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These exhibits, located park-wide at sites that best illustrate the most compelling aspects of astrobiology research in Yellowstone, describe how the Park's hydrothermal features are extreme habitats for amazing life forms that may help explain the history our biosphere and also provide clues to assist our search for life on other planets. These exhibits have been developed in accordance with YNP's Long Range Interpretive Plan. They are site specific and interpret what is immediately visible and obvious to the visitor in this spectacular setting.
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The Way Side Sign Exhibit opens to the Yellowstone National Park public with installation end of summer early fall 2005. Way Side titles include: "Travertine Occupants" and "Living Color" which focus on thermophiles at Mammoth Hot Springs, "Roaring Mountain: Living Landscape" and "Fumaroles" in the Roaring Mountain region, "Buried Alive" at Excelsior Geyser, "Making Mud" at Fountain Paint Pot, and "Life on the Edge" and "Prism of Light, Spectrum of Light" at Grand Prismatic Spring.
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Ames Team members who have major contributions include David Des Marais, David Ward, Tori Hoehler, Jack Farmer, Linda Jahnke and Catherine Tsairides. The NASA Astrobiology Institute and Lockheed Martin Corporation have contributed funding for the Way Side Exhibit. The collaborative project included the Deputy Chief of Interpretation at Yellowstone National Park and the exhibit design leads. The Yellowstone interpretative staff and the NASA Ames Astrobiology team determined the text, images and graphics. Park staff and the Ames NAI Team agreed upon the selection of the sites that would best illustrate the astrobiology and microbiology stories.
Millions of people visit Old Faithful every year, making a visitor education center next to the world's most famous geyser a multigenerational project that will touch the lives of young and old. It will improve the public's understanding of Yellowstone and inspire individuals to pursue further scientific learning in their personal and academic lives. A central interpretive element for Old Faithful Visitor Education Center will be to present, with remarkable thoroughness the magic, mystery, and meaning of Yellowstone's hydrothermal features and their inhabitants.
See Old Faithful webcam: http://www.nps.gov/yell/oldfaithfulcam.htm.
The Old Faithful Visitor and Education Center is currently scheduled for groundbreaking during the spring of 2006. Construction should be completed during the summer of 2008. The Yellowstone Park Foundation has completed the capital campaign this year that raised $15 million to fund the construction of OFVEC, which will contribute to a more scientifically literate citizenry in the following ways:
To view artist sketches of the lobby and exhibit spaces, go to: http://www.nps.gov/yell/tours/onlinevcs/oldfaithful/sketches.htm
To visit the Old Faithful Virtual Visitor Education Center, go to: http://www.nps.gov/yell/tours/onlinevcs/oldfaithful/index.htm
America's fascination with Old Faithful Geyser has transformed it into a cultural icon, a place of pilgrimage, and a shared legacy. The exhibits in the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center will recognize and interpret this legacy in a meaningful way.
The NASA Ames Astrobiology team and the Yellowstone Park Foundation prepared and submitted a proposal requesting that Lockheed Martin Corporation contribute $200,000 toward the development of exhibits for the new Old Faithful Visitor Education Center in Yellowstone National Park. Mr. Kenneth Reightler, President of Lockheed Martin Space Operations authorized this generous donation to support interpretation of NASA Astrobiology and NASA space exploration. This is the first corporate donation incorporating all business units, which include the following:
Dr. David Ward, Montana State University, represents the Ames Team on the YNP Planning Team. Diane Chalfant, Chief, Division of Interpretation at Yellowstone National Park invited an Ames Team member to join the Science Advisory team as part of the development team for the Old Faithful Education Center. The six-member Science Advisory Team included five geologists: Robert Fournier (ret. USGS), Robert Smith (Univ. Utah), Duncan Foley (PLU), Lisa Morgan (USGS), Hank Heasler (YNP), in addition to Dr. Ward.
The Education Team consisted of various people experienced in museums and science education therein (Bonnie Sachatello-Sawyer, Native American Waters Project; Deborah Perry, Visitor Studies Assoc.; Bob Pickering, Buffalo Bill Historic Center; Jaci Tomulonis, Monterey Bay Aquarium; and Diane Chalfant). The design team from Chadbourne and Associates (Boston) was recently awarded the contract for OFEVC.
