"Medieval Islamic Astronomy" at Penn State Behrend February 25, 2010

“Medieval Islamic Astronomy” will be the topic of the February Open House Night in Astronomy at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.

Dr. Salman Hameed, assistant professor of integrated science and humanities at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass., is the event’s speaker. The Open House will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 25, in 101 Otto Behrend Science Center. Admission is free and open to the public; astronomical viewing from the college’s Mehalso Observatory will follow, weather permitting.

Hameed holds a Ph.D. in astronomy from New Mexico State University at Las Cruces and a B.S. in physics and astronomy from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. At Hampshire he teaches astronomy as well as interdisciplinary courses on critical thinking, public policy, and science and religion.

Hameed’s current research interests are understanding the rise of creationism in the contemporary Islamic world and examining how Muslims view the relationship between science and religion. He also is studying efforts to reconcile competing interests over locations that have both spiritual and astronomical importance, particularly the Mauna Kea Observatories in Hawaii.

Hameed blogs at sciencereligionnews.blogspot.com.

Open House Nights in Astronomy are a public outreach program of the School of Science at Penn State Behrend. They are suitable for children 8 years and older. For additional information, phone the school at 814-898-6105.

Official Website: http://www.behrend.psu.edu