Galaxy Forum USA: 21st Century Galaxy Education On Independence Day

On July 4, Independence Day USA, the International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA) and Space Age Publishing Company (SPC) continue their pioneering work to advance education in the USA and throughout the world as they present 'Galaxy Forum USA' at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose CA. Themed 'Galaxy Education in the 21st Century,' the event continues a series of Galaxy-focused meetings ILOA and SPC initiated last year with Forums in Santa Clara CA; Vancouver, Canada; Beijing, China, and more recently a series of events on Hawai`i Island. The goal of the forums is to enrich science education by raising awareness and understanding of our Milky Way Galaxy. Presenting at 'Galaxy Forum USA' on July 4 is world renowned Galaxy artist Jon Lomberg (C) of Galaxy Garden, NASA Ames Scientists Chris McKay and Yvonne Clearwater (L) and Doug Vakoch of SETI Institute. Steve Durst of SPC / ILOA will present the ILOA Galaxy First Light Imaging Program and Fred Bourgeois (R) of Google Lunar X Prize Team FREDNET will examine the future of enterprise and commerce beyond Earth and throughout the Galaxy. The Forum will include a special teacher discussion panel on new media innovations in Galaxy Education and an interactive teleconference with the ISU Summer Studies Program. (Credit: The Tech Museum, ILOA, NASA, Galaxy Garden, X Prize Foundation)

Nordic-NASA Astrobiology Summer School in Iceland Explores Origins of Life

Students and researchers will gather in Reykjavik, Iceland Jun 29-Jul 13 for the Nordic-NASA Summer School: Water, Ice and the Origin of Life in the Universe sponsored by the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) and the Nordic Astrobiology Network. The program gives participants a high-level introduction to the role of water in the evolution of life in the cosmos, starting from the formation of water molecules in space to the evolution of the first organisms. June 29 to July 8 will consist of lectures at the University of Iceland and excursions into inner Iceland to study glaciers, geysers, hot spring areas, lava fields and Mars-like areas. July 9-12 will cover lab work with microbiology and geochemistry investigations into Iceland’s hot springs. Instructors for the event include Canada's David Fisher of NASA’s Mars Phoenix mission and head of the glaciology department at Natural Resources Canada, Einar Guðmundsson who has done extensive studies into the evolution of the Universe and history of Iceland and Karen Meech, a University of Hawaii Astronomer and summer session co-organizer. The comprehensive and integrative study of astrobiology will enhance human space exploration by examining how planetary processes give rise to life, how they sustain or inhibit life, how astrophysical processes give rise to planets elsewhere and whether there are habitable planets outside our solar system. (Credit: NAI, Nordic Astrobiology Network)