The Penn State Lectures on the Frontiers of Science is a series of Saturday-morning lectures begun in 1995 by a group of Penn State Eberly College of Science faculty in the Center for Gravitational Physics and Geometry. It was an innovative move for our college because these lectures were designed for the enjoyment and education of average citizens rather than for a specialized audience composed exclusively of scientists, as were our other annual lectures at that time. Abhay Ashtekar, director of the center and holder of the Eberly Family Chair in Physics, explained at that time, "One of the missions of the center is to improve scientific literacy both on and off campus by presenting such public lectures." (more history)

 

Parking Information for the Penn State Lectures on the Frontiers of Science

The Thomas Building is located at the corner of Pollock and Shortlidge Roads on the University Park campus. Parking is available free of charge at the Eisenhower Parking Deck behind Eisenhower Auditorium.

Click here to view map.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO EISENHOWER PARKING DECK

FROM UNIVERSITY DRIVE:

1. Turn onto Hastings Road. (This will be a left if you're coming from Route 26 and a right if you're coming from Park Avenue. The turn will take you up a hill.)
2. At 5-way stop sign, veer right onto Bigler Road.
3. At 3-way stop sign, turn right to remain on Bigler Road.
4. Before reaching the next stop sign on Bigler Road, turn left at the MBNA Career Services Building onto Eisenhower Road.
5. The Eisenhower Parking Deck, the second building on the left, is directly behind Eisenhower Auditorium.

FROM COLLEGE AVENUE:

1. Turn right onto Shortlidge Road (going up the hill) to the first stop sign.
2. Turn right onto Pollock Road and go to the first stop sign.
3. Turn left onto Bigler Road. Before reaching the next stop sign, turn left at the MBNA Career Services Building into the Eisenhower Auditorium north driveway.
4. Before reaching the next stop sign on Bigler Road, turn left at the MBNA Career Services Building onto Eisenhower Road.
5. The Eisenhower Parking Deck, the second building on the left, is directly behind Eisenhower Auditorium.

FROM PARK AVENUE:

1. Turn onto Bigler Road, which is the road between Shortlidge Road and University Drive.
6. Follow Bigler Road several hundred yards to Eisenhower Road.
7. Turn right onto Eisenhower Road. The Eisenhower Parking Deck, the second building on the left, is directly behind Eisenhower Auditorium.

FROM HARRISBURG AND LEWISTOWN

1. Take Route 322 West to Boalsburg.
2. To avoid the State College business district, stay on Route 322 West (the Mount Nittany Expressway).
3. Take the Penn State/Innovation Park exit.
4. At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn right onto Park Avenue.
5. Follow Park Avenue to the sixth traffic light and turn left onto Bigler Road.
6. Follow Bigler Road several hundred yards to Eisenhower Road.
7. Turn right onto Eisenhower Road. The Eisenhower Parking Deck, the second building on the left, is directly behind Eisenhower Auditorium.

FROM HUNTINGDON

1. Take Route 26 North.
2. As you enter State College, Route 26 North splits into two one-way streets; continue on 26 North and you will be on Beaver Avenue.
3. Continue on Beaver Avenue through downtown, and at the seventh traffic light turn left onto Garner Street.
4. Continue straight through the traffic light on Garner Street; as you cross College Avenue onto the Penn State University Park campus, Garner Street becomes Shortlidge Road.
5. Drive up the hill on Shortlidge Road to the first stop sign.
6. Turn right onto Pollock Road and go to the first stop sign.
7. Turn left onto Bigler Road. Before reaching the next stop sign, turn left at the MBNA Career Services Building into the Eisenhower Auditorium north driveway.
8. Before reaching the next stop sign on Bigler Road, turn left at the MBNA Career Services Building onto Eisenhower Road.
9. The Eisenhower Parking Deck, the second building on the left, is directly behind Eisenhower Auditorium.

FROM ALTOONA

1. Take Interstate 99 North to the village of Bald Eagle. Take Route 220 North to Port Matilda. Shortly after you pass through Port Matilda, take Route 322 East.
2. To avoid the State College business district, stay on Route 322 East (the Mount Nittany Expressway).
3. Take the Penn State/Innovation Park exit.
4. At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn right onto Park Avenue.
5. Follow Park Avenue to the sixth traffic light and turn left onto Bigler Road.
6. Follow Bigler Road several hundred yards to Eisenhower Road.
7. Turn right onto Eisenhower Road. The Eisenhower Parking Deck, the second building on the left, is directly behind Eisenhower Auditorium.

FROM INTERSTATE 80

1. Take Exit 161 (Bellefonte/Penn State University Park exit) and turn onto Route 220 South.
2. Follow Route 220 South for about a dozen miles, then take Exit 74.
3. Once on Exit 74, stay to the left and follow the sign to the University Park campus.
4. The highway merges into Park Avenue. To Eisenhower Auditorium and Eisenhower Parking Deck
5. Follow Park Avenue to the seventh traffic light and turn left onto Bigler Road.
6. Turn left onto Bigler Road and drive several hundred yards to Eisenhower Road.
7. Turn right onto Eisenhower Road. The Eisenhower Parking Deck, the second building on the left, is directly behind Eisenhower Auditorium.