A review of the front-end evaluation given by the Visitor Studies Association was part of this meeting. Overall, ultimately, our long term project goal is to be awarded significant floor space for interpreting extremophiles in the context of what causes the colors in the hot springs, and their importance to the story of evolution of life on Earth and elsewhere in the Universe. The exhibits will have an integrated approach and be developed to complement and build upon partner expertise and facilities. The development of these exhibits offers the NASA Ames Astrobiology lead team an opportunity to work with the National Park Service's Division of Interpretation and an interdisciplinary team of geoscientists including geologists, volcanologists, geothermal specialists, microbiologists, sociologists, educators, exhibit specialists, and interpretive planners from the United States Geological Survey, the University of Utah's Department of Geology and Geophysics, and Montana State University's Thermal Biology Institute, among others.
The primary resources and interpretive themes of the new exhibits will focus on the park's hydrothermal features, the fact that Yellowstone preserves the greatest assemblage of natural, undisturbed geysers, hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots on the planet, and the story of life in these extreme environments. The NASA Ames Astrobiology team has been invited to provide information on the astrobiology component of the thermophile story, based on their ongoing scientific research in Yellowstone. Dr. David Ward remains the Ames Team lead on the Old Faithful Visitor Education Planning Committee. Each month he presents the team's vision for the exhibit plan to the park and in turn provides us with the overall expectation of the park. Together the NASA Ames Astrobiology Institute team provides input to the plan. With team approval Dr. Ward presents our input to the committee and it then goes through numerous cycles for review and ultimate approval from Dr. Des Marais and the Ames Team for exhibit development.
The Old Faithful Visitor Center celebrated its 100th year with a four-day event in October 2004 that was hosted by the Yellowstone Park Foundation and Association. The Ames Astrobiology Team was invited to participate. The Yellowstone National Park Interpreters provided tours utilizing the interpretive process model taking us back a hundred years to interpret the historical aspects of the park. This was done through storytelling, art exhibits, music, night-time tours of the Inn, and expeditions to various sites around the park. The park Superintendent, Suzanne Lewis, gave a presentation to hundreds of corporate sponsors. On the agenda was the description of the astrobiology program and collaboration with NASA and the National Park Service. Mr. Kenneth Reightler, President of Lockheed Martin Space Operations, was honored for the $200,000 contribution to the new Old Faithful Education Visitor Center from Lockheed Martin Corporation. This contribution came forth to support the Astrobiology program specifically at NASA Ames Research Center, led by Dr. David Des Marais. Dr. David Ward of the integrated NASA Ames Astrobiology Institute team presented astrobiology/microbiology research to hundreds of visitors on the boardwalks as with the National Park Rangers. He was part of the program and provided a specific astrobiology/microbiology focused tour around the boardwalks outside of Old Faithful and into the NASA research sites describing our astrobiology Way Side Exhibit program funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute and Lockheed Martin Space Operations.
The Ames Team works with the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) to develop new astrobiology exhibits, and other products for the public. CAS has chosen to utilize astrobiology concepts to link its natural history museum, planetarium, and aquarium under the theme, Earth and its Place in the Universe. Ames personnel serve on the CAS design and exhibit development teams. Ames and CAS will also facilitate interactions between researchers and educators in order to develop inquiry-based programs and activities for K-14 students. The California Academy of Sciences exhibit entitled "Astrobiology: Life in the Extremes" was developed and opened in downtown San Francisco during this past year. The NASA Ames Astrobiology team partnered with CAS to create the astrobiology exhibit. Dr. Carol Tang was the Co-Investigator for NASA Ames and lead on the design and development team, which included CAS curators, staff, and outside consultants (Pompei AD and Cinnabar, Inc.). This 2500 square foot exhibit focuses on extreme environments and the lessons they provide for astrobiology. Exhibit material was provided by NASA, NASA ARC, CAS, VPL, and Penn State as well as members of the scientific community consisting of scientists from UC Davis, Portland State, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. NASA-ARC provided the majority of images for the hot springs exhibit component. 300,000 ticketed visitors have seen the exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences.
