GLPA President's Welcome

From the depths of the Midwest to wherever you call home, welcome to the Great Lakes Planetarium Association’s 63rd Annual Conference. For the first time ever, we have a joint meeting between GLPA and PPA, the Pacific Planetarium Association. And, as always, we are thrilled to have our Left Coast friends joining us for what will be an incredible week.  

For a record-setting sixth time, we are meeting under the dome of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. If you know Michganders, they love to point at their hand to show you where they’re from. I just looked at my hand and realized that the birthmark on my right palm is precisely where Grand Rapids is located, so I’m choosing to recognize that cosmic connection during our stay. 

Jack Daleske and his entire team have been working closely with GLPA’s Conference Planning Chair, Renae Kerrigan, to arrange a phenomenal couple days of educational and informative sessions, informal gathering and socializing, invited speakers who will push you to re-think how you view your place in the universe, and much more. These conferences are only possible with the support of a dedicated planetarium community. We’re very grateful to our conference sponsors for their financial and programmatic support, highlighting some of the best and brightest new opportunities for the planetarium field. There’s also a dedicated team behind the scenes handling registration, videography, transportation, and more; please make sure to share your thanks when you see these generous volunteers during the conference. 

Planetarium conferences are known for their early mornings and late nights. Please remember to take care of yourself throughout, so you can reap the most benefits from your time at the conference. Whether that means taking a lap outside, finding a dark corner, or going back to your room to take your shoes and socks off for a spell, please listen to your body, and do whatever self-care works for you, first and foremost. Looking forward to seeing each of you on the banks of the Grand River, very soon. 

Mike Smail

GLPA President