CONTACT! An Astrophysicist & a Reverend discuss Faith & Science with a screening of 1997’s Epic Sci-Fi film Contact

Join us for an exciting evening of science, faith, education, and cinema featuring a conversation between Reverend Amanda Wagner (She/They) and Quantum Astrochemist and Molecular Astrophysicist, Professor Clara Sousa-Silva.

Believing that religion and science are not mutually exclusive, Reverend Amanda encourages her parishioners NOT to check their brains at the door, but to use them to work for peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Amanda is a wife, cat mom, cool aunt, storyteller, and movie buff. She lives in Troy with her wife, Lisa, and their spoiled cat, Icarus.

Clara is currently an assistant professor at Bard College (US) and a Researcher at the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (Portugal).  Among her many achievements, Clara is the recipient of the prestigious 51 Pegasi b Fellowship from the Heising-Simons Foundation. Clara’s work and commentary has been featured in the BBC, WIRED, and the New York Times, among many others, and is the focus of her TED talk.

Based on Carl Sagan’s 1987 book, we follow the talk with a screening of the 1997 Robert Zemeckis film Contact, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey.

Enjoy beer, wine, cocktails, popcorn, arcades, and more!

Event starts at 6pm

Talk at 6:30

Film at 7pm