California Academy of Sciences Collaboration Projects include the following:
The California Academy of Sciences developed a docent field guide, which provides an introduction to the exhibits featuring Astrobiology: Life in Extreme Environments. The docent manual follows the same path as the exhibit floor by outlining the content in specific exhibit areas. This collaborative manual provides the docents with the content needed to provide public talks, small group discussions, and science on the floor demonstrations within the astrobiology exhibit space. Dr. Carol Tang coordinated the development of content in the guide, which addressed the following questions: What is Astrobiology?; Astrobiology-Life in Extremes; Astrobiology is the Study of Life, its Evolution and Distribution in the Universe; How do we study life?; Earth is unique in the solar system/universe; Where is life found? Life has been found in many of Earth's extreme environments. Extreme environments exist elsewhere in the solar system on other planetary bodies. Does Life exist elsewhere in the universe? The understanding and exploration of extreme environments, both on earth and elsewhere, guides our search for life.
NASA Ames Research Center's astrobiology team and the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) have implemented a partnership to develop astrobiological content for museum exhibits. Because its exhibits include astronomy, natural history and marine biology, CAS shares a broad interface with astrobiology research and exploration. The CAS-Ames collaboration has resulted in a small exhibit that opened in April 2004 and a preliminary structure for future collaborations.
One factor in the success of this partnership is the active participation of CAS in monthly Ames Team meetings. Face-to-face interactions were vital during early stages of the partnership. The PI scheduled EPO presentations alongside research talks, thus giving them equal weight and consideration. Social interactions helped cement working relationships between team members.
Secondly, by receiving updates on the pace and process of exhibit development, the scientists became better educated about the challenges of informal learning. Prior to this project, few astrobiology researchers had been involved in the evaluation, development, prototyping and design of exhibits. Ames Team members became more aware of their roles and how they could effectively contribute.
Finally, the collaboration permitted different levels of involvement. Therefore those scientists who didn't have as much time could still contribute images while those who were more extensively involved contributed to story development, fact-checking, brainstorming, and specimen preparation. Whatever their level of contribution, team members felt that they could contribute and were able to see tangible results relatively quickly. This positive feedback added to their sense of contribution and commitment to EPO efforts and future collaborations.
Bringing Astrobiology Research Alive Through Museum Exhibits. The California Academy of Sciences, a research institution, natural history museum, aquarium, and planetarium in San Francisco opened a 2000 square foot exhibit entitled, "Astrobiology: Life in the Extremes", in April 2004, developed in partnership with NAI teams (NASA Ames and SETI primarily). The exhibit currently focuses on research in hot springs and deep-sea hydrothermal vents as case studies for astrobiology.
The exhibit-development process successfully incorporated contributions from astrobiologists including hundreds of images, captions, specimens, story ideas, and scientific background for the exhibit development team. These collaborations will continue as the Academy re-builds the museum for 2008.
The use of live organisms, physical specimens, familiar touchstones, and human facilitation is believed to enhance learning and engagement by visitors in the CAS astrobiology exhibit. Some of the most popular elements in the exhibit are the brine shrimp, bacterial/diatom community, and Death Valley pupfish tanks. While the use of hundreds of projected images, animations, and video provide a contemporary feel for the exhibit and the science of astrobiology, it can also be overwhelming and disorienting for visitors without appropriate explanations. Docents and interns have conducted public demonstrations on comets, DNA extraction, geology and microscopic life after receiving astrobiology training.
One of the major challenges for a successful small astrobiology exhibit is providing connections and integration between the disparate disciplines and concepts within the field. Given the interdisciplinary nature of astrobiology, one must use accessible content and creative graphics, lighting, text, and physical layout to allow visitors to explore connections in a non-linear fashion.
Dr. Carol Tang prepared and submitted two posters that were presented at the Biennial Astrobiology Science Conference this April 2005. Authors included Dr. David Des Marais, Catherine Tsairides, Jamie Kulik. The poster session took place at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Visit California Academy of Sciences website at http://www.calacademy.org/
The Memorandum of Agreement was entered into by the National Aeronautics Administration (NASA) and the National Park Service (NPS), Department of Interior. This MOA is intended to foster a collaborative effort between NASA and the NPS to use earth science imagery and NASA exploration and science programs for the preservation, enhancement and interpretation of the natural resources of the United States.
The NASA Ames Astrobiology Institute team provided the linkage to space science and earth science throughout the document while integrating the interpretation language into the final document. Both NPS and NASA provide capabilities that educate and inspire the public through discovery and interpretation of natural environments. NASA exploration and science programs offer substantial benefits to NPS interpretation that, in turn, informs and inspires park visitors about our place in the natural world and the universe. NPS desires to establish working relationships between its interpretive staff and NASA-sponsored investigators to enrich NPS interpretive programs.
These discussions took place between Dr. Woody Turner, Dr. David Des Marais, and Dr. Chris Potter.
