NISE 2022 - Free Event

NISE 2022 - Free Sunday Event

Visions of the Past!
Inspiring Future Explorers through the JWST & Backyard Astrophotography

Mei-Li Hey with JWST Are you fascinated by space?
Are you interested in learning more about the James Webb Telescope?
Do you wonder what the James Webb Telescope will tell us about the Universe?
Would you like to learn how you can take some of your own space photos?

NISE is offering a night for you to relax and learn from two experts in the field. NISE welcomes you to an evening of learning and socializing with two experts! Presentations include Into the Unknown: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope by Mei-Li Hey and Five Ways to Get Started in Astrophotography by Nico Carver.

The night will consist of two presentations. During this event, you will also have the opportunity to meet each presenter, ask questions, and discuss space with others interested in the field. This event is open to teachers, students in high school or college, or anyone looking to enjoy a NISE night discussing space and inspiring future explorers. (Younger aged students are welcome if accompanied by a parent.)

This event will feature two presentations:

Mei-Li Hey presentation is titled Into the Unknown: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Mei-Li will present on the mission of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and its place in scientific history. By using novel infrared technology, JWST will elucidate discoveries about the universe and our place in it. The presentation is given from the perspective of a Design Engineer, Mei-Li Hey, and her role during the Integration, Test, and Launch phases of JWST. Mei-Li's journey into the aerospace field was inspired largely by her high school educators, and the presentation elaborates on the importance of STEM education and outreach to support a diverse workforce in the industry.
Nico Carver presentation is title Five Ways to Get Started in Astrophotography. Astrophotography is a very rewarding hobby and there has never been a better time to try it. There are many avenues for getting started. In this session, Nico will introduce five of the easiest and most rewarding approaches for someone who is a complete beginner, and would like to try photographing our universe.

Special Thanks to Our Host
North Central College

Event Schedule: Sunday, November 13, 2022 (subject to change)

5:00 pm - Arrival and Light Refreshments
5:15 pm - Presentation by Nico Carver
6:00 pm - Presentation by Mei-Li Hey
6:45 pm - Social time where you can ask questions and meet both presenters

This event is FREE and open to the public including parents and students in high school and college. Light refreshments will be available. Updates on the event will be made available here as the date approaches.

Pre-registration is required and will be limited to 200 attendees.

Download a printable flyer to share with collegues!

Questions? Contact the NISE help desk at conference@nise.us

Register HERE! (Registration OPEN)

Presenter Information

Nico Carver

Librarian and YouTube Personality

Nico is a librarian at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) by day and a dedicated astrophotographer and YouTuber by night. At the CfA, Nico is the lead on a program that partners with public library communities to build and operate satellite ground stations. He works with these libraries to develop STEM activities using low-cost space technology.

His current passion outside of work is helping beginners get started with astrophotography through detailed videos on his YouTube channel. Nico wants to help anyone with an interest get started taking photos of the night sky, and enjoys figuring out very low-cost approaches including smartphone astrophotography. Nebula Photos, is one of the top astrophotography channels on YouTube and has almost 12 million views and almost 150,000 subscribers.
Mei-Li Hey

Mechanical Design Engineer

Mei-Li Hey is currently the Section Head of Cryocooler Manufacturing at Northrop Grumman Space Systems. Mei-Li spent the first five years of her career as a Mechanical Design Engineer on the James Webb Space Telescope supporting the Ground Systems Engineering Team. Her role on JWST was to design equipment to aid in the Integration, Test and Launch (IT&L) of the telescope, and she was part of the team that traveled to French Guiana to see it off at launch.

Mei-Li received her Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of San Diego and her Master’s in Engineering Management from UCLA. She is a graduate of West Chicago High School.

Mei-Li is also Co-Founder and President of Atwero, a nonprofit organization based out of Uganda, which designs and fabricates pit-latrine assistive devices to increase sanitation for persons with disabilities. She is passionate about her design engineering background to advocate for the consideration of underserved communities when designing the world around us, and she believes that choosing a career in STEM is a great way to make positive change.