2018 FALL LC MAGAZINE

lthough still in its infancy, the Detwiler Planetarium in the Lynn Science Center has already provided countless opportunities for Lycoming students to delve into the world of astrophysics. Lycoming County K-12 science classes, Williamsport First Friday shows, and other public and private groups have taken advantage of the facility since it opened in 2015. Under the direction of Charles Doersam ’99, planetarium director, Lycoming students research and design many of these educational events, delivering presentations that show a thorough depiction of scientific concepts that keep audiences captivated. Recent graduate Brendan Drachler ’18, an astrophysics major from Shamokin, Pa., got involved with the planetarium as a sophomore. “Designing and performing planetarium shows is a rare form of creative arts in STEM that allows me to reinforce my interests by teaching and providing a lasting influence on my audience so that members of our community have an outlet to explore science without necessarily being scientists,” he said. “Working in the planetarium has taught me there is always room for improvement, which will have a positive impact on everything I do.” Drachler, who plans to pursue a doctoral degree in astrophysics at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he will study merging black holes and the production of gravitational waves, recently handed the baton over to sophomore Mikayla Feldbauer ’20 from St. Marys, Pa. It was a First Friday show that caught the attention of Feldbauer. “I got to know Brendan, and he trained me on how to run the equipment,” said Feldbauer, who explained that as a biology major, her involvement in the planetarium allows her to fulfill her love of astronomy and share what she learns with others. Although Feldbauer plans to attend graduate school for computational biology and conduct research in that field, she feels her planetarium experience provides valuable benefits. “It’s making me a better speaker, and it challenges me with explaining scientific concepts to the general public,” she said. S TEL L A R P RE S ENTAT IONS A Feldbauer and Drachler in the Detwiler Planetarium 16 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2018 FALL MAGAZINE