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"NOAA has a great history to share. You can help bring it to light!"
Download a printable version of the schedule.
Free Public Events at NOAA Highlight Extreme Weather, Marine Mammal Rescue, Shipwrecks, Science Careers and More
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency of the Commerce Department that understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources, invites the public to its Silver Spring, Md., headquarters Feb. 6-14, 2009 to meet the people who fly “hurricane hunter” planes, forecast the weather, rescue marine animals, and explore the ocean. "NOAA: Beyond the Horizon" events will feature dynamic guest speakers, video presentations, and interactive live broadcasts that will engage and inspire.
Where:
NOAA Science Center and Auditorium
1301 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, Md. 20910
Located near the Silver Spring Metro Station. Public parking available.
Admission: Free. No reservations or tickets required. As NOAA is a federal government facility, please be prepared to show a photo ID.
A sign-language interpreter will be provided for all guest speaker presentations. Most or all films will be captioned.
Note: Films and presentations subject to change. Check this site for updates!
Schedule of Events:
Friday, Feb. 6
11 a.m.
Film – “Hurricanes: Prepare for Nature’s Fury” (24 minutes) – Learn how hurricanes form and behave and get step-by-step tips for protecting yourself.
Film – “Sentinels against the Storm” (21 minutes) – Launch yourself into space through this exciting film about NOAA weather satellites.
12 noon
Guest speakers – “Extreme Weather!” Hear the adventures of NOAA “hurricane hunter” pilot CDR Randall TeBeest, who has flown into some of the biggest storms to hit the U.S. and get the ground view from New Orleans-based NOAA meteorologist Kenneth Graham, who has helped bring us the life-saving NOAA Weather Radio. Learn also how you can protect yourself from extreme weather!
1 p.m.
Film – “Terrible Tuesday” (23 minutes) – Relive a 1979 tornado outbreak in Witchita Falls, Texas in this dramatic film.
Film – “Cyclone: Second Wave” (22 minutes) – A look at the dangers of flooding following a major storm.
Saturday, Feb. 7
11 a.m.
Guest speakers – “Extreme Weather!” Hear the adventures of NOAA “hurricane hunter” pilot CDR Randall TeBeest, who has flown into some of the biggest storms to hit the U.S. and get the ground view from New Orleans-based NOAA meteorologist Kenneth Graham, who has helped bring us the life-saving NOAA Weather Radio. Learn also how you can protect yourself from extreme weather!
12:30 p.m.
Film – “Cyclone!” (60 minutes) – Go above and below some of the fiercest storms to hit the U.S. in this compelling film. This film will also give you a behind-the-scenes look at the science of weather prediction and monitoring.
2 p.m.
Guest speakers – “Marine Mammal Rescue 911!" Saving seals, sea lions, whales and other marine mammals in distress is serious business. Get the 411 from NOAA veterinarian Janet Whaley and NOAA marine mammal biologist Trevor Spradlin on how they train for and do this critically important job.
3:00 p.m.
Film – “Special People on a Special Mission” (23 minutes) – Did you know that NOAA has fish cops? Get the scoop on how NOAA special agents enforce laws protecting marine life!
Film – “Right Whales and the Prudent Mariner” (16 minutes) – Driving tips for mariners. Watch out for that whale!
Monday, Feb. 9
11:30 a.m.
Guest speaker– Deputy Under Secretary for Oceans & Atmosphere Mary Glackin officially kicks off NOAA Heritage Week 2009 “NOAA: Beyond the Horizon” with vintage film footage from NOAA’s archive and will offer remarks about the NOAA’s legacy and future of science, service, and stewardship.
12:30 p.m.
Film – “Surveyors at Work” (23 minutes) – Go back in time with this classic 1957 film about the people who take the measurements that help build a nation.
Film– “NOAA Mapping the World Trade Center” (9 minutes) – This short film documents NOAA’s efforts to survey the World Trade Center site following the tragic events of 9/11.
1 p.m.
