At 40, NASA Colloquium Continues to Stimulate, Teach

Narrated by Keith Henry, NASA Langley Newschief, retired.

TUESDAY: December 6, 2011 2:00 P.M. in the H.J.E. Reid Auditorium.

Abstract

NASA Langley Research Center is marking the 40th anniversary of its highly successful Colloquium Lectures and associated Sigma Series. Nearly 500 different Colloquium presentations have been made since October of 1971, exploring everything from deep ocean voyages to the far reaches of the solar system — and almost everything imaginable in between. The anniversary presentation will highlight selected presentations in the words of the speakers themselves, through a series of recorded audio and video clips.

Attendees will hear the legendary rocket scientist Wernher von Braun reveal his thoughts about the Apollo mission to the moon, still an active program at the time of his talk in the early 1970s. ABC News Science Editor Jules Bergman will quip his way through his entertaining view of the world. Jacques Cousteau will bring a serious message to those attending his presentation in 1979. And, Alex Haley will explain why he thinks his Pulitzer Prize-winning book,Roots, was a world phenomenon in the 1980s.

Seven more stand-out speakers spanning four decades will be featured in this retrospective video review of programs past.

Introducing the clips

Keith Henry retired at the end of 2010 after a distinguished career in federal service spanning 37 years. He is recognized by peers, management, industry and government partners, and by news media for successfully representing NASA organizational programs and policies, both technical and non-technical.

At his retirement, he was the NASA Langley Newschief and Head of the NASA Langley News Media Team. Keith started his public affairs career at Fort Monroe in 1974 as an Army civilian, then transferred to NASA Langley in 1979. Over the course of his 31-year NASA career, he represented every major department at Langley to the news media and to the public. He was also the Executive Editor of the Center employee and retiree newspaper, the Researcher News.

He is a graduate of Iowa State University where he earned a Bachelors Degree in Communications and Journalism. He also earned a Master of Science Degree from Golden Gate University in Public Administration.

 

Attendees were given a 40th Anniversary commemorative gift, provided by Langley Federal Credit Union. And refreshments were served after the presentation.