Press Release

Bob Barboza, Founder/Director

Kids Talk Radio

Occupy Mars Learning Adventure

1857 Josie Ave. Long Beach, CA 90815

(562) 221-1780

Bob.Barboza@Gmail.com

www.KidsTalkRadioLA.com

For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 28, 2015- Space Science New Flash

K-12 Classrooms at The Edge of Space: NASA’s 747 Jumbo Jet Carries SOFIA, the largest flying telescope in the world

Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols and Traveling Space Museum’s Ivor Dawson will provide students with a unique view of the stars and galaxies. At 7 PM on September 15, 2015, Ms. Nichols, accompanied by Mr. Dawson, will be the first celebrity to board a special NASA 747 Jumbo Jet and travel to “the edge of space” to experience NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The flight plan calls for observing areas of the cosmos where new stars are being born. During the flight, Bob Barboza and his Kids Talk Radio Space Science reporters will help to connect teachers and students from around the world with Nichols, Dawson and SOFIA via teleconferencing.

The flight will take off from NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center near Palmdale, California. Dawson, who is Nichelle Nichols’ space advisor, will be communicating with several student groups across America that will be hosting star parties with astronomy-themed videos, stories and explanations by celebrity scientists.   As such, he will be the first Los Angeles-based space educator to fly a SOFIA flight. NASA will also coordinate inflight social media interaction with Ms. Nichols via Facebook and Twitter Messages.

From Barboza’s platform in Long Beach, California, students and teachers will create audio podcasts for use in classrooms, based upon Common Core (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). “We want to do what we can to get kids excited about studying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) as well as related arts and languages (STEAM ++),” he says.   His Occupy Mars Website will host STEM news and lesson ideas related to the SOFIA project. Find them at www.KidsTalkRadioUSA.com and www.OccupyMars.wordpress.com

Additional Information and Resources

Bob Barboza leads a team of scientists, engineers, and STEM & STEAM++ educators in building robots, Martian habitats, and simulated science and engineering labs for the Occupy Mars Learning Adventure’s Space Science Projects.   Their plan is to tour museums, science centers, departments of education and public schools with Occupy Mars exhibits, in tandem with Dawson’s Traveling Space Museum whenever possible.

www.KidsTalkRadioLA.com

www.OccupyMars.WordPress.com

http://www.KidsTalkRadioUSA.