28 Apr 2022
WHAT: The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) will host a press conference to announce a groundbreaking Milky Way galaxy discovery from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT).
WHEN: 9 a.m. EDT Thursday, May 12
WHERE: The National Press Club, 529 14th St N.W., Washington, D.C., 20045. The event will also be live streamed to https://nsf.gov/blackholes.
WHO: NSF's Chief Operating Officer Karen Marrongelle will deliver opening remarks. The following panel of EHT researchers will describe the scientific discovery and answer questions:
- Michael Johnson, Astrophysicist, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
- Katie L. Bouman, Assistant Professor, Computing & Mathematical Sciences, Electrical Engineering & Astronomy, Caltech
- Vincent Fish, Research Scientist, MIT Haystack Observatory
- Feryal Özel, Professor, Departments of Astronomy & Physics, University of Arizona
RSVP REQUIRED: Credentialed press can register to attend the event in-person by emailing eht@nsf.gov. To attend, media must register by 6 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 9. Journalists will receive a confirmation email from the NSF no later than Wednesday, May 11 if their registration is accepted. Details about submitting questions virtually will also be sent to journalists.
Immediately following the press conference, panelists and other experts from the EHT collaboration will be available for interviews at the National Press Club. The NSF and the Center for Astrophysics will issue a press release the morning of the press conference with additional information about the discovery.
In addition to the press briefing in the U.S, press conferences will be held simultaneously in Garching bei München, Shanghai, Mexico City, Santiago de Chile, Tokyo and Taipei.
A separate panel of CfA scientists will participate in a public Q&A panel at 3 p.m. EDT. The live streamed panel will be available to view on the CfA's Facebook and YouTube page. The CfA participants include:
- Sheperd Doeleman, EHT Founding Director
- Kari Haworth, Chief Technology Officer
- Angelo Ricarte, Theoretical Astrophysicist
- Paul Tiede, Astrophysicist
The live stream will be moderated by Ellen Stofan, Smithsonian Under Secretary for Science and Research and former Chief Scientist at NASA.
[Image]
The Milky Way Galaxy