102 men and women received the United States government's highest honor for scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers--the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). The National Science Foundation (NSF) nominated 20 of the awardees, including PolarTREC researcher Samantha Hansen.
PolarTREC teacher Michelle Brown and her research team conducted this PolarConnect event from McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Learn more about Michelle and her team as they study human impacts in Antarctica.
This one hour PolarConnect event Celebrates Antarctica Day 2011 with PolarTREC teacher Michelle Brown (at McMurdo Station) and esteemed polar researcher Dr. M. Kennicutt II. The two presenters share their perspectives on the importance of Antarctica's geography, science, and model for international peaceful collaboration.
PolarTREC teacher Michelle Brown writes for the Austin American Statesman about her upcoming expedition to Antarctica. Michelle outlines her plans to travel to Antarctica to work with researchers at the remote McMurdo Station and the automated geophysical observatory at the South Pole Station. In addition to helping researchers study the human impacts on the southern continent, she will also install
PolarTREC teacher Michelle Brown writes an article in the Austin American Statesman about her upcoming expedition to study human impacts in Antarctica. Michelle details her motivation to apply for the PolarTREC program and how it has already changed her teaching practice and students' lives.
This PolarConnect event was conducted with PolarTREC teacher Claude Larson, and members of the research team that she worked with on the Prehistoric Human Response to Climate Change 2010 project in Kamchatka, Russia.
This activity was adapted from a TEA activity authored by:
* Sandra Kolb, Education Consultant, Poulsbo, Washington
* Kolene Krysl, Westside Community Schools, Omaha, Nebraska
* Larry Rose, Pleasanton Middle School, Pleasanton, California
* Wendy Slijk, La Costa Canyon High School, San Diego County, California
The original activity can be found at: http://tea.armadaproject.org/activity/kolb/tobesaltyseaiceornottobesaltyseaice_main.html
Students will independently explore the PolarTREC expeditions, and reflect on the scientific questions, discoveries, and outcomes of the work that is or has been done.
Description
Students will visit the PolarTREC website at www.polartrec.com, where they will find a teacher who is in the field presently, or was already in the field. You may select one expedition
Students are presented with an actual series of tundra photos, which they use to develop a hypothesis for which sort of ground cover will have the most/least permafrost depth. Then they are given a set of actual data and use this to test their hypothesis
Objective
Students will:
* understand what permafrost is and how it develops
This lesson was modeled after some of the routine activities undertaken by the geologists on the Kuril Island Expedition.
Complete the following activities:
* Day 1 To measure a simple topographic profile with a level instrument or hand level and stadium rod.
* Day 2 To use the measurements from Day 1 (and/or actual measurements from the Kuril