The purpose of this Institute is to broaden exposure to and heightened interest in NASA Earth and Space Science topics; Enhance familiarity with one or two NASA content themes: Astrobiology, Comparative Planetology, Earth Systems Science, the Night Sky, and the Sun and Space Weather; Understand how to access NASA resources (people, on-line resources, programs and products); Develop further knowledge of and ability to apply the Interpretive Process Model; Network and learn with and from a community of colleagues; apply NASA content to a written product or an interpretive program -- create an Action Plan; Expose NASA scientists and E/PO personnel to interpretive concepts and techniques i.e. to understand and appreciate the power of interpretation.
Our purpose in developing this workshop was to create a sustainable partnership between NASA and the National Park Service incorporating the goals (above) into the emerging Memorandum of Agreement document. We also wanted to elevate the National Parks into the Education and Public Outreach framework for NASA in the way that science museums and centers are utilized. Reciprocal learning was a major goal of this workshop giving the NASA EPO leads the opportunity to learn the "Meaningful Interpretation" methods that the National Park Service is engaged in.
During the planning phase of the science content program Dr. Isabel Hawkins from the University of California, Berkeley, and Catherine Tsairides of the NASA Ames Astrobiology Team held individual planning conferences with the invited research team members. The whole science team also participated in teleconference meetings to organize the agenda and to develop their presentation to meet the requests of the National Park participants. In turn, the National Park Interpreter facilitators trained in our first workshop held at NASA Goddard Space Fight Center now were given the opportunity to meet with each science team member by phone to discuss their NPS group expectations so that the science talk could be directly linked to the objectives of each park.
The National Park Service Interpreters were given the opportunity to participate in field experiences in the research team's labs throughout the NASA Ames Astrobiology Team. Dr. Rothschild and Dana Rogoff presented Extremophiles. Dr. Hoehler, Dr. Lee-Prufert Bebout introduced the microbial Mat/Greenhouse research. Dr. Max Bernstein, Dr. Lou Allamandola introduced the NPS to the Astrochemistry Laboratory. Sandy Dueck took groups through the Life Sciences/Space Station. Each science team member in their labs provided hands-on laboratory experiences and specialized presentations for the interpreters. After each session a facilitator led discussion took place guided by the NPS interpreters.
While at NASA Ames Research Center an evening event was held in the Mars Museum consisting of a reception and evening keynote talk given by Dr. David Des Marais. The keynote presentation was the "Mars Exploration Rover Mission" At the reception a Share-A-Thon was held where NASA educational materials were showcased and presented to the National Park participants. These showcased materials were introduced after each science talk and integrated into the program by education and public outreach specialists from across NASA missions. The agenda was comprised of the National Park Interpreter lead, a research scientist, and an education and public outreach representative. The NPS participants chose two or three sessions to attend and the research presented also had complimentary education material introduced during their session. The trained National Park Interpreter facilitator would then incorporate their interpretive process model into the discussion hour which then gave the NPS participants a chance to consider the research that is valuable to their park's mission and how to create programs that inform, excite, and involve the national public utilizing NASA research and educational products.
According to our evaluation report on the "Earth to Sky" - A NASA and National Park Collaborative prepared by Learning Innovations at WestEd, there were many success stories in professional development from this workshop. The National Park Interpreters clearly related to the goals of informing and motivating the public that the parks share with NASA scientists and the education leads.
Ultimately, the connections that were made between the science that the NPS learned and their own parks allowed the NPS to begin planning interpretive projects to inform the general public in their parks. Some began to develop curriculum units to work with teachers as parks do have formal education programs. The NPS Interpreters found that many of the NASA formal and informal products were very relevant and useful. The interpreters also found they had a direct link to the research, and research team, so they began to invite the science team to their parks for research opportunities that were important to NASA and also fulfill the park's objectives.
Together through this integrated experience, rich science experiences were brought alive to the public from the Interpreters using the interpretive model. One such project is in place at Lassen National Park led by Dr. Lynn Rothschild at NASA Ames Research Center and Mr. Steve Zachary, Lassen Volcano National Park Deputy Chief of Interpretation. Lynn Rothschild and Rocco Mancinelli organized a program with Steve Zachary to become park volunteers. They went on a three day exploratory mission to Lassen National Park. He arranged for the science team be Park volunteers through December to facilitate sampling. Included were also three high school interns who were part of the research expedition. Mr. Zachary hiked the team to Devil's Kitchen and Boiling Springs Lake, both acidic areas, where research samples were taken. They snow-shoed to Cold Boiling Lake where the team collected water and microbial samples, as well as watermelon snow. This trip had the dual purpose of acquainting the research team with the park, as well as gathering samples that they are performing microscopy on.
