Black Hills Energy presents Sanford Underground Research Facility with a $10,000 check to sponsor Neutrino Day 2019.
For ten years, Sanford Underground Research Facility (Sanford Lab) has promoted STEM education through Neutrino Day, a free, city-wide science festival in Lead, S.D. This year, the event has received its largest corporate support to date, a $10,000 donation from Black Hills Energy (BH Energy).
“For 11 years now, BH Energy has been an amazing partner with us on Neutrino Day,” said Mike Headley, executive director of Sanford Lab. “This is our signature community outreach event, and BH Energy’s contribution will allow us to offer new and unique opportunities like ‘A Cosmic Symphony’ this year. We greatly appreciate their support in making Neutrino Day a major success.”
“Our mission is to improve life with energy,” said Marc Eyre, the director of operations for BH Energy. “Neutrino Day is a great opportunity to connect with and support the community we serve, not only in Lead, but throughout the whole Black Hills region.”
Held on the second Saturday of July, Neutrino Day draws more than 1,500 people to Lead. BH Energy has not only contributed funds annually, but the organization’s staff also volunteers to help with the regional event.
"I've been a volunteer for Neutrino Day from the start, eleven years ago. As a Lead native, it's really important to me to stay involved with my hometown community and this is a wonderful way to do that," said Marsha Nichols, northern hills accounts manager at BH Energy. "Neutrino Day is a unique opportunity to showcase the global efforts that are happening right under our feet in Lead, South Dakota."
This year’s event will take place on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at locations throughout Lead. Neutrino Day: A Cosmic Symphony will highlight the value of collaboration between the arts and sciences. The festival includes hoistroom tours, science activities and exhibits, live video chats with scientists at CERN and underground at Sanford Lab and perennial favorite “Science Steve” Rokusek.
In addition to the host of activities throughout the City of Lead, the all-day event will culminate in “The Legend of the Northern Lights,” a live performance that combines visual imagery and music to tell the story behind the Northern Lights phenomena. The performance is a collaboration between Dr. Jose Francisco Salgado and the Black Hills Symphony Orchestra.
“Neutrino Day offers science activities across the city of Lead, introducing science concepts to our community in an engaging way,” said Constance Walter, communications director at Sanford Lab.
This annual event is just one way Sanford Lab seeks to transform education in South Dakota. The facility’s educational mission is accomplished through the development of programming for K-12 schools, undergraduate students and the general public, through partnerships with several local and regional institutions.
For more information about Sanford Lab’s Neutrino Day, visit link or contact Constance Walter, communications director, at cwalter@sanfordlab.org.
The Sanford Underground Research Facility (Sanford Lab) is a dedicated deep underground research laboratory that houses world-leading physics, biology, geology and engineering experiments. A non-profit, quasi-governmental institution that is managed by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, Sanford Lab's mission is "To advance compelling underground, multidisciplinary research in a safe work environment and to inspire and educate through science, technology and engineering."