April 12, 2011 is the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first man to orbit the Earth. Celebrate with the UA Department of Russian and Slavic Studies and the Pima Air & Space Museum at Yuri's Night. On April 9th the Department of Russian and Slavic Studies will be celebrating this feat and all of the amazing accomplishements of Space Exploration during the last 50 years. There will be hands on activities, lectures, telescopes, and much more.
The Department itself will feature a panel of people that lived in the USSR during the 1961 orbiting. Mikhail Vereshchatskiy, a College of Humanities Systems Administrator, and Irina Kamenkovich, a local high school Russian teacher, will join the Department in celebrating this unique event. Panelists will reflect on their experience and tell recollections of this significant time. In addition, the department will have a poster display from local high schools featuring Gagarin projects during the semester.
Groups like the Physics Factory, the National Optical and Astronomy Observatory, Flandreau Planetarium, and many more will be on hand. Telescopes for everyone are provided by the Tucson Amateur Astronomoy Association. In addition The Flight Grill will be open for dinner. Interested faculty, students & friends can find more information under http://www.pimaair.org/
Discounted admission is $10.00 for adults and children 12 years old and under are free. Last admission is at 8pm.
The Department of Russian and Slavic Studies at the University of Arizona is unique in the Southwest, offering degrees in language, culture, and literature at the BA and MA level. With a diverse and high quality faculty and decades of experience preparing students for life in an increasingly complex world, the department has provided challenging traditional and innovative interdisciplinary programs. Its graduates have gone on to successful careers in education, government (including national security and intelligence work), and business.
The Pima Air & Space Museum can be found at 6000 E Valencia Rd Tucson, AZ, 85756.
For further questions please contact: Mina Stafford (mstafford@pimaair.org) or Teresa Polowy (tpolowy@email.arizona.edu)
