Lyon College Convocation speaker to present “Total Solar Eclipse: We Enter the Shadow of the Moon”
BATESVILLE, Arkansas – In anticipation of the Great American Eclipse, the Lyon College Convocation speaker series will feature a presentation by physicist William S. Higgins titled “Total Solar Eclipse: We Enter the Shadow of the Moon” on Sunday, April 7, at 4 p.m. in the Bevens Music Room of the Brown Chapel and Fine Arts Building on the Lyon College campus at 2300 Highland Rd., Batesville.
The free event is open to the public.
Higgins is a physicist who speaks about astronomy, spaceflight, physics, and the history of science and technology. Since 1978, he has worked at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois, most recently as a radiation safety physicist working on protection against radiological hazards. As a spare-time science communicator, he has given hundreds of talks, often volunteering for NASA. He has been an eyewitness to spacecraft encounters with Neptune, Pluto and the icy asteroid Arrokoth.
“Everyone in Batesville is about to be plunged into midday darkness in a total solar eclipse. We share this rare experience with countless humans in the past who have found themselves carried, for a few moments, beneath the shadow of the moon,” said Higgins.
Participants in this seminar will learn how solar eclipses occur and some of the historical lore surrounding them.
“A solar eclipse also offers an opportunity for scientific observations not possible during normal times,” Higgins said. “Learn what to expect during the eclipse of Monday, April 8, and what to look for during the four minutes we will be granted within the moon’s shadow.”
On Monday, April 8, Lyon College extends an invitation to the public to take a front-row seat for a Great American Eclipse viewing event, Scots in the Dark, at Couch Garden on the Lyon College campus.
Lyon College has planned a full day of activities and entertainment for eclipse enthusiasts of all ages. From educational exhibits and rocket launches to a smartphone photography workshop and live music, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Lyon College will host free activities in the family zone, including rocket-assembly and eye-safety workshops by W.D. Bryan Professor of Biology and NASA Solar System Ambassador Dr. Dave Thomas, cyanotype demonstrations, archaeoastronomy and astrophotography exhibits, introduction to celestial mechanics for beginners and a kids’ zone with eclipse-related educational activities.
At 12:20 p.m. there will be a free smartphone eclipse photo workshop in the Dr. Mark Schram Memorial Outdoor Classroom taught by Lyon College senior Blayne Griffin. Participants will learn how to take photos safely with their smartphones.
From 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Lyon College will host an entertainment zone with food, beverages and music. Tickets for the entertainment zone are $25 and include come-and-go access, food, beverages and seating. Tickets are available for purchase at https://advance.lyon.edu/event/total-eclipse/e561091.
The Great American Eclipse is scheduled to begin around 12:36 p.m. CDT.
Batesville is set to experience totality at 1:53 p.m. CDT, offering a prime viewing location for the event.
Totality is scheduled to end at approximately 1:57 p.m. CDT, and the eclipse will end at 3:13 p.m. CDT.
Rockets created earlier in the day will be launched at the conclusion of totality.
For more information, visit lyon.edu/eclipse.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current membership chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.