Smith Lecture

[Jim Beatty]

All,

I'd like to thank everyone who contributed to the record-breaking Smith Lecture yesterday evening.  Our attendance was about 700, and Joe Incandela gave an excellent and accessible talk on the Higgs discovery.

The colloquium committee, chaired by Douglass Schumacher, identified the speaker and led the process.  Chris Hill made the invitation and has been hosting the speaker.  Shelley Palmer made the intricate arrangements for the visit and talk, and managed publicity for the event.  Phil Davids, Mark Reed, and Kris Dunlap helped with preparations for the reception, and Terry Bradley and John Langkals oversaw technical support of the lecture.  My apologies for any key contributors I may have missed.

This is a great event and I was especially happy to see many young people and students at the talk, including a busload of students from Cleveland and an elementary school student who asked a very perceptive question during the Q&A.  Thanks again to everyone who contributed to the success of this flagship lecture for our department!

Jim