Science / Medicine : SCIENCE CALENDAR : Smoking at Work to Be Studied

Smoking in the workplace is fast becoming one of the controversies of the 1990s. The American Lung Assn. is sponsoring a conference to examine the issues surrounding this subject on June 14.

“Let’s Clear the Air: Managing the Change to a Smoke-Free Workplace” will explore the legislative, health and safety issues, as well as the individual rights of employees.

Featuring speakers such as Andrew C. Lee, president of the American Lung Assn. of Los Angeles County, and Glenn Barr, deputy to Councilman Marvin Braude, the conference will be held at the Sheraton Universal in Universal City from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call (213) 935-5864.

ASTRONOMY

Supernovas, stars that explode with incredible force, will be the subject of the Santa Monica College Planetarium feature program June 8, 15 and 22 at 8 p.m., after the weekly Night Sky Show at 7 p.m. Call (213) 452-9223.

The Rancho Santiago College Planetarium program will explore the constellations of the night sky Sundays at 2 p.m. in the Tessmann Planetarium on campus. Call (714) 667-3096.

ENVIRONMENT

Jim Lowery of Earth Skills will teach participants how to track and identify animals and interpret their relationship to the environment in a tracking skills class offered through the Wilderness Institute on June 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call (818) 991-7327.

Science-oriented training will begin this month for volunteers to serve as naturalists at three new, undeveloped regional parks, encompassing almost 8,000 acres and a diversity of habitats, recently opened in the Santa Monica Mountains. For park information and/or docent information call (805) 255-0640 or (213) 456-7807.

PHYSICS

Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, who has Lou Gehrig’s disease, will discuss the ways in which living with a disability has affected his conceptualization of time as the keynote speaker at USC’s “Occupational Science Symposium III: Ecology and Occupation,” today at 11:15 a.m. The symposium will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call (213) 224-5494.

SCIENCE FOR KIDS

Children ages 4 to 7 can learn about the world of dinosaurs in workshops sponsored by Los Angeles Pierce College Community Services. Activities include creating fossil imprints and Mesozoic dioramas. Registration is now being accepted for July classes. Call (818) 719-6425.

The California Museum of Science and Industry will be offering daily workshops through June 24 at noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. for kids to create their own kaleidoscopes in conjunction with the exhibit “Kaleidoscopes: Reflections of Science and Art.” Call (213) 744-7400.

SPACE SCIENCE

Les Perleman, assistant dean at MIT, will discuss “Fact and Consensus: The Rhetoric of the Challenger Disaster” in Caltech’s Judy Library today at 4 p.m. Call (818) 356-3829.

MARINE SCIENCE

The Cabrillo Marine Museum will present special “Meet the Grunion” programs in June and July on nights the mysterious little silvery fish are expected to come ashore. The programs are scheduled for June 10 and 24 and July 9 and 23 at 9 p.m. The museum will open at 8 p.m. on those evenings. Call (213) 548-7562.