Visiting Scientists Series presents Growing Food in Antarctica
Date: 5/1/2012
Time: 7 p.m. Location: NECE Basin Electric Auditorium room 304
The Visiting Scientists Series presents "Growing Food in the South Pole Greenhouse, Antarctica" by Jon Rask, research scientist, Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center. The talk is free and open to the public.
Rask's current research focuses on human health risks associated with space exploration and astrobiology. He is a native of North Dakota and a graduate of Bismarck High School, Bismarck State College, North Dakota State University, and the University of North Dakota.
In February, the eight-month long winter season begins at the Amundsen-Scott SouthPole Station. During the austral winter, there are no resupply flights in or out of the South Pole because of the extreme weather conditions. The Station and its winter crew of approximately 50 people must be completely self sufficient. While frozen, dried, and preserved foods are commonly used during both summer and winter, all fresh vegetables consumed during the winter must be grown onsite. Plant production at the South Pole has become routine and efficient since the installation of the Greenhouse in 2004. Food production information and imagery from the Greenhouse and Antarctica will be shared, along with observations of day-to-day life, including the unique features of the Greenhouse and Station that make them ideal planetary analog facilities useful to NASA.
Visit www.gatewaytoscience.org or call 258-1975 for more information.
Sponsored by the Visiting Scientists Series, a partnership of: Bismarck State College, Gateway to Science, Bismarck Public Schools, ND Society of Professional Engineers, Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers, St. Mary's Central High School, U.S. Geological Survey and University of Mary.
