Sidewalk Film Center Birmingham, AL
Michelle Wooten, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Gravity— Floating facts: The science behind Gravity
Program Description
Dr. Michelle Wooten of UAB's Physics Department uses her personal perspective as a woman in the field of astronomy to offer unique insights to the physics, astronomy, and human resilience throughout the film.
This event is part of our 2025 National Evening of Science on Screen.
Presented At
Sidewalk Film Center Birmingham, AL
Film Synopsis
A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.
Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a medical engineer on her first shuttle mission. Her commander is veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney), helming his last flight before retirement. During a routine spacewalk, disaster strikes; the shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky stranded with no link to Earth and no hope of rescue. As fear turns to panic, they realize that the only way home may be to venture further into space. Gravity received 10 Academy Award nominations, and won seven, including Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.
About the Speaker
Michelle Wooten, PhD, currently oversees the curriculum development of the astronomy program at UAB. In 2021 she worked as an assistant professor of astronomy education after teaching astronomy for over ten years in New Zealand, California, Washington D.C., Alaska, Pennsylvania, and Colorado.