This partnership includes ongoing communication, two way learning experience and NASA research that provide the NPS with real outreach opportunities. The research data, graphics, and subsequent content will be given to Lassen Volcano National Park to use in exhibits underway. Steve Zachary will also create a web site and public presentation integrating the NASA Ames Astrobiology extremophile research into a variety of programs for the national public. This is one example project that stemmed from the NASA/NPS collaborative. There are a variety of science team members holding conversations with the Interpreters who attended to begin preparing proposals that include the NPS so that the funding for this partnership can be sustained as they enter into a long term research/public outreach partnership.
The vast quantity of high-quality space science data acquired by NASA's missions and scientists is providing revolutionary new understandings of our Earth and sky. At the same time, advances in computational power allow us to depict current astronomical discoveries with unprecedented fidelity, providing audiences with an opportunity to experience the universe as never before. SEEING THE UNIVERSE brought together visualization providers, users, commercial vendors, and NASA scientists and mission personnel to identify the next steps in coordinating efforts to bring superior visual experiences to NASA's audiences. Informal science education venues represented ranged from living room television sets and pages on the World Wide Web to fully immersive, real-time visualization theatres. Planetaria, screens and kiosks in museums and science centers, educational multi-media, IMAX, television, news media, the web, games, and feature films have all made use of visual representations of NASA data in an effort to share space exploration with general audiences. Beyond informal science education, NASA visualizations have been an important and effective communications tool for formal education, the news media, congressional briefings, and other important NASA audiences. SEEING THE UNIVERSE assessed the present state of scientific visualization of NASA data and identified strategies for the future that maximize quality and efficiency of visualization production and dissemination.
NASA headquarters organized the first series of the National NASA Explorer Institute program planners to attend an evaluation and planning session. This was done to develop a summary and action plan for training the next generation through informal education. The original NEI NASA Explorer Institute teams included: "Earth to Sky" NASA/National Park Service, University of California, NASA Ames Research Center, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland Science Center, Girl Scouts USA, Jet Propulsion Laboratories, NASA and North Carolina 4-H, Langley Research Center, NASA Langley, and Virginia Air and Space Workshop for Informal Education Kennedy Space Center. In order to build a strong relationship between NASA staff members of the informal education community this session brought together the collaborative proposal teams and individuals from the first NASA (NEI) Focus Groups to provide input from this National Meeting providing NASA with the collective "Big Ideas" from the several hundred different formal and informal education institutions that participated in the pilot phase of the NEI programs. Contributions from these collective organizations are formalized in the action report from the Informal Education office.
DEVELOP is a NASA-sponsored student intern program with activities at four NASA Centers. DEVELOP creates pilot application demonstration projects, using remote sensing and earth science information, to show state, local and tribal governments how Earth Science technology and data can be used to assist communities as they seek solutions for local problems. DEVELOP is a unique program because it is high school student-run and student-led with advisors and mentors from the public and private sector.
During the summer of 2005, DEVELOP interns worked on three projects. The three projects are described below. Results from these studies will be presented at the seminars held at the various NASA Centers.
Developing methods to assess ecological change in vegetation is increasingly important to Yosemite National Park managers. Alterations in vegetation result in changes of wildfire frequency and intensity. Park managers are interested in monitoring catastrophic changes, due primarily to large fires, and subtle vegetation changes, such as an overall increase in vegetation density, over a twenty-five year period. The DEVELOP student research group at NASA Ames Research Center assisted in these efforts by conducting a change detection study utilizing Landsat imagery. Each image was atmospherically corrected to adjust for differences between years. Using various techniques, change detection was performed on the resulting maps to analyze catastrophic and subtle vegetation change. These maps will be used in a model to predict burn severity levels within the Park.
