MARCH 4, 2024 — San Antonians will now have a unique opportunity to gain insight into the total solar eclipse slated on Monday, April 8. In a new podcast called Planet UTSA, a special edition podcast series developed by the UTSA Office of University Strategic Communications, several renowned university researchers and their students will explore the impact of the eclipse from various perspectives.
The first of five podcast episodes will debut on Thursday, March 7. Here’s a brief preview of each upcoming episode:
March 7: Witnessing a solar eclipse from the path of totality
In the series opener, Angela Speck, professor and chair of the UTSA Department of Physics and Astronomy, will discuss the science behind eclipses and what makes them an incredible phenomenon to experience. She’ll also explain why it’s important to view the upcoming total solar eclipse from the path of totality, a 100-mile stretch that will include the UTSA Main Campus.
March 14: Getting kids engaged in the upcoming solar eclipse
Peek at the world of eclipse education with Chris Packham, an astrophysics professor in the UTSA Department of Physics and Astronomy. The UTSA researcher is leading an eclipse event for K-12 students. In this episode, Packham will also discuss his work with the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a next-generation telescope.
March 21: Making eclipses accessible through the LightSound project
UTSA professor Lindsay Fuller highlights the work of UTSA students who are building LightSound devices. These products are making eclipses more accessible to individuals who are visually impaired.
March 28: Eclipses and bee behavior
Ferhat Ozturk, an assistant professor of practice in the UTSA Department of Integrative Biology, nestled recording devices in his bee hives to record their reactions during last October’s annular eclipse. His findings offer a look into how other living things on this planet respond to eclipses.
April 4: Eclipses and spirituality
Cody Cly, a doctoral candidate in UTSA’s physics and astronomy program, explores how Native Americans view eclipses as spiritual phenomena.
The Planet UTSA podcast is one of several projects in University Strategic Communications’ Eclipse 2024 series. The episodes will be available on Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud and other places where listeners find their podcasts.
Beginning this week, University Strategic Communications will also feature an eclipse-themed story series on UTSA Today that explores how the eclipse will impact individuals and communities. Faculty experts will also discuss various facets of the eclipse in a San Antonio Express-News op-ed series beginning Monday, March 11.
