Radio Astronomy Celebration with Doc Ewen & Ed Purcell

My message today is one of thanks and humble gratitude. Many people from Harvard University, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Green Bank Observatory, and others have been instrumental in support, advice, guidance, and most importantly encouragement. [Avi, Jim, Ken, Whitham, and many others ... Thank you !] 

It was 70 years ago that Harold "Doc" Ewen, Ph.D. (my father) with his Harvard University thesis advisor Ed Purcell, Ph.D., on March 25, 1951, had a defining impact in a specific field of science. It was the first observation and detection of neutral interstellar hydrogen.  What has and continues to follow is tremendous growth not imaginable back in 1951.     And now it is time to celebrate and give proper recognition as we near a special day, Thursday, March 25, 2021.

It was in August of 2019 when I had been working with a research scientist in Moscow, Russia on international communications. We had thought that scientific events in history should be remembered.  We talked about telling the story and honoring the people.  And then …. A thought ….  I sent an email that started a journey.

After a little research to know who is who in a field that I know nothing about, I sent an email to Abraham (Avi) Loeb, Ph.D., chair of the astronomy department at Harvard University, on August 17, 2019 (6 months before the Coronavirus Pandemic)   and shared the video of my father Doc Ewen and his Harvard University thesis advisor Ed Purcell, Ph.D.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw0aQ2v-CRs

I hit "send" for the email to Dr. Loeb and eight minutes later, he replied. I am humbly grateful for his interest.  That was a Saturday afternoon. It was agreed that we would make contact again in May 2020 to consider telling the story and honoring the people involved with the first detection of neutral hydrogen in interstellar space.  The thought was this would be part of the Sackler conference series in 2020.

Then the Pandemic happened.   On May 13, I followed up and it was understood the original plans were frozen and could not continue.  Jim Morrison, Ph.D., D. H. Menzel Professor of Astrophysics Emeritus, Harvard University, reached out to me and introduced me to Ken Kellerman, Ph.D., of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.  Then it was obvious that wonderful support was being developed and it has always been much appreciated.  The encouragement and support from Jim and Ken just as with Avi was amazing.  (Thank you)

Efforts to find living members of Ed Purcell's family by reaching out to Harvard and NRAO were not successful.  Nonetheless, he too is honored in this process of telling the story. 

As if the Pandemic impact on business and school closures wasn't enough,I was in the emergency room on December 12, 2020 suffering from Coronavirus and complications that followed after.  The recovery since January has been wonderful and the rebuilding in February was amazing.  To make a long story short, I am most pleased that I am able to tell this story today.   Due to my illness, a lot had not happened as planned, unfortunately.  December was a critical time for PR work that I'm familiar with and missed important timing.   But not all was lost. Just like my father back in 1951, I didn't give up.

A book was published (essentially free), "Space: The Final Frontier" that tells the story and honors the people. The print book is at cost (no profit) and the ebook will be free during the week of the anniversary (less than a dollar otherwise).   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GG2RMMH/   

On September 3rd, Whitham D. Reeve from Anchorage, Alaska, Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) and Contributing Editor, SARA Journal reached out to do a story for the bi-monthly magazine journal.   The story was first released for the Nov-Dec 2020 issue of the SARA journal on page 30 and once again for the  Jan-Feb issue. it is also seen here online:   https://www.radio-astronomy.org/node/368

A proclamation declaring March 25, 2021 as Springfield Science Day by the Mayor of the city Doc Ewen had called his hometown (Springfield, Massachusetts).   He went to public school and higher education started at Springfield College before going to Amherst College and later Harvard University.   You can find it in the “attachments” tab  http://about.me/paase

A lot was being done for state recognition at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts while working with the Governor's office.   First Massachusetts Science Day was approved, until it wasn't.  Then Massachusetts Astronomy Day was approved, until it wasn't.  Finally after 6th months, a citation to the family of Doc Ewen was signed and overnight-shipped arriving just one week before the anniversary.  Massachusetts Governor Charlie  Baker signed a citation given to the Family of Harold "Doc"Ewen, Ph.D. that recognizes  honor and recognition of the 70th Anniversary of the first observation and detection of neutral interstellar hydrogen.  The office of the governor commended the historic nature of this scientific breakthrough and its defining impact on radio astronomy and space exploration.   You can find it in the “attachments” tab  http://about.me/paase

Oh, and by the way,  Doc Ewen and David Ewen have names on a silicon chip on the Perseverance Rover that had a successful landing in Jezero Crater on Mars. It's about the closest thing my father and I could do to be together in space travel.  This is a separate project called "Mars 2020''.   It is a Mars rover mission forming part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program that includes the rover Perseverance and the small robotic helicopter Ingenuity.   You can the ticket verification in the “attachments'' tab  http://about.me/paase

The advantage of social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn allowed for sharing content on relevant specialized groups.   The outpouring of support has been greatly appreciated.

As I close this journey and wrap up efforts of the PAASE Institute (http://about.me/paase), I wish to once again express my humble gratitude to all those who have come along with me on this journey to in some small way help to tell the story, an important story, and honor the people.   Along with all of you, I will celebrate and remember what happened on the weekend overnight on Sunday, March 25, 1951, 70 years ago.

And now I close with this.  Doc Ewen said it best,  He said in 1987 on a national television broadcast, “It’s just the way you designed it.  It’s just the way you thought about it.  There is just a chill that goes up your back and you say: I got it!  And you’ll just never, ever forget the excitement of something like that.   And yet, it’s so common in the field of science to go through these steps and feel the excitement.  It’s just beautiful.”