Renowned Astrophysicist Alex Filippenko Addressed Hundreds at The Bay School of San Francisco

Feb. 1, 2013 - PRLog -- Astrophysicist and beloved UC Berkeley professor Alex Filippenko gave a sold-out talk at The Bay School of San Francisco on Thursday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.  His engaging presentation explored supernovae, antigravitational dark energy and the fate of our ever-expanding universe. Filippenko focused on the role future generations will play in investigating the largely mysterious dark energy that makes up 73 percent of the universe; his call to action tied in with The Bay School’s hope that, through a 21st-century education, students will “begin to realize their roles in a dynamic world.”

Filippenko’s reputation as an astrophysicist is unsurpassed; according to his Berkeley Astronomy Department page, “His accomplishments, documented in about 700 research papers, have been recognized by several major prizes, and he is one of the world's most highly cited astronomers.” Yet, his approach to his field is anything but serious. If the fact that he earned a Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization hints at his accessibility as a speaker, a few minutes with his enthusiastic grin and myriad humorous slides and colorful props confirms it.

In attendance were students, parents, guardians and other community members. One attendee who heard about the event via an online group for physics and astronomy enthusiasts commented, “Would love more events in San Francisco and speakers of this caliber.” Said another, “Fantastic event! What an intellectually stimulating experience.”

To learn more about future events at The Bay School that are open to the broader San Francisco community, please visit www.bayschoolsf.org.