April 15, 2024
Veteran and Military Resource Center hosts eclipse viewing and presentation
Students, faculty, staff, and alumni came together to view the once-in-a-lifetime event in Saratoga Springs, New York, which experienced 98 percent totality.
(SARATOGA SPRINGS – April 15, 2024) Empire State University’s Veteran and Military Resource Center (VMRC) held a solar eclipse viewing and presentation April 8, 2024. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni came together to view the once-in-a-lifetime event in Saratoga Springs, New York, which experienced 98 percent totality.
The VMRC’s event included space-themed refreshments and a presentation by Dr. Audeliz Matías, dean of the School for Graduate Studies and associate professor, who discussed how eclipses have shaped history across cultures and time and how to observe the solar eclipse safely.
“Eclipses are part of society,” Matías said. “We need to create educated citizens and that is part of the mission of the university. I think it is my responsibility as a scientist and an educator to make sure that we are all aware of what’s happening and the science behind it, not only the cultural aspect, but everything else.”
“We love having these events and seeing people that we don’t necessarily see on a day-to-day basis,” Desiree Drindak, director of the Veteran and Military Resource Center, said. “For us, it’s about physically bringing everyone together.”