The objective of the southwest reGAP analysis has been to standardize image-processing methodology, field data and classification systems in an effort to emphasize eco-regions rather than political boundaries. The data available through the reGAP set are frequently needed to aid in natural resource decision-making and other land-related activities. By 2004, much of the preliminary new classification for the reGAP effort was completed, and is now available for pinpointing exact species presence particularly for widespread invasive plants such as Bromus tectorum, or cheatgrass. Using a customized regression model (CART), a percent coverage map for cheatgrass has been derived from presence and absence points from the new reGAP data set. The DEVELOP student research group at NASA Ames Research Center developed a method of field validation for the percent coverage map, as well as a means of estimating invasive species density using MODIS data sets.
DEVELOP student interns at NASA Ames Research Center worked with California Integrated Waste Management Board's (CIWMB) Special Waste Division to create a proof-of-concept project investigating the use of high-resolution satellite imagery for locating and mapping waste tire disposal sites in the Sonoma and San Bernardino counties of California. Previous methods for locating waste tire disposal sites in California included contracting California Highway Patrol to fly-over suspected sites and take photographs, a method that was not accurate. The methodology and outputs generated from the imagery were used to reduce time and capital necessary to manage waste tire sites, which left unkempt, pose threats of combustion and run the risk of becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
"Aliens of the Deep" IMAX Movie/Educator Guide Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present an Earth Ship Production "Aliens of the Deep" directed by James Cameron.
As an "expedition scientist", Dr. Tori Hoehler was instrumental in bringing this collaboration to the NASA Astrobiology Institute making the initial contact between Walden Media and the NAI E&PO Central office. He also presented the film's astrobiology content in a series of broadcast interviews for CBS Sunday. He provided the basic conceptual and content framework of the film's educator guide, and served as a reviewer on three rounds of its review. The Educator Guide is developed by Walden Media and the NASA Astrobiology Institute Team and is designed for students 5-8 to be used before or after viewing the film. This teacher's guide is a teaching tool that engages students in thought provoking activities about the deep-ocean and space research as an interdisciplinary content area.
The California Academy of Sciences has teamed with Disney to feature scientific discussions with the Astrobiology exhibit and the IMAX movie at the Metreon in San Francisco, California. Dr. Carol Tang has invited NASA Ames Astrobiology science team member's to speak at the IMAX showings and to interact with the public on the museum floor. The CAS docents have been trained to use the "Aliens of the Deep" teachers' guide as educators tour the Astrobiology exhibit after each IMAX movie showing. Dr. Tang has spoken to over 1715 audience members based on the initial ticket sales at the IMAX for her sessions with movie goers. The educators, students, and general public were offered discounted tickets through a marketing strategy prepared by CAS to attend the Astrobiology exhibit. At that time Dr. Tang and the trained docents at the museum presented activities from the "Aliens of the Deep" educator Guide on the museum floor prior to and after the "Aliens of the Deep" showings at the San Francisco Metreon IMAX Theater. This same strategy was also used by Dr. Martin Weiss at the New York Hall of Science to draw the IMAX audiences into the museum to see the Extremophile exhibit in New York.
A team of scientists will take middle-school students and teachers on the trip of a lifetime... to Mars! This next year's JASON Expedition will engage students in the process of scientific inquiry. Teachers and students work with top scientists as they seek to uncover the Mysteries of Earth and Mars. Big questions that scientists consider such as what was the environment like on early Earth and Mars? How did life arise on Earth? And could there be life on Mars? These thoughts and content are correlated to major textbooks and science kits, including: Teacher's Edition text book Student Activity Book Introductory Video Expedition Broadcast (January 30 - February 4, 2006).
A wide range of scientific investigations explore the principles of space travel with NASA engineers who helped design the latest generation of Mars rovers and orbiters. They compare and contrast geology of Earth and Mars alongside NASA's chief scientist for Mars exploration and planetary geologists. Leading astrobiologists participate as they search for extreme life forms at Mars analogs-locations on Earth where environmental conditions resemble Mars. The host researchers for astrobiology include Dr. Linda Jahnke, spotlighting her research and the lesson, "Signs of Life”; also research by Dr. Jack Farmer from Yellowstone National Park appears in a field data lesson.
For more information about the JASON Project, visit: http://www.jason.org/
The Ames Astrobiology researchers participate in the development of the course presented at Stanford University to graduate students. Dr. Lynn Rothschild is the director of this program. The NASA Ames Team collaborates each year on the design and content of the course. The researchers provide lectures, lessons, lab experiences, and projects for the duration of the semester long course. Each series of lecturers are responsible for preparing the mid term and final exams for their portion of the program.