Film – “The Surveyors: Charting America's Course” (30 minutes) – Travel through time and across a growing nation with the visionary scientists and intrepid explorers of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Watch as these great men and women create the first scientific agency in the United States and build a power-house of new technology and innovation.
Tuesday, Feb. 10
11 a.m.
Film – “Storm Chasers” (38 minutes) – This exciting film takes a look at different types of storms —from monsoons and hurricanes to tornadoes—and offers a look inside a NOAA P-3 “Hurricane Hunter” aircraft and the National Hurricane Center.
12 p.m.
Film – “Henry Wood Elliott: Defender of the Fur Seal” (26 minutes) – Learn the fascinating story of artist and naturalist Henry Wood Elliott who, in the 1800s, spearheaded a 20-year campaign to protect the fur seal that was so prized for its valuable pelt.
1 p.m.
Film – “TIROS: 40 Years of Discovery” (16 minutes) – Travel back to 1960 for the launch of TIROS 1, the first weather satellite, through this award-winning film.
Film – “Wire Drag: A Method of Hydrographic Surveying” (13 minutes) – Take a look at the technologies and techniques coast surveyors used in the 1960s in this vintage film from NOAA’s archive.
Wednesday, Feb. 11
11:30 a.m.
Guest speaker – Award-winning broadcast meteorologist Veronica Johnson with NBC 4-TV in Washington, D.C. will talk about her work and how we can inspire and support young people interested in pursuing an environmental or science-related career. This NOAA Heritage Week/Black History Month speaking engagement is co-sponsored by the NOAA Office of Civil Rights and the NOAA Chapter of Blacks in Government. (Note this will be rescheduled for Feb. 12 at 11:30 a.m. in the event of inclement weather.)
1 p.m.
Film – “This is NOAA Fisheries” (5 minutes) – Get an overview of the NOAA agency that manages our nation’s fisheries and protects marine life.
Film – “Counting on Anglers” (14 minutes) – Take a look at recreational fishing in the U.S. and the use of innovative fishing gear in this short film.
Film – “Off the Hook” (23 minutes) – See how fishermen help save seabirds in Alaska.
Thursday, Feb. 12
11 a.m.
Film – “Ship Explorer Oceanographic Cruise 1960” (25 minutes) – This vintage film depicts life aboard a research vessel nearly 50 years ago.
Film – “Learning from Disaster” (18 minutes) – This 1992 film takes a look at how NOAA habitat and fisheries restoration experts working aboard the NOAA Ship Mt. Mitchell responded to oil spills in the Persian Gulf.
12 p.m.
Film – “Buck Island Reef National Monument: Partnerships for Protection and Resource Management” (18 minutes) – This new film highlights cutting-edge technologies and efforts by NOAA and partners to map and monitor “one of the finest marine gardens in the Caribbean Sea.”
Film – “A Community Approach to Habitat Restoration: The Adobe Creek Story” (17 minutes) – Learn the story of a Northern California high school that adopted a local creek and restored it to health.
1 p.m.
Film – “Fishing for a Future” (30 minutes) – This short film focuses on a handful of sports fishermen who are leading the crusade for catch and release along the Atlantic coast.
Friday, Feb. 13
11 a.m.
Film – “Partnership Runs Deep” (22 minutes) – See the latest in robot subs used by researchers to scan the seafloor for shipwrecks and unlock secrets of the deep.
Film – “The Hunt for the Alligator” (15 minutes) – Join the hunt for the Alligator, the U.S. Navy’s first submarine, which was lost at sea in 1863.
12 noon
Guest speaker - "Deep Sea Pioneers" - Hear from pioneering explorers who have opened new windows onto the universe below the waves, including internationally renowned ocean engineer and inventor Graham Hawkes, world record holder for the deepest solo dive (3,000 feet).
1 p.m.
Film – “Sea Hunters: Queen of Nassau” (50 minutes) – Plunge into the waters off the Florida Keys with NOAA marine archaeologists as they explore the wreck of a former Canadian Navy vessel that sank under mysterious circumstances.
Saturday, Feb. 14 
