Traverse City Events: Two benefit lectures in February offer an opportunity to learn about the world’s most famous shipwreck, its connections to Northern Michigan and NMC's Nautical Archaeology program.
The Northwestern Michigan College Nautical Archaeology Society will host two evening lectures at Milliken Auditorium:
- February 8: Michigan Connections to the RMS Titanic, presented by Kenneth J. Vrana, co-director of the Titanic Mapping Project for Premier Exhibitions, Inc. 6-7:30 p.m. reception in the Dennos Museum Center sculpture court, followed by 7:30 p.m. lecture and Q & A in Milliken. Tickets $25 per person.
- February 9: The Titanic Mapping Project. NMC students will present the results of current nautical archaeology research in northwestern Michigan from 7:30 – 8 p.m. Following the student presentations, Vrana will present the Titanic Mapping Project. The event will last until 9 p.m. with time for questions. Tickets $10 per person.
Special guest speaker Vrana will share his knowledge and experiences gained from the historical and archaeological study of the RMS Titanic, as well as discuss opportunities for the study of Northern Michigan's Great Lakes underwater cultural heritage. Vrana served as consulting underwater archaeologist for both Titanic Expedition 2004 and 2010 as well as Carpathia Expedition 2007. He is currently co-director of the Titanic Mapping Project for Premier Exhibitions, Inc. During his 35-year career, Vrana has recorded nearly 1,000 scientific dives on historic shipwrecks throughout the United States, western Pacific and Caribbean region, including project coordinator for the first civilian expedition to the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1989.
Tickets are available from Nautical Archaeology Society members, the Social Science department at NMC (Scholars Hall 114) and at the door. All proceeds will benefit the Northwestern Michigan College Archaeology Society’s student research trip to Wales in June 2013. For more information visit nasnmc.com.