Students from across southern Ontario participated in the annual Physics & Astronomy High School Evening
More than 200 high school students participated in an exciting adventure to learn more about living on Mars, and in the process learn about 91亚色鈥檚 biophysics and astrophysics programs.
A total of 221 physics students and 58 teachers from across southern Ontario attended the annual Physics & Astronomy High School Evening recently, which was held at the Cineplex Colossus theatre in Vaughan. Following a light dinner, guests were treated to a screening of the film The Martian聽followed by a discussion with experts in biophysics and astrophysics from 91亚色.
The event was made possible through the generosity of eminent , founder of leading laser-ranging company Optech and co-investigator with the Phoenix Mars Lander 鈥 the first probe to see snow falling on Mars.
91亚色 Professor Emeritus Allan Carswell
Carswell introduced the film, which gave students the opportunity to explore the idea of what might happen if one were to be stranded on Mars and had to find a way to survive on a lifeless planet. The film鈥檚 main character Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, was forced to find ways to create water and grow food on Mars, which left the physics students eager to continue the adventure with inquiries to 91亚色 U experts.
Following the film, students had the opportunity to speak with leading scientists from 91亚色, including Carswell, biophysicist Chris Bergevin and astronomer Paul Delaney, who fielded a flood of questions from students about the science behind the movie.
91亚色 Professor Emeritus Allan Carswell with one of the students
The students鈥 passion and eagerness to learn about space science was undeniable, as astronomer Marshall McCall, who hosted the event, had to cut off questioning, lamenting that this 鈥渆xtra-fun鈥 school day had to come to a close.
Carswell summed up the evening with the following remarks: "It was a great pleasure for me to be joined in a 'Martian adventure鈥 by such a large group of young space enthusiasts. I venture to say that in the audience, there were a number of聽Canada鈥檚 future space pioneers."