An exciting new summit debuting June 15-20 will draw teens from around the world for a fun cultural exchange while solving real-world problems.
The Mars Trekker Global Teen Summit offers teens aged 13 to 17 years an opportunity to learn new skills for the 21st century while having fun with youth from many cultures.
“The students will learn about science and engineering, but they won’t need an extensive science background to enjoy the summit,” said President and CEO Richard E. Allen Jr. of Space Center Houston. “They will work on solving important global issues while making new friends from around the world.”
In advance of the summit, Space Center Houston will offer a free online Mars Smart class about Mars habitat design. The course will include five modules: selecting a landing site on Mars, filtering water, purifying the air, sustaining food and nutrition and using renewable energy on the red planet.
Topics to be explored in the summit include clean water, renewable energy, and food and nutrition needed to develop a sustainable community on the red planet. Dynamic speakers and NASA scientists are part of the experience.
Distinguished speakers include an astrobiologist, a former NASA manager and a motivational speaker who combines life skills with dance. Penelope Boston, Ph.D., is a professor, author and researcher of astrobiology in extreme environments, speleogenetic processes on planets and human space exploration. Boston is a NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts Fellow and currently is reassessing special regions on Mars.
NASA engineer Stuart McClung has extensive experience in space-flight orbiter hardware. McClung is in charge of supporting the missions from launch to landing. Patrick Perez travels internationally teaching youth through music and dance. As a motivational speaker, Perez combines breakdance with an interactive presentation about perseverance and goal-setting.
Participants will enjoy many social aspects including concerts, live shows and other entertainment in Space Center Houston’s simulated Mars Yard. Registration fees range from $995 for groups of 20 or more, to $1,250 for individuals and include the hotel room.
To register and learn more about the global summit, go to http://mars.spacecenter.org. For more information on Space Center Houston, visit spacecenter.org.
