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Astrobiology Teachers Academy
NAI’s New York Center for Astrobiology held its first Teachers Academy at RPI on July 13-16, 2009. Nine high school science teachers from four local school districts collaborated with six NAI scientists to learn about topics in astrobiology. The participants represent disciplines across the sciences: biology, chemistry, earth science, forensic science, and physics. The goal of the Academy was to develop a learning module infused with astrobiology and aligned with New York State standards and NASA Astrobiology Science Goals. The teachers used science lectures, existing astrobiology curriculum materials, and consistent interaction...
October 22, 2009 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice
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Teachers from Around the World Examine 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...
October 22, 2009 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice
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Students Monitor Hydrothermal Features in Lassen Volcanic National Park
The Lassen Astrobiology Student Internship Program, a collaboration between NAI’s Ames team, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Red Bluff High School, will wrap up its first year of activity in August. Nine high school students and their chemistry teacher, with training from NAI scientists and under the supervision of a park ranger, have made eight field trips to various sites within the park throughout the course of the school year. They monitored field sites and made seasonal measurements of temperature, pH, and water chemistry of the hydrothermal features. PBS station KNPB, Reno, NV,...
July 23, 2009 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice
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Summer Camp: The Quest for Life
This summer, NAI’s new team at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) played a major role in hosting the 2009 ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp. The camp is a free, academic program of The Harris Foundation, named for Bernard A. Harris, MD, an accomplished NASA astronaut, physician and entrepreneur, and the first African American to walk in space.
The theme of this year’s camp, held from June 14-26th, was The Quest for Life, and 50 middle school students participated. During the two exciting weeks, students went on several field trips to The Albany Pine Bush,...
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July 13, 2009 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice
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Astrobiology, To the Best of Our Knowledge
Today on WAMC’s radio program To The Best Of Our Knowledge, NAI Principal Investigator Doug Whittet talks about astrobiology, and the ongoing research and education activities of his New York Center for Astrobiology (NYCA), seated at RPI. This interview sets up future programs featuring staff scientists and guest lecturers at the NYCA.
June 29, 2009 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice
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Expanding Horizons in Montana
“Microbial Bingo” was the name of the game in a recent outreach event for more than 50 junior high-aged girls from across Montana. The girls came to Montana State University’s astrobiology laboratories this Spring for “That’s Hot! Investigating the Edge of Life” as part of the national program called Expanding Your Horizons. The girls learned about MSU’s research in Yellowstone National Park, and how astrobiology might give us new insights into the early earth as well as life on other planets. The girls then became scientists themselves, using observational data in a race to fill...
June 16, 2009 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice
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Astrobiology Night at the Ballpark
This past weekend, minor-league baseball fans in Madison, Wisconsin got treated to an out of this world experience at the local Madison Mallards game. NAI’s Wisconsin Astrobiology Research Center (WARC) sponsored ‘Astrobiology Night’ at the ballpark, and delivered a fun and educational experience for the 6250 fans in attendance.
A rover delivered the ball to WARC researcher Eric Roden who threw out the first pitch, but that was just the beginning of the festivities. Kids and families played with extremophile trading cards and special frisbees with an astrobiology timeline printed on them. ...
June 10, 2009 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice
