including the epic, statewide donnybrook between the copper mining rivals (our famed Copper Kings), Marcus Daly and William. A. Clark, over determining which Montana city would be fortunate enough to become Montana’s permanent capital city. In 1894 Helena won, albeit with the narrowest of margins. Mining also drew thousands of immigrants, many from predominantly Catholic-leaning countries or regions of the world. As such, Montana had an exceptionally large number of Catholics and the power of the Catholic faith was widespread in Montana and ultimately led to the founding of Carroll College in 1909. My hope is to speak on the colorful politics of the era, the impact of mining and Big Money on the famed capitol fight of the early 1890s and then segue into political scandals in Helena around the turn of the century and then place the founding of Carroll in this particular political context and sort of free-wheeling economic and political environment.

Title: “Keck Observatory Laser Show: Technology that’s Improving our Vision of the Universe”
Speaker: by Dr. Marc Kassis, Keck Observatory Astronomer
Abstract: The W. M. Keck Observatory uses two adaptive optics systems equipped with laser guide star technology to take the “twinkle” out of star light. The adaptive optics technology sharpens images taken with the two twin 10 meter diameter Keck Observatory telescopes that are currently the largest optical and near-infrared telescopes on the planet. Forward thinking Keck scientists are constantly innovating and adding new technology to the telescopes to keep it at the cutting edge of research astronomy, and this includes updates to our adaptive optics systems that reveal unprecedented detail of astronomical objects. During this presentation, you will get a sense of the development of adaptive optics on the Keck Observatory telescopes, the science it enables, and how this technology can improve our vision.