Explore humankind's quest to understand the universe Feb. 22 at College of DuPage

Examine the history and development of the telescope with College of DuPage astronomy professor Joe DalSanto at "The View From Earth: 400 Years of Astronomical Discovery" Saturday, Feb. 22, on the college's Glen Ellyn campus, 425 Fawell Blvd.

It will be 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Jack Turner Conference Center, Student Resource Center Room 2000.

The event, part of the College's STEMinar Series, is free and open to the public.

DalSanto will discuss the many incredible discoveries made possible by the telescope - the most important astronomical invention ever created. From Galileo's first glimpse at the stars in the early 1600s to the technological marvels of the Hooker telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope, humanity's quest for knowledge about the universe has led to developments and discoveries once thought unimaginable.

Following a 15-year career in IT, DalSanto followed his passion for the stars which led to presentations for astronomy clubs and an invitation to perform public outreach and oversee the observatory at Waubonsee Community College.

Subsequently, an increasing interest in teaching inspired DalSanto to earn a master's degree in astronomy. He has been a full-time faculty member at COD since 2012.

Learn more about this event at www.cod.edu.

DalSanto's presentation also is part of the Sage Series through the College's Continuing Education program. The series is free, but registration is required. To register, call Continuing Education at (630) 942-2008.

The STEMinar Series at College of DuPage consists of free talks covering a variety of topics related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math throughout the fall and spring semesters.

Upcoming STEMinars include "Artificial Intelligence for Science" at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, by Argonne National Laboratory computer scientist Prasanna Balaprakash.

The goal of STEM at College of DuPage is to enhance the quality of STEM instructional and outreach programs and to help current and future students prepare for careers in STEM fields. COD offers a broad range of academic programs designed to provide students with the educational background and training needed to successfully pursue an advanced degree or career in STEM.