Sept. 30, 2002 - Press Release

Contact:

Brian Grigsby, Director
Schreder Planetarium Director
Ph (530) 225-0295
Fax (530) 229-8599

Diane Richards,
SETI Institute Public Information Officer
Ph (650) 960-4513
Fax (650) 961-7099
drichards@seti.org

LICACANBUR CRATER:  EDUCATION IN THE EXTREME

Mountain View, CA - How can California teachers and students climb to the world's highest lake near the summit of a dormant Chilean volcano, watch scientists conducting their research, talk to researchers in the field, and be back in time for lunch in the school cafeteria?  In mid October, the SETI Institute, NASA Ames, Project ARISE (Advanced Rural Integrated Science Education), Shasta County schools, the Schreder Planetarium, and other partners will offer educators and students a front row view of science in the making at Licancabur crater.

While researchers on the team led by scientist Dr. Nathalie Cabrol (SETI Institute and NASA Ames) study the lake's geology and living systems 20,000 feet above Chile's Atacama desert, students in California will learn about "extremeophiles," organisms adapted to challenging environments. The extreme cold, dryness, and relentless exposure to ultraviolet radiation make Licancabur an excellent analogue for the off-Earth environments (e.g. Mars and Europa) astrobiologists believe may be likely places to look for life.

Because most virtual field trips employ television crews, such projects are usually prohibitively expensive for organizations with limited budgets. At the Licancabur site, much simpler Internet technology will allow the public and students to see the research as it happens. Charged with coordinating the educational and public outreach component of the mission, Cabrol and her SETI Institute colleagues knew that Licancabur's largely unexplored lake poses many questions; questions that could form the basis of engaging science lessons. An effective electronic field trip, they realized, would simply require a dedicated web site, curriculum development, and the infrastructure to run the virtual field trips and teacher training.

The SETI Institute selected Brian Grigsby, Director of the Schreder Planetarium, to develop the web site and curriculum. Grigsby, who was familiar with Cabrol's work through a previous classroom visit by Cabrol, will also join the scientists at the site of the volcano in Chile during the expedition as the team's educational representative.

Schools and educational programs from Shasta County and the Bay are invited to join Cabrol and Grigsby in this learning adventure, which will provide valuable information for future voyages to Mars by humankind.
 
Classes can begin to access the expedition website on September 30 at http://www.extremeenvironment.com

Website components include:

• Lesson plans associated with the expedition (registrants only)
• Biographical sketches about the team involved in this expedition
• Journal updates from various scientists as they chronicle their time during this adventure
• Daily uploaded pictures from the experiments and other activities that take place
• The ability to ask scientists direct questions via email, with scientists answering in the field as it is happening
• Helpful websites that are related to the science that is being conducted on this expedition

Says SETI Institute Director of Education, Edna DeVore, "This is a terrific opportunity for the teachers and students. We hope to build on the success of this partnership with Shasta educators in the future when the Allen Telescope Array comes online."

Sponsors of Grigsby's participation include Project ARISE, the Shasta County Office of Education, and BAESI (Bay Area Earth Science Institute at San Jose State University, which provides on-going professional development for earth science teachers).

The SETI Institute is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to scientific research, education, and public outreach.  The Institute seeks to explore, understand, and explain the origin, nature, and prevalence of life in the universe. http://www.seti.org/education

Project ARISE (Advanced Rural Integrated Science Education) is a science professional development project for K-12 educators in Shasta, Tehama, and Trinity counties. Federally funded, this project provides high-level assistance in science education to teachers of our rural region. http://www.projectarise.org

The Shasta County Office of Education (SCOE) is a service organization and an intermediate unit between local districts and the California State Department of Education. SCOE provides a wide range of services to 25 local school districts and one community college, as well as programs for special education students. http://www.shastalink.k12.ca.us/scoe

The Schreder Planetarium has interested, inspired and informed Shasta County and outlying communities through effective science education for the past 20 years. The Schreder Planetarium has educated an entire generation of children and adults to experience for themselves the wonders of science and astronomy. http://www.schrederplanetarium.com