2026 Winter Lecture Series February 19, 2026

The Beginning and End of the Superconducting Super Collider in Ellis County

The Ennis Heritage Society is pleased to welcome four of our members as they share their professional and personal experiences with the Superconducting Super Collider that was to be constructed in Ellis County in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. 

Jeff Gannon began his career in 1968, during the early construction of the Fermilab Particle Accelerator located in Illinois. Twenty-one years later he left Fermilab to join the SSC in May of 1989 as a Senior Electrical Engineer, where he designed and specified accelerator equipment.

Catherine Gannon began her involvement with the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) while working with the City of Ennis and the SSC Authority, where she assisted in compiling the Ellis County proposal to the Department of Energy.  Once Ellis County was selected, she managed Public Affairs for the Texas National Research Lab Commission and later served in the administration of the SSC Laboratory under Director Dr. Roy Schwitters.

Sugar Glaspy served as a Relocation Coordinator for the SSC Lab, welcoming scientists and researchers to Texas from other labs within the US and internationally.  She had the reverse role after the Project was canceled in 1993.

Bruce Fowler was an historic resources surveyor for Hardy, Heck, Moore of Austin, who was engaged to document every historic structure in Ellis County.  A subsequent survey phase included more in-depth research and documentation of the structures that would be directly affected by the construction of the SSC.

DATE: Thursday, February 19, 2026

TIME: 6:00 pm

LOCATION: Community Room – Ennis Public Library, 501 W. Ennis Avenue