Conference Schedule

↓ Download the 2022 MAPS Conference Program

Tuesday, May 17
8:00pm – 10:00pm MAPS Board Meeting Versant Power Astronomy Center
Wednesday, May 18
9:00am – 4:00pm Mini-LIPS Workshop Versant Power Astronomy Center
10:00am – 4:00pm Vendor Booth Setup IMRC Room 104
4:00pm Delegate Registration Opens IMRC Vestibule
5:00pm – 5:45pm Planetarium Primer Session IMRC 122
6:00pm Opening Reception
Welcome Remarks
University of Maine
Provost John Volin, Dean CLAS – Emily Haddad, and Physics & Astro Chair – John Thompson
MAPS President – Brian Koehler
Sponsored by RSA Cosmos/Konica Minolta & California Academy of Sciences		 IMRC Room 104
7:10pm – 7:25pm Leo Group Moves to Planetarium
Leo Group Dome Sessions 1		 Versant Power Astronomy Center
7:25pm – 10:00pm Scorpius Group “Unmanned Missions” & Vendor Time IMRC
10:00pm Observing at Clark Telescope (Weather Permitting) Versant Power Astronomy Center
Thursday, May 19
8:00am Planetarium Welcome Remarks Versant Power Astronomy Center
8:00am Vendor Hall Opens IMRC Room 104
8:30am Mark SubbaRao – – Climate Visualizations and other resources from NASA’SVS VPAC
9:00am Scorpius Group Dome Sessions 1 Versant Power Astronomy Center
9:00am Leo Group Moves to IMRC IMRC
9:15am Leo Group “Unmanned Missions” & Vendor Time IMRC
10:00am Morning Break
Sponsored by Astro-Tec Manufacturing & Bowen Technovation		 IMRC & VPAC
11:30am Move to Lunch
Noon Lunch with Guest Speaker Sascha Deri
Sponsored by Hubblo
Launching Sustainable Aerospace with blueshift – In 2022 bluShift Aerospace commercially launched the first rocket powered by bioderived, non-toxic, near carbon neutral fuel from a former Air Force station in Maine. Learn how this company has navigated the technical, political, and funding challenges of developing a more Earth-friendly space launch service that targets students, academics, researchers and ultimately commercial companies provide broadband and Earth-imaging services from Low Earth Orbit.		 Wells Conference Center
1:00pm Move to Dome/IRMC
1:30pm Scorpius Group Dome Sessions 2 Versant Power Astronomy Center
1:30pm Leo Group “Unmanned Missions” & Vendor Time IMRC
3:00pm Afternoon Break
Sponsored by Digitalis Education Solutions & GOTO, Inc.		 IMRC & VPAC
4:20pm Leo Group Dome Sessions 2 Versant Power Astronomy Center
4:20pm Scorpius Group “Unmanned Missions” & Vendor Time IMRC
6:30pm Board Bus to Challenger Learning Center Versant Power Astronomy Center
7:00pm Lobster Roll Dinner – A Maine Specialty!
Sponsored by SSIA Technologies & Sky-Skan		 Challenger Learning Center
7:30pm Challenger Visit and Missions Challenger Learning Center
9:15pm Board Bus to Versant Power Astronomy Center
10:00pm Observing at Clark Telescope (Weather Permitting) Versant Power Astronomy Center
Friday, May 20
9:00am Invited Speaker (30 minutes per speaker)
David Weigel with Mark SubbaRao – World Wide Telescope for Domes
Carter Emmart – What is OpenSpace?
Sean Birkel – Climate Reanalyzer as a Resource for Planetarians
Kathy Mills – Sharing Local Climate Impacts in the Dome		 Versant Power Astronomy Center
11:00am Morning Break
Sponsored by Creative Planet		 Versant Power Astronomy Center
11:15am Paper Session 1 (15 minutes per paper)
Ryan Wyatt – What Is Viz?
Frank Summers – AstroViz Project: Multi-wavelength and Multi-format Visualizations		 Versant Power Astronomy Center
11:45am Move to Lunch
Noon Lunch with Guest Speaker Cassaundra Rose
Sponsored by COSM
Maine Won’t Wait: How Maine is Taking Action on Climate Change – is a four year state climate plan packed with actionable strategies and goals to emit less carbon, produce energy from renewable sources and protect our natural resources, communities and people from worst case scenarios. Dr. Rose will talk about what’s in the plan, how it’s being put into action, and the Maine Climate Council’s approach to communicating with the public about climate action.		 Wells Conference Center
1:00 pm Move to Planetarium Versant Power Astronomy Center
1:00 pm Vendor Area Breakdown IMRC
1:30pm Paper Session
Shawn Laatsch – BSU-IPS Free Shows
Caity Sullivan – Explore: Our Changing Earth		 Versant Power Astronomy Center
2:00pm Move to Jenness Hall
2:15 pm Paper Session (15 minutes per paper)
Amie Gallagher – Collaborating with Colleagues
Brian Koehler – First Class: Blazing a Trail with NASA’s Community Anchor Awardees
Cara Musico – The Art of Crafts: Adding Interactivity, Fun, and Value to Shows
Susan Button – IPS Website-Untapped Resources		 Jenness Hall 100
3:15pm Afternoon Break
Sponsored by COSM Content & Seiler Instruments/Zeiss		 Jenness Hall 100
3:30pm Paper Session (15 minutes per paper)
Noreen Grice – Accessible Adaptations for The Big Astronomy Toolkit
Tiffany Stone Wolbrecht – NEREID: Convergence Between Earth & Space Science
Paul Krupinski – The Mysterious Case of the Wandering Sun
Ryan Wyatt – Thoughts on Motivating Behavior Change in Audiences		 Jenness Hall 100
4:30pm MAPS General Assembly Jenness Hall 100
5:45pm Free Time/Banquet Preparation
6:30pm Cash Bar Buchanan Alumni House
7:00pm Banquet
Sponsored by SSIA Technologies/Sky-Skan & Quebec Cultural Services		 Buchanan Alumni House
7:45pm MAPS Awards & Margaret Noble Talk
Margaret Noble Talk
Steve Fentress – Fresh courage glimmers from planets
The title comes from a poem by Joy Harjo. Each of us receives some inheritance, tangible or intangible, and leaves some legacy. Along the way there may be sharp turns, intentional reversals, or tedious, drill-like progress. What is there to hold on to? We can count on the majestic vastness of nature, our sense of wonder, and our capacity to conceive ideals.		 Buchanan Alumni House
Saturday, May 21
8:30am Bus pickup for Maine Mineral and Gem Museum Versant Power Astronomy Center
8:45am Depart for Maine Mineral and Gem Museum
11:00am Maine Mineral and Gem Museum Meteorite Gallery Tour – Touching Moon & Mars
Maine Mineral and Gem Museum
Have an out of this world experience at the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum. To further our scientific understanding of our origins, the Museum holds – and actively curates one of the most breathtaking collections of meteorites the world has ever known. Through immersive presentations and interactive displays, the Space Rocks gallery featuring the Stifler Collection of Meteorites, opens an extraordinary window for visitors to learn the science behind how our own planet and the solar system was formed. See the largest piece of the Moon and the planet Mars known to exist on Earth — you’ll even get to hold a piece of each too! Check out meteorites from Vesta and other asteroids and learn what we can learn from these visitors from space.		 Maine Mineral and Gem Museum
12:30pm Lunch at Maine Mineral and Gem Museum Maine Mineral and Gem Museum
1:00pm Board Bus – Depart for Orono
3:30pm Arrive Versant Power Astronomy Center