Human Biology 107, Geology and Environmental Sciences 107 - Enrollment: 20, freshman to graduate student Guest lecturers:
Astrobiology asks, where do we come from? Are we alone? Where are we going?
This course gives an overview of the excitement of astrobiology and space exploration, from the origin of our own biofriendly universe to questions of the future of mankind both on Earth and beyond. The instructor, Dr. Lynn Rothschild (NASA), will guide you on the journey from the Big Bang to the evolution of life on Earth and possibly elsewhere to man's place in the universe. Guest lecturers are leaders in the field from NASA, UC Santa Cruz, SETI Institute, and of course, Stanford. We anticipate at least one guest astronaut.
The class will be lecture and discussion, with students contributing late-breaking astrobiology news. A term paper will allow the student to explore an area of interest in depth, and the final will be the opportunity to tie the material together. A background in two or more science courses (may include HumBio core) and a curious mind are essential.
The Ames Astrobiology Team is highly involved with public programming on television, radio, video, and publications. The distribution of astrobiology research, specific missions, and unique scientific events are shown nationally and internationally featuring any number of scientists on the Ames Team. Team members have been involved in numerous diverse media events.
Dr. Tori Hoehler interviewed for a series of broadcasts featured on "CBS" Sunday to present the astrobiology related content for the curriculum matching the IMAX movie "Aliens of the Deep". Dr. Lynn Rothschild participated in four TV interviews on Life in Extreme Environments on CNN, a T.V. series with Martin Reese, Astronomer Royal "What We Don't Know" which aired in the United Kingdom, December, 2004 for the BBC4. She had interviews for the NPR program Pulse of the Planet and on National Geographic.
The Ames Team has developed and organized educational sessions and workshops at national conventions or site locations across the country and internationally. Team members participated as keynote speakers, lecturers, and presenters of hands-on workshops targeted at students of all levels, university professors, and educators. The team also develops and presents science lessons for local and international classroom experiences at various schools including the NASA Explorer and Challenger schools. We organize these events and venues with our NASA Ames Research Center education team. The presentations occur in places where team members are conducting research on-site or involved in science conferences. The science team makes it a priority to present their research at universities, while providing a program for the K-12 school in the areas they are visiting. Because of return field experiences or invitations as speakers, the team does have more than a "one stop" experience with the local school districts. Students and educators are invited to various centers, universities, and field sites to participate with the science team. The experiences with the science team also include field expeditions, short courses, course series, and lesson development with the educators on site.
The Camp Wilderness Curriculum and Park Kids programs at Yellowstone National Park and the Museum programs at the California Academy of Sciences involve scientists with students, teachers, museum docents, and National park interpreters. Science team members make themselves available after they return home to answer questions via e-mail from the students or educators that they had met.
The Ames Team has developed a rapport with our local Bay Area school districts. Our scientists are asked to complement the existing science program for California by coming into the formal education classroom to provide specific lectures or hands-on demonstration activities. The researchers incorporate their science into the content that is part of the local and national standards for the district. The science team also invites the classrooms to NASA Ames for onsite demonstrations, tours, and access to the laboratories. The team is often called upon for career day programs, science fair and poster session judging, special event programming for scientific events scheduled at the schools. This classroom involvement is initiated by the science team members themselves because of their interest in K-14 classroom partnerships.
The NASA Explorer Schools serve over 150,000 students nationwide and team members provide satellite presentations that reach audiences around the country. The three-year partnership affords many opportunities for the schools to become engaged in NASA related activities and improve student achievement in the areas of science, technology, engineering, math, and geography to inspire and inform a group of teachers and/or students, either in person during an on-site workshop, or remotely through NASA's Digital Learning Network. The Digital Learning Network gives scientists the opportunity to interact in real time with classrooms over a video conference link. The themes usually addressed are the value of scientific training, participating in space exploration, as well as the exciting details of astrobiological research.
The NASA Ames Astrobiology Team is involved with Undergraduate and Graduate Students in a variety of situations formally and informally at universities, conference locations, and in various laboratories around the country. The science team participates as invited speakers and panel participants while advising and managing internships, camps, workshops, mentoring, REU programs, courses, majors/minors, seminars, student societies, funding students to travel, etc. This involvement inspires and motivates students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics focusing on NASA's unique missions, discoveries, and innovations.
Dr. David Des Marais - Geobiology
Catalina Island - 110 students/faculty
University of Washington - 100 students
University of Tennessee - 100 students
University of Kentucky - 100 students
Washington University - 100 students
Stanford University - 30 students
Cornell University - 100 students
American Institute Aeronautics and Astronautics - 100 attendees
Industrial Light and Magic - 50 attendees
Dr. Hector D'Antoni Rotary Club of Coronel Vidal Coronel Vidal, Buenos Aires, Argentina Astrobiology, Biology and Earth Science (Panel with Prof. F.V. Vega [U of Santiago de Compostela, Spain], Dr. G. Vasta [U of Maryland, Baltimore and U. John Hopkins] and H. D'Antoni [NASA Ames] 70 attendees NASA Ames Research Center Astrobiology and Earth Science 60 attendees Biochemical Meeting of the Southeast of Buenos Aries Astrobiology, Origin of Life, and Global Change (Closing speech) 200 attendees
Dr. Gregory Laughlin - UC Santa Cruz - Astronomical Observatory Public lecture "Saturn, Titan, Astrobiology" - 110 attendees
Dr. Kelly Decker - NASA Astrobiology Institute Student Poster Competition Judge - 30 posters
Dr. Kelly Decker - Stonington Free Library, Public lecture - 125 attendees
Dr. Pieter Visscher - 5th International Geobiology Course Nassau, Bahamas, Agouron graduate, NASA Exobiology/Planetary Protection Peer Review Panel
Lou Allamandola - Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, "From Interstellar Molecules to Astrobiology" presented to the Stanford Astrobiology Lecture Series/Class - 30 students Astrochemistry LabTours with OOL emphasis
Scott Sandford - San Jose State Univ., Biological Sciences Department "Cometary Material Returned to Earth by the Stardust Mission - Testing the Role Interstellar Chemistry plays in the Origin of Life"
Linda Jahnke - Jason Foundation for Education Host scientist for 2006 'Mysteries of Earth and Mars' filmed video, developed chromatograph demonstration, proofed-edited Student Activities and Teacher's Edition Books/ curriculum. info@jason.org
NASA Explorer Schools 1 hour talk on 'Evidence for the Early Evolution of Oxygenic Photosynthesis" - 40 educators
Biennial NASA Astrobiology Institute Poster Competition Judge - 50 posters
Lunar and Planetary Institute Invited talk @ Biomarkers for early Earth and Mars analogs [Abstract]. Second Conference on Early Mars: Geologic, Hydrologic and Climatic Evolution and the Implications for Life - 150 attendees
Dr. Tori Hoehler - Biennial NASA Astrobiology Institute Meeting University of Colorado, Boulder Invited speaker: Yellowstone National Park Outreach "A Living Laboratory" - 150 attendees
Dr. Carol Tang - California Academy of Sciences Poster on Astrobiology; exhibit poster on Collaboration with the NASA Ames Research Center Science team and the CAS exhibit team.
Dr. Mitch Schulte - San Jose State University Lecture: California's ophiolites as analogs for early Earth (and Mars?) habitats
Dr. Lynn Rothschild - USS Hornet panelist for Women in Space Science, USS Hornet, July 20, 2004 as part of the Apollo 11 Anniversary celebration activities - 150 participants
Dr. Lynn Rothschild, Rocco Mancinelli - SETI Institute presentation for SETI science day on radiation and astrobiology - 80 participants
Vatican Observatory Foundation Joint presentation with Father George Coyne, Director of the Vatican Observatory on Astrobiology - 150 participants
Taught Course, "Astrobiology and Space Exploration" (Human biology 107; Geology 107) 30 students
Dr. David Ward - Microbiology/astrobiology Montana State University
Park Kids/microbiology - Yellowstone Institute 100 attendees
All Ames Team Members participate and contribute to Education and Public Outreach. The primary role of the following Team Members is Education and Public Outreach:
NAME |
ROLE |
ORGANIZATION |
|
| Dueck, Sandy | Lead Co-Investigator |
Lockheed Martin Space Operations |
|
Blumberg, Baruch |
Collaborator |
Fox Chase Cancer Center |
|
Clausen, Thomas |
Collaborator |
NASA Ames Research Center |
|
Co-Investigator |
California Academy of Sciences |
||
Hinman, Nancy |
Collaborator |
University of Montana |
|
Lockwood, Jeff |
Collaborator |
TERC |
|
Co-Investigator |
California Academy of Sciences |
||
Co-Investigator |
Montana State University |
||
Co-Investigator |
Yellowstone National Park |
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