Teachers from Around the World Examine Life in Extreme Environments

October 22, 2009 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice

Teachers participating in classroom and field trip activities during the Montana State University's week long class called Examining Life in Extreme Environments.

This summer, sixteen teachers from around the world convened with NAI’s team at Montana State University for a weeklong class called “Examining Life in Extreme Environments: Insights into Early Earth and Beyond.” Students in the course gained an understanding of the relation of extreme environments to early earth, learned about the latest research conducted in these areas, and worked on how to teach and discuss these topics within their own classrooms.

Part of the class included a field trip to Yellowstone National Park in which the teachers sampled and characterized extreme environments. Joe Deluca who teaches in the Netherlands was amazed by Yellowstone and was most surprised by “how drastically and quickly the changes in microbe gradients were in the thermal features.” Paula Wang, a teacher from Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. called the class “fun, convenient, and practical.”

The class was offered by MSU as part of the Master of Science in Science Education Program (MSSE) and is only one of the many MSSE courses that involve field work in Yellowstone and the surrounding areas. The course provided graduate credit in chemistry and/or biology for professional development purposes. This interdisciplinary course featured NAI scientists John Peters, PI of the NAI team in Montana, and John Priscu, professor of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences and member of the NAI Icy Worlds team. More information about MSU’s Astrobiology Biogeocatalysis Research Center can be found at abrc.montana.edu and the MSSE program can be found at montana.edu/msse.

Oct 23, 2009

Jessica said:

When will you publish the results of your trip/study, once you do that, please add a URL for the same in this article.

Yellowstone national park only one of its kind. I am sure these kind of studies will benefit our knowledge of microorganisms and bacteria which are able to live in harsh environments. Couple of months back I saw a program on Discovery Channel which was around the similar topic, they were talking of many life forms and organisms in Yellowstone which are not found anywhere else. I think you guys do a wonderful job.

Jan 12, 2011

jermy Chipman said:

I love teachers and applaud their desire to devote their life to … and set up the environment and routines in our home to meet or exceed them.