Workshop Program


Thursday, April 27

5:00-6:00 pm Tours of the Mars research facilities in the Moeur Building
6:00-9:30 Dinner followed by keynote and icebreaker
  • Keynote speaker Phil Christensen: THEMIS and the Mars Facility at ASU
  • Icebreaker: discussion of images brought by participants

Friday, April 28

7:30-8:10 Continental breakfast

8:15-8:30 Preview of the workshop
The purpose of this workshop is to catalyze development of activities that can be integrated into undergraduate courses at all levels to teach geologic concepts through Mars examples.
  • Mars researchers will present catalyst ideas that could be developed into assignments and activities.
  • Brainstorming sessions following each presentation of catalyst ideas will allow participants to explore where we might go with the ideas presented in the catalyst talks, as well as other ideas that participants suggest.
  • Poster presentations at the end of each half day will illustrate existing examples of assignments and activities in the catalyst topics.
8:30-10:00 Catalyst topic #1: Sedimentary processes on Mars
Catalyst ideas presented by Margie Chan and Ron Greeley, followed by discussion and brainstorming.

10:00-10:30 Break

10:30-12:00 Catalyst topic #2: Hydrogeology and climate change
Catalyst ideas presented by Brian Hynek, followed by discussion and brainstorming.

12:00-12:45 Lunch

12:45-1:30 Posters related to the morning catalyst topics
Poster presentations will include:
  • Using sand dunes to interpret geologic processes on Mars (Jacquelyn E. Hams, Los Angeles Valley College)
  • Comparative Planetary Geology and Geomorphology - An Advanced Geomorphology Lab Exercise (Jennifer Anderson, Winona State University)
  • A High-Tech Martian Wind Tunnel Lab (James Woodhead, Occidental College)
  • Angle of Repose Measurement on Mars and Earth: An Activity for a Non-Major Geology Elective Course at a 2-Year Community College (Bill Case, Salt Lake Community College)
  • Teaching About Unconformities and Relative Dating on The Earth, Moon, and Mars: Challenges And Opportunities Presented by Spacecraft Images (Marek Cichanski, DeAnza College)
  • Did it Rain on Mars? Analysis of Valley Networks on Mars in an Intro Geo Course (Barbara Tewksbury, Hamilton College)
  • Hydrologic Environments on Mars Using GIS and Topography Data: An Exercise in Stream Networks and Drainage Basins (Arwen Vidal, University of Colorado)
  • View From Space: What Surface Features Tell Us About the Evolutionary History of Planetary Bodies (Dean Moosavi, Walden University)

1:30-3:00 Catalyst topic #3: Rock compositions as determined using TES, THEMIS, APXS, and Mossbauer
Catalyst ideas presented by Phil Christensen and Jeff Moersch, followed by discussion and brainstorming.

3:00-3:30 Break

3:30-5:00 Mapping tools for Mars
Presentation by Trent Hare, followed by discussion and brainstorming.

5:00-5:45 Posters related to the afternoon catalyst topics
Poster presentations will include:
  • Comparative Magmatism on Earth and Mars (Mike Roden, University of Georgia)
  • Undergraduate Exercise in Determining Martian Mineralogy by Modeling Rover Mini-TES Data with Known Infrared Emission Spectra (Laurel Goodell and T.C. Onstott, Princeton, University)
  • Measuring Sizes and Distances on Mars Using ImageJ (Nicolle Zellner, Albion College)
  • Mapping on Mars as an Exercise in Observation and Geologic Mapping (Kevin Williams, Smithsonian Institution)
  • A Laboratory Exercise on Geologic Mapping on Mars (Germari de Villiers and David T. King, Jr., Auburn University)
  • Updating/Enhancing Martian Image Analysis Activities for a General-Audience Planetary Science Course Using new MGS and Mars Odyssey visual and TE Datasets, and Google Earth (Jeff Ryan, University of South Florida)
  • Project 3D-VIEW - Virtual Interactive Environmental Worlds (Glen Schuster, U.S. Satellite Laboratory)
  • Mars Landing Site Selection: An Exercise in Reading Geologic Maps and Other Geologic Data Sets (Tracy Gregg, SUNY Buffalo)
  • Ideas for Using ESA Mars Express HRSC data for Teaching Geoscience (David Williams, Arizona State University)

6:30-7:30 Dinner

7:30-8:30 Keynote speaker
Jack Farmer: Astrobiology

Saturday, April 29

7:30-8:10 Continental breakfast

8:15-8:30 Preview of the day

8:30-10:00 Catalyst topic #4: Structural geology and geophysics
Catalyst ideas presented by Eric Grosfils and Paul Morgan, followed by discussion and brainstorming.

10:00-10:30 Break

10:30-12:00 Catalyst topic #5: Volcanology
Catalyst ideas presented by Susan Sakimoto and Tracy Gregg, followed by discussion and brainstorming.

12:00-12:45 Lunch

12:45-1:30 Posters related to the morning catalyst topics
Poster presentations will include:
  • Using THEMIS Images of Mars Graben in a Structural Geology Course (Barbara Tewksbury)
  • Antipodal Activity on Mars and Earth (Otto Muller, Alfred University)
  • Using Lava Flows and Volcanic Structures on THEMIS Images of Mars to Introduce the Concept of Relative Dating in Introductory Courses (Audeliz Matias, Skidmore College)
  • Small Plains-style Shield Volcanoes on Mars and Earth -- Studied in the Lab and in the Outdoor Classroom (Scott Hughes, Idaho State University)
  • Exploring and Expanding the Goldilocks Zone (Carl Mendelson, Beloit College)
  • Exploring the Solar System: Student-Designed Planetary Missions (Rob Viens, Bellevue Community College)
  • Earth and Mars: Comparing Energy Budgets (John VanLeer, Cascadia Community College)

1:30-3:30 Preparation of informal posters presenting ideas to be developed

3:30-5:00 Informal poster session

5:00-6:00 Action plan and next steps

6:00 Final dinner