Two Canadian Educators Return from "Mars"

Longueuil, Quebec, July 6, 2006 - Two Canadian- educators - Mike Bowdridge from Halifax West High School in Nova Scotia and Grant Elliott from Cobourg District Collegiate Institute East in Ontario - were among a select group of North American educators who returned on July 1st from a weeklong science-field workshop in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Selected by the Canadian Space Agency in May of 2006 through a competitive process, the educators gained an in-depth, hands-on understanding of the research to be conducted during the Phoenix Mars mission, scheduled for 2008.

Bowdridge and Elliot performed scientific investigations in the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) permafrost tunnel and at University of Alaska Fairbanks research labs where they learned about frozen ground, polar processes, climate change, glaciers, polar ice, astrobiology and arctic environments- knowledge they will share with their students as of September 2006.

This fall, these CSA Mars Education ambassadors - who were selected from a group of 46 Canadian applicants - will develop learning content and share their field experience with interested educators across the country through videoconference-facilitated workshops.

The Canadian Space Agency's Education Program supports learning opportunities for Canadian educators and students to increase the scientific literacy of the next space generation and to encourage the pursuit of careers in science and technology.

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For more information regarding the Education Program, Canada's role in the Phoenix Mars Mission or this learning initiative contact:

Julie Simard
Media Relations
Canadian Space Agency
(450) 926-4370

Mike Bowdridge
Halifax West High School
902-443-8107

Grant Elliot
Cobourg District Collegiate Institute East
905-376-7751

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