Public Relations

NWACC students work with recent images from Mars

BENTONVILLE (Monday, Sept. 15, 2008) - Students in Dixie Androes’ course, Survey of the Universe (Astronomy), are working with recent images from Mars, helping unlock the secrets of Mars’ watery past.

“As student researchers, they have the opportunity to look at various images of the Martian surface and mineral composition, then make a scientific proposal to direct the cameras aboard the Mars Orbiter to take a unique photo of a specific area on Mars,” Androes said. “Our students are connected with scientists at JPL/NASA affiliates and Arizona State University through 2-3 webinars.”

The first Mars Team webinar was scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, in the Burns Hall Trammel Board Room 1469.

The project is funded by NASA EPO.

“EMPACTS is the model we are using,” she said. Dianne Phillips is EAST/EMPACTS Facilitator and Barbara Rademacher is the EAST/EMPACTS Co-Facilitator. Dixie Androes is an EMPACTS faculty member.

EMPACTS stands for educationally managed projects advancing curriculum, technology and service.

She said their astronomy course devotes 5-6 chapters about planetary systems, surfaces, geology, atmospheres, and other planetary bodies thus allowing NWACC students to conduct REAL science while meeting course objectives and curriculum.

For more information, Androes can be reached at dandroes@nwacc.edu, or 479-619-4275.

For questions/comments on this content, please contact Dixie Androes.

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