Ph.D. Student Satyaki Das demonstrates the laser beam at the Lidar Research Lab during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Ph.D. Student Satyaki Das demonstrates the laser beam at the Lidar Research Lab during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Ph.D. Student Satyaki Das demonstrates the laser beam at the Lidar Research Lab during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Ph.D. Student Satyaki Das demonstrates the laser beam at the Lidar Research Lab during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Julie Striker, right, and Md. Eyaqub Hussein on the other side of the beam, observe the Big Green Beam at the Lidar Research Laboratory during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Rod Boyce
Julie Striker, right, and Md. Eyaqub Hussein on the other side of the beam, observe the Big Green Beam at the Lidar Research Laboratory during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Rod Boyce
Students at the Lidar Observatory at Poker Flat Research Range wait to go on a tour during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Students at the Lidar Observatory at Poker Flat Research Range wait to go on a tour during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Don Hampton Don Hampton gives a demonstration of one of the original all-sky cameras that were used for aurora research during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by
Don Hampton Don Hampton gives a demonstration of one of the original all-sky cameras that were used for aurora research during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by
Don with old all-sky camera: Don Hampton gives a demonstration of one of the original all-sky cameras that were used for aurora research during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Don with old all-sky camera: Don Hampton gives a demonstration of one of the original all-sky cameras that were used for aurora research during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Don Hampton gives a demonstration of cameras that are used for research at the Neal Davis Science Operations Center during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Don Hampton gives a demonstration of cameras that are used for research at the Neal Davis Science Operations Center during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Fall colors set in at Poker Flat Research Range during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Fall colors set in at Poker Flat Research Range during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
GI Director Bob McCoy chats with Hans Nielsen and Craig Heinselman during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
GI Director Bob McCoy chats with Hans Nielsen and Craig Heinselman during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Bob McCoy chats with Hans Nielsen, Craig Heinselman and Craig's wife Denise Rust during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Bob McCoy chats with Hans Nielsen, Craig Heinselman and Craig's wife Denise Rust during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
GI Director Bob McCoy chats with visitors to the Payload Assembly Building during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
GI Director Bob McCoy chats with visitors to the Payload Assembly Building during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Alejandra Marquez and Bradley Fulton pose next to the "parade rocket" during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten
Alejandra Marquez and Bradley Fulton pose next to the "parade rocket" during the Poker Potluck Pig Roast on Aug. 23, 2024. Photo by Bryan Whitten

Poker Potluck Pig Roast: Thank yous and photos

August 27, 2024

Despite a gray day and intermittent rain, lots of Geophysical Institute folks showed up for the 2024 Poker Potluck Pig Roast last Friday.

Many, many thanks to so many people who helped make this event a success! First of all to Tracy and Bill Durnan for tending the roasting pig all night so it was tender and juicy for the next day's feast. Also many thanks to Kathe Rich, Dave Hill and Tony Tyree of Poker Flat Research Range for hosting this terrific all-GI event, and to Operations staff Tracy Piechoci, Grady Baumfalk and Alex Beer for a whole host of things they helped with.

Also many thanks to Mike Roddewig, Vishnu Kumar and Satyaki Das for presenting tours and demos of the Lidar Observatory; Don Hampton and Jason Ahrns for tours of the Davis Science Center; Sara Wilbur, Kelly Eagan and Becky Lindsey of GI Communications for organizing the details; and to Crytal Ruerup of the Director's Office for assistance above and beyond the call of duty. Thank you all!

If you have photos from the event you'd like to share, please send them to uaf-gi-public-info@alaska.edu and we'll add them here.

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Since it was established by an Act of Congress in 1946, scientists at the Geophysical Institute have studied geophysical processes from the center of the Earth to the surface of the sun and beyond, turning data and observations into information useful for state, Arctic and national priorities.

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