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Evening
Highlighted by The Scientist of the Year Award
Los
Angeles, CA - The California Science Center
commemorated its third anniversary with a black-tie
gala event Saturday, February 3, 2001 in Exposition
Park.
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Lieutenant
Governor Cruz Bustamante, left and Executive
Director of the Science Center Jeffrey Rudolph
on the right, present the California Scientist
of the Year Award to Dr. Geoffrey Marcy.
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Discovery
Ball 2001 celebrated the California Science Center's
success in providing fun, memorable science learning
experiences for more than 4.5 million guests since
opening in February 1998. As a highlight of the
evening Dr. Geoffrey Marcy, Professor of Astronomy
and Director of the Center for Integrative Planetary
Science at the University of California at Berkeley,
was presented the California Scientist of the Year
Award by Science Center Executive Director Jeffrey
Rudolph and Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.
Former
Governors Pete Wilson and George Deukmajian, former
Speaker of the Assembly Antonio Villaraigosa, State
Controller Kathleen Connell, City Attorney Jimmy
Hahn, state legislators, local elected officials,
business and community leaders were among the assemblage
of 750 guests. The event raised over $620,000 with
the proceeds designated to benefit the education
programs and exhibits of the nonprofit California
Science Center.
An
Evening of Mystery, Illusion and Magic was the theme
for the black-tie affair, which also celebrated
the culmination of Magic: The Science of Illusion,
a popular exhibition that leaves the Science Center
on February 28th to begin its national tour. The
reception began at 6 p.m. and was followed by a
brief program. A Toyota Prius, donated courtesy
of Toyota Motor Sales USA, was won during an opportunity
drawing by guest Ronald F. Clark, President of Printco
Graphics.
Magician
Bob Borgia, who performs frequently at the Magic
Castle, and an acrobatic troupe entertained guests.
Following an elegant dinner, which was served on
all three levels of the Science Center, the festivities
continued with a viewing of Wild California
in the Science Center's IMAX Theater and dancing
in the Donald P. Loker Conference Center. The Center,
transformed into the "Loker Magic Parlor,"
featured colorful tents where guests had their fortunes
told and palms read.
As
guests retreated to their cars at the end of the
evening, they participated in the first public viewing
of an artfully decorated truck that will take BrainWorks
on Tour, a new "Science Comes Alive" interactive
theater program, directly into area schools next
month. A grant for the purchase of the vehicle was
provided by United Airlines.
The
Discovery Ball 2001 dinner committee was co-chaired
by George Pla, President and CEO of Cordoba Corporation
and Jill Sheffield, managing director with United
Airlines. The event was generously underwritten,
in part, by Northrop Grumman and United Airlines.
The
California Scientist of the Year Award, sponsored
by the Los Angeles Times, honored Dr. Marcy for
his research on the detection of extrasolar planets
and brown dwarfs. The award, which has been given
each year since 1951 by the California Science Center
(formerly the California Museum of Science and Industry)
and its non-profit affiliate, the California Science
Center Foundation, recognizes the accomplishments
of established and rising scientific leaders in
California. Eleven scientists who have received
the California Scientist of the Year Award have
gone on to become Nobel Laureates. For more information
on the award, please visit our California
Scientist of the Year pages.
The
California Science Center continues in its role
as a place of discovery and learning for families
with several projects in view for this year, including:
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the
local March 16th premiere of the new IMAX film,
Journey Into Amazing Caves, which features
a suspenseful expedition by a new breed of scientists
who boldly explore the Earth's last true frontier:
caves so remote that exploring them is like
visiting another planet;
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the
March 30th opening of a touring exhibit, titled
Masters of the Night, which brings the
mystery surrounding bats out of the dark;
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and
the upcoming Summer Science Education Programs
for students, which offers family outings and
workshops for parents with young children.
Plans
are currently underway for the 4th Annual Discovery
Ball, February 2, 2002, when the Science Center
will host another sensational evening.
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