Symposium - - The Night: Why Dark Hours Are So Important

摘要AST-0649395研讨会，夜晚：为什么黑暗的时刻如此重要这个奖项将支持为期两天的多学科研讨会，夜晚：2007年2月21日和22日，在华盛顿的卡内基研究所，会议将重点讨论黑暗的夜间环境的重要性及其与天文学、生物学、生态学、能源、工程、政府、人类健康、户外照明和城市规划。作为第一次此类活动，本次研讨会将汇集来自天文学，生态学，医学，照明技术，商业和公共政策领域的领导者和创新者，讨论光污染对人类和我们环境的影响。研讨会的主题将分为四个不同的部分：保护夜间环境，生态和人类健康问题，能源效率和技术，以及提供优质夜景所需的解决方案。研讨会将协调和集中讨论从看似不同的学科到一个多学科的主题，夜晚。这一主题影响到人类健康和福祉、环境的平衡和多样性、经济繁荣、科学进步和政府代表性。通过包括顶级研究人员，教育工作者，创新者和高管，本次会议将突出学科之间的重要性和必要性，以保护社会的黑暗天空遗产，并提供优质的夜间环境。研讨会将吸引来自能源部、内政部、商务部以及NSF和NIH等主要政府机构的代表。 科学家、工程师和机构代表汇聚一堂，讨论从人工照明对乳腺癌细胞生长的影响到安全照明和节能的最佳设计等话题，人工照明对天文观测的影响可能会对未来公共政策的制定产生积极影响。该奖项由天文学司资助。天文科学和数学与物理科学理事会多学科活动办公室。

ABSTRACTAward AST-0649395 Symposium, The Night: Why Dark Hours are So ImportantThis award will support a two-day, multi-disciplinary symposium, The Night: Why Dark Hours Are So Important, on February 21 and 22, 2007 at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, D.C. The conference will focus on the importance of a dark nighttime environment and its wide ranging connection to such disciplines as astronomy, biology, ecology, energy, engineering, government, human health, outdoor lighting, and urban planning. As a first-of-its-kind event, this symposium will bring together leaders and innovators from the fields of astronomy, ecology, medicine, lighting technology, business, and public policy to discuss the effects of light pollution on humans and on our environment. Discussion topics will be divided into four distinct sessions: Protecting the Nighttime Environment, Ecological and Human Health Concerns, Energy Efficiency and Technology, and the Solutions Necessary for Providing a Quality Nightscape.The symposium will coordinate and focus discussion from seemingly disparate disciplines into a single multidisciplinary topic, the night. This topic impacts human health and well-being, the balance and diversity of the environment, economic prosperity, scientific advancement, and governmental representation. By including top researchers, educators, innovators, and executives, this conference will highlight the importance and necessity of bridging disciplines in order to preserve society's heritage of dark skies and present a quality nighttime environment. The symposium will be designed to attract representatives from major governmental agencies such as the Department of Energy, Department of Interior, and Department of Commerce as well as the NSF and the NIH. The convergence of such a diverse set of scientists, engineers and agency representatives, discussing topics from the effect of artificial lighting on the growth of breast cancer cells, through the optimum designs for safety and security lighting and energy conservation, to the effect of artificial lighting on astronomical observations could have positive repercussions in the crafting of future public policy.This award is funded by the Division of Astronomical Sciences and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities of the Directorate of Mathematics and Physical Sciences.