EPO - UC Santa Cruz Astrobiology Course
Sandy Dueck, Lead Co-Investigator
A graduate-level astrobiology course is taught by Ames Team Co-Investigator Greg Laughlin, a professor of astronomy in the Earth and Marine Sciences Department, UC Santa Cruz. This course is designed to give a broad-based introduction to the various facets of astrobiology. It offers an overview of the Big Bang and concordance cosmology, and then moves into galaxy and star formation, and finally to planet formation. At the heart of the class is a detailed study of extrasolar planets, including their dynamics, physical properties, and methods for detection. Terrestrial planet detection is also covered. The course ends with a lecture series on terrestrial planet evolution and the molecular basis for life.
In keeping with NASA's first of three education goals, "Strengthen NASA and the Nation's future workforce," this collaborative course between UC Santa Cruz and the Ames Team integrates both engineering and science and represents workforce training for future NASA experts. It doesn't matter which particular fields students ultimately choose to pursue their careers, NASA's goal is to direct a subset of students through the pipeline to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering or math, while attracting new students along the way.
For further details on the graduate courses taught at UC Santa Cruz by Greg Laughlin, please visit his Teaching Website.
AMES TEAM EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH
---Sandy Dueck, Lead Co-Investigator
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California Academy of Sciences
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NASA Digital Learning Network
University of California, Santa Cruz, Astrobiology Course
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