Lectures
Penn State Intercom......January 30, 2003
Mars project leader to discuss
exploration 
Pascal Lee, chairman of the Mars Institute, a planetary scientist with the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) Institute and the principal investigator and project leader of the NASA Haughton-Mars Project, will give a lecture at 11 a.m. Feb. 1 in 100 Thomas Building on the University Park campus.
The lecture, "Mars on Earth: Polar Research and the Human Exploration of Mars," is the second of six consecutive Saturday-morning lectures during the 2003 Penn State Lectures on the Frontiers of Science. The series, titled "Beyond Earth: Living on Other Worlds,"
is designed to be a free minicourse
for the enjoyment and education of
residents in Central Pennsylvania communities. The event is free to the public.
Lee's lecture will provide an overview on the NASA Haugh-ton-Mars Project, a research program on Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic, one of the most Mars-like sites on Earth, designed to help scientists learn about Mars and how to plan for a journey to the Red Planet. Lee will discuss how the similarities and differences between the Earth and Mars affect the planning for future human and robotic missions to explore Mars.
For information, call (814) 863-8453, e-mail science@psu.edu, or click on the Web link at http://www.science.psu.edu/alert/frontiers/FrontiersIndex.html.
Mifflin County author profiled at literature event
The Comparative Literature Luncheon, a weekly informal lunchtime gathering of students, faculty and other members of the University community, has announced the next speaker in this semester's series.
Julia Kasdorf, associate professor of English, will speak on "Joseph Yoder (1872-1956), Mifflin County musician and author of 'Rosanna of the Amish'" on Monday, Feb. 3.
The events begin with lunch from 12:15 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. in 102 Kern Building on the University Park campus. Participants may bring their own lunch or buy something in Kern Cafeteria. Coffee and tea are provided. The speaker will begin at about 12:40 p.m. The events are free to the public.
For information, e-mail Daniel Walden at dxw8@psu.edu.
Microbial communities is topic for presentation
Mary Ann Bruns, assistant professor of soil science/molecular biology, will discuss "Exploring Microbial Communities Using DNA Techniques" from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. Jan. 31 in 101 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building on the University Park campus.
The Department of Crop and Soil Sciences is the host. Call (814) 863-1601.
Speaker discusses boating impact on river
David F. Hill, assistant professor of civil engineering, will be the next speaker in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Hydrosystems Seminar series from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, in Stavely Conference Room, Hammond Building, University Park.
Hill's topic is "To Boat or not to Boat? A Case Study of Recreational Impacts and Conflicts on the Chilkat River, Alaska."
Newsom explores bog people during coffee hour
Lee Ann Newsom, associate professor in anthropology, will give a presentation at the Geography Coffee Hour series from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, in 301 Steidle Building on the University Park campus.
She will speak on "American Bog Bodies: Insights from Ancient Wetland Mortuary Sites in Florida." The event is free to the public.