Happy Birthday Letter
Today on July 10, 2024, we celebrate what would have been Nikola Tesla’s 168th birthday. Tesla, who passed away at the age of 86, remains the foundational pioneer in wireless and radio technology. It’s fitting that we honor his legacy with a drone light show, utilizing radio communication, as a tribute to his genius. Tesla’s love for birds, especially pigeons he trained in New York City, makes this eco-friendly alternative to fireworks even more special, as it avoids disruption to nature and potential harm to birds. Our goal is to create a fantastic evening filled with food, wine, beer, load with interactive cutting edge STEAM based activities for our community We are truly thankful for our community’s support and participation in this event.
Nikola Tesla’s contributions to technology are immense. By November 8, 1898, he had patented a radio-controlled robot-boat called the telautomaton. This innovative boat, controlled by radio waves, was showcased at the Electrical Exhibition in Madison Square Garden, making front-page news. Tesla’s ability to change the boat’s direction using radio waves was groundbreaking and set the stage for future advancements in robotics and communication technology. His vision and creativity laid the foundation for many modern technologies, in wireless, power distribution systems, robotics, and so much more!
Today’s event is not just a celebration of Tesla’s legacy but also a testament to his forward-thinking spirit. We aim to transform Wardenclyffe’s 16-acre campus into a global center of excellence, pushing the boundaries of imaginative thinking. This transformation will attract regional, national, and international audiences, inspiring and empowering the next generation of scientists and Tesla enthusiasts. Through dynamic, immersive, and meaningful on-site and virtual experiences, we are preparing them for success in the innovation economy.
Our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors Zebra Technologies and Amazon, our amazing volunteers, the international community for their unwavering support in making this vision a reality, and you the attendee for joining us today!
Marc Alessi, Executive Director
Schedule & Exhibitors
SATURDAY, JULY 13
3:00 PM
TESLA Showcase: TOCNYS Tesla Owners Club of NY State
Live Music by Acoustic Downtown
Our Tesla Coil will be kicking off every hour on the hour to power the custom curated Tesla inspired neon sign
3:00 - 8:15 PM
Explore interactive STEAM exhibits, demonstrations and activities from:
Interactive Exhibits & Demonstrations
Doodle-n-Duel Robots
Engineering Art Organization
Fragments from Olympus: VR of Wardenclyffe & Nikola Tesla documentaries
Hands on Exhibits
Long Island Doctor Who Convention LongIslandTalks.com Podcast
Montessori Old Field
Museum of Interesting Things
Neon Art: Clayton Orehek
NYIT Imaging Center: VR & AI for research and art
Reinvented Magazine, Princesses with Powertools
St. Joseph’s University Math Department: Interactive activities & games
Ham Radio
Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club
Radio Central Amateur Radio Club
Suffolk County Radio Club
TSCW History and STEAM Exhibits
Vendors
Blue Point Brewing
Mr. Softee
Paumanok Vineyards: Frequency Tesla-Inspired Wine
Rolling Ghost Food Truck
TSCW Bricks for Nik
8:15 8:45
Welcome Address and TSCW Update
Drone Show!
Welcome to Wardenclyffe 2024 Expo Map
Featured Entertainment Drone Show
& Tesla’s Automaton
Be prepared for a breathtaking evening performance with hundreds of drones illuminating the night sky in honor of Nikola Tesla’s birthday. We owe this captivating technology to Tesla’s pioneering inventions.
In 1898, Tesla presented his newest invention at the Electrical Exposition in Madison Square Gardens: a telautomaton.
The telautomaton was a remote-controlled boat that was approximately three feet long and two feet high. It had blinking antennae and was propelled by a small motor and rudder. Tesla challenged the audience to ask math questions, which he would answer via remote control by making the telautomaton flash its lights with the correct number. To the awestruck crowd, it appeared as though the telautomaton was acting independently; they had never witnessed wireless technology in action, and Tesla was accused of dabbling in the occult or operating the telautomaton through magic or by means of a trained monkey.
In reality, they were witnessing the world’s first remote-controlled device, a Tesla invention that changed history. Today, we rely on wireless technology in virtually every area of life—a powerful example of how Tesla’s inventions continue to benefit humanity. Modern-day drones, which are extensively used in fields ranging from entertainment and photography to military operations and disaster relief, owe their existence to the foundational principles demonstrated by Tesla’s telautomaton.
About Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) is considered one of history’s most influential inventors. Tesla dedicated his life and work to the betterment of humanity, and many of his innovations contributed significantly to the advancement of science and to technologies that benefit all of us living today. His lifelong commitment to harnessing the forces of nature for the benefit of humanity is a legacy that continues to inspire.
He was born to Serbian parents in what is now Croatia, and studied at two European universities. When still in his twenties, Tesla developed a very important invention: a motor that operated on alternating current. In 1884 Tesla moved to America to work for Thomas Edison, but soon started his own company to develop his AC motor, for which he was awarded 40 patents. George Westinghouse purchased all 40 patents and they played a key role in the infamous “Battle of the Currents” with Edison, a proponent of direct current. Ultimately, American companies selected AC over DC, and Tesla’s inventions are the foundation of our modern power grid.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Tesla was recognized worldwide as a leading “electrician.” He spent much of his life in New York City, where he lived in fine hotels and associated with cultural icons of the day, some of whom supported his research. Tesla worked intensively on his inventions and promoted them with dazzling on-stage electrical displays that made him popular with the press.
Tesla believed he could find a way to transmit information and electric power wirelessly, through the earth. Encouraged by high-voltage and high-frequency experiments he conducted in Colorado Springs, Tesla undertook his most ambitious project, a wireless transmitting tower and laboratory called Wardenclyffe in Shoreham, NY; the project was never finished and closed in 1903 due to lack of funding.
After his time at Wardenclyffe, Tesla invented several important devices, including the speedometer and tachometer. Tesla lived a relatively quiet existence in the last years of his life, maintaining correspondence with friends and colleagues from around the world,until passing in New York in 1943 at the age of 87.
Michael Russo President Managing Partner, Hawkins Webb
Richard Gearns, PhD Vice President & Int. Treasurer Master Physics Teacher, Sachem Central School District
Judy Murrah, MBA COO Applied DNA Sciences
Thomas Bianculli CTO Zebra Technologies
Jane Alcorn Founder TSCW Retired Educator, Independent Museum and Institutions Professional
Janice Scherer Secretary Principal Planner, Town of Southampton
Margaret Foster, PhD
History & Coll. Committee, Chair Senior Assistant EditorAmerican Physical Society
Greg Olsen, PhD President & Founder GHO Ventures
Matt Inman Internet Innovator & Founder The Oatmeal.com & Exploding Kittens
Peter Klein, CFA, CRPS CAP, CSRIC CIO & Founder, Aline Wealth President & CIO, The Claire Friedlander Foundation
Michele Dean CEO Suffolk Federal Credit Union
David Madigan Senior Director, Capital Markets Group Crushman & Wakefield
Mitchell Maiman Nominating Committee, Chair Business Strategy & Development and Founder, IPS
Kara Cannon CEO Enzo Biochem
Eugene Genova Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) Committee Facilities and Grounds Committee Chair, Retired Educator
Matt Domo Co-Founder AWS CEO FifthVantage
Mary Daum, PhD Former Manager, Geographic Information System Brookhaven National Lab
Coming Next
Museum
Visitors will explore radically innovative and awe-inspiring exhibits. An interactive recreation of Tesla’s lab will illuminate his life and world changing inventions, and how they impact humanity. Cutting-edge technology will create an immersive experience that brings each person into the narrative to explore their own dreams and potential.
Visitor Center
Technologists and entrepreneurs who transform the world through business are collaborating with us to build a global accelerator of the future. A bold plan is moving forward to develop critical resources and funding for start-ups and entrepreneurs who are on the leading edge of technological advancement. Tools to achieve exponential business growth, mentorship programs with thought leaders, workspace, events, and other resources will be offered in an ever-evolving and relevant Accelerator Center.
The white house on the south edge of Wardenclyffe is being renovated into TSCW’s new Visitor Center. Although its exact date of construction is unknown, the structure was probably built in the 1920s, after Tesla’s time at Wardenclyffe.
The people who come to the Visitor Center will find a place to explore Wardenclyffe’s past, present and future, and gather for innovative programs and events. The renovated and reimagined space will not only honor Tesla’s life and contributions, but it will inspire an understanding of innovation and its ongoing impact and potential. Interactive, immersive exhibits will fuse storytelling and advanced technology to educate and motivate. Dedicated education and meeting space will provide programming for educators and learners of all ages.
Accelerator Science Center
TSCW is establishing an international science center dedicated to transformational learning and research. Global leaders in education and research are joining us to develop programs that go beyond standard STEAM to offer accelerated learning. Educators, students, and researchers will have a virtual and physical space to converge for talks, experiential workshops, conferences, and events. Technology and innovation will continuously drive new levels of education, opportunity, and growth.
Wine Experience FREQUENCY:
Tesla-Inspired Wine Experience from Paumanok Vineyard
FREQUENCY is produced from a pristine Chenin Blanc offering aromas of sauced apples and pears. Inspired by inventor and visionary Nikola Tesla, this bottling has a unique humanitarian purpose: Proceeds support TSCW, site of Tesla’s only remaining laboratory, located on the north shore of Long Island just 15 miles from the rolling green landcape of Paumanok Vineyards.
Frequency’s label art is pure Tesla: elegant, brilliant, enigmatic.
“As I developed this label, I wanted to honor Tesla and symbolically include some of his profound studies into the design with both constructed and subtle layers. Configuring the spatial relationship between each element was generated by the desire to keep the design simple yet invoke complex discourse and energy between the viewer and label. Tesla’s interest with the numbers 3, 6, 9 and his interest with the energy of the universe are at the forefront of this design. The most prominent inspiration comes from a quote attributed to him, ‘If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.’ I wanted to harness this idea visually, leaving the viewer with an insight into the possibilities of our world.”
-Nadira Vlaun, Designer
paumanok.squarespace.com/store/frequency
SPONSORS
FRIEND GOLD COPPER
YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS
Ways to Give
Donate
Give immediate help to directly support education programs and restoration efforts at Wardenclyffe.
Shop
Find innovative gifts at TSCW’s online store or order FREQUENCY, a Teslainspired wine by Paumanok Vineyards.
Be a Recurring Donor
Your ongoing support goes a long way to sustain programs and renovations!
Mission Rebuild: Fire Recovery
Designate your donation to specifically fund the restoration and rehabilitation efforts related to the fire and capital construction project.
Be a Member
Get a year of innovative benefits: event discounts, 15% off TSCW’s online store, members-only programs, and more.
Membership Levels
$35 Family | $25 Individual
$15 Senior, Student, Veteran
$300 Corporate and Organization
All Members Receive
Discounted Event Tickets
Members get the best prices for virtual and in-person events.
Merchandise Discount
15% off purchases on TSCW’s online store and at events.
Education Program Discounts
Save on youth and adult education programs, such as Hackathon and Teslamania.
Special Member Invitations and Events
Advance notice, early registration, and invitations to exclusive events.
Quarterly e-Newsletter
Inspirational and educational videos, updates, event info, and more delivered to your e-mailbox.
To access more ways to support TSCW, visit teslasciencecenter.org/give
Mission Rebuild: BRICKS FOR NIK
Buy a Brick for Nik and be a part of the foundation that propels the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe into the future. With our “Bricks for Nik” campaign, you can play a vital role in supporting Mission: Rebuild and our remediation and redevelopment programs. The bricks purchased during this drive will be used to build the 1,800 square-foot patio outside of the Visitor Center, anticipated to be opening in late 2024.
How it Works
Purchase a Brick:
Choose from our selection of personalized bricks that will be prominently featured on the walkways of the Tesla Science Center, forever. Each brick is a symbol of your commitment to preserving Tesla’s legacy.
Customize Your Legacy:
Personalize your brick with a name, message, or dedication. Whether it is a tribute to a loved one, a motivational quote, or a company logo, your personalized brick will be a permanent testament to your support.
Build a Path to Progress: Your contribution goes beyond the surface—it paves the way for future generations of scientists, engineers, and inventors. Join us in building a path to progress that honors Tesla’s vision of a world powered by innovative ideas.
Order Online: https://donate.brickmarkers.com/tsc Questions: Contact dbutler@teslasciencecenter.org
8 x 8 Brick with custom logo: $350
