ASC-Astrobiology in Secondary Classrooms

The ASC Curriculum uses research data from real scientists so that participating students can analyze data and interpret results just like the professionals do! Only, ASC searches for scientists and science professionals who represent the changing characteristics of America. Our featured scientists include women, minorities, early career scientists, graduate students, and faculty from minority serving institutions. They are highlighted here for their courage and determination in persisting in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, helping to change age-old perceptions of who an American scientist is.

		Benita Bell is the Co-Director of the Minority Institute Astrobiology Collaborative. Her office is at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. She coordinates Education and Public Outreach for the Minority University-SPace Interdisciplinary Network (MU-SPIN). She received her doctorate in nutrition science and chemistry from Howard University. The photograph to the left is of Dr. Bell and one of her students when she was Director of the Science, Engineering and Technology Programs at Bennett College, Greensboro, NC.
		Maria Rivera, Ph.D. is a molecular biologist at the Center for the Study of Biological Complexity and Biology at the Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Rivera is an astrobiologist whose research helps us understand the origin and diversification of organisms within the tree of life. Read more about her research and why she became a scientist.
		Dr. Susan Pfiffner is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and a microbial ecologist at the Centers for Environmental Biotechnology at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Pfiffner specializes in the microbial and geochemical evaluation of subterranean environments to determine which physiological types of microorganisms, as well as, which metabolic or degradative capabilities and geochemical processes exist in sediments and groundwater. Read More about Dr. Pfiffner's work.
		Kim Davis works as assistant director for Programs and Outreach for the University of Tennessee (UT), Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment (ISSE). She co-directs the ongoing Biogeochemical Educational Experiences - South Africa under a National Science Foundation grant to bring together U.S. and South African undergraduate students to study "extreme bacteria" in South Africa's gold mines. Students accompany microbiologists and other scientists to collect field samples three kilometers below the earth’s surface, for analysis of the genetic structure of specialized bacteria that live in the challenging subsurface environment. Read more about how her work focuses on better utilization of innovative technologies in our everyday lives.
		LaTasha Taylor was accepted for an international astrobiology internship in Madrid, Spain during the summer of 2003 when she was an undergraduate at Tennessee State University. While under the direction of lead engineer Javier Gomez-Elvira at the Centro De Astrobiologia, LaTasha worked in the Planetary Exploration and Robotics lab. She assisted with the design of the drill casing for core sample storage for the Mars Analog Research and Technology Experiment (MARTE). LaTasha was part of a TSU student team that developed a stabilization experiment on the NASA KC-135. She enjoys sharing her experiences with future scientists. Learn More about Latash's traing as an astrobiology and what she is doing now.
		Todd Gary is the Director of the Institute of Understanding Biological Systems (IUBS) at Tennessee State University and is the Principal Investigator for the management of the NASA Astrobiology Institute-Minority Institute Research Support program (NAI-MIRS). Dr. Gary is involved heavily in education and public outreach programs that focus on bringing in support for astrobiology related activities for underrepresented students and researchers.

		Don Walter is the Physics Program Coordinator for the Center for NASA Research and Technology at South Carolina State University (SCSU). He has research interests in astrophysics that include the interstellar medium, star burst galaxies and comets. Learn more about Don Walter and his research.