Gabrielle Hirsch and Christian Conway, two Seton LaSalle students working with the Rebel Outposts research fellowship, had an opportunity to interview Dr. Chuck Wood, Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute and the Executive Director of the Center for Educational Technologies at Wheeling University. Take a listen to some fascinating stories from one of the lead scientists on the Cassini mission to Saturn’s moon Titan.
Seriously, we are exploring moons of Saturn over a billion miles away and our kids in Mt. Lebanon classrooms get to interact with the scientists that build the space ships, analyze the data, and work at the frontiers of human exploration. Wow – we live in such extraordinary times!
Get your students excited about our new missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Visit the Challenger Learning Center for information on visits and e-missions to do in your classroom.
Visit the Rebel Outposts website to learn more about this incredible research fellowship to connect high school astronomy and robotics students of our Seton LaSalle High School with real-world problems of space exploration.
Working on solutions to real-world problems is the heart of any STEM investigation. These solutions may include devices and designs that improve our lives, fulfill our needs or wants, and make our world better. From designing a radar system to see through the clouds of methane gas on Titan to testing the possibilities of life within the Mars atmosphere, the opportunity to search for solutions to real-world problems fuels our students’ curiosity and sparks their investigative interests.
Perhaps the most important consequence of students working on real problems is that they begin to develop the 21st century skills that will serve them in their future careers. Skills of innovation, critical thinking, collaboration, emotional intelligence, resilience, leadership and vision are needed for changing global (and inter-planetary) markets. These skills come to the fore with students trusted with the leadership and responsibility of projects that make a real difference in ours and their future.
