Continuing the Spaceward Bound series of field expeditions, in March a team of 40 teachers will be traveling to the Mojave Desert and working side-by-side with NASA scientists who search for life in extreme environments that closely approximate what they expect to find on other planets. Why the Mojave — an inhospitable, sun-drenched spot in the California Desert? This natural setting presents scientists with opportunities to study environments that are analogous to what explorers will find on the Moon and Mars.
Teachers and scientists will perform scientific fieldwork in geology: morphology and it’s relation to what we see on the Moon and Mars; desert soil: formation, microbiology and oxidants; photosynthesis: desert hypolithic algae, cyanobacteria, stromatolites; and remote sensing of caves, lava tubes and paelolakes.
Plan ahead to join these teachers during their many adventures, as they experience authentic field research with world-renowned planetary scientists living and working in another Moon/Mars analog research site. The expedition is planned for March 25 through 30 at the California State University Desert Research Station at Zzyzx California. The ultimate goal of Spaceward Bound is for teachers to leverage these field expedition experiences in their classrooms in new and exciting ways.
News and information is available at:
http://quest.nasa.gov/projects/spacewardbound/mojave2007/index.html
Teacher and Scientists bio are found at:
http://quest.nasa.gov/projects/spacewardbound/mojave2007/info.html
Journals and photos will posted as they occur.
Live Webcasts from the field will occur in:
English: March 28 @ 9:00 a.m. Pacific
Spanish: March 28 @ 11:00 a.m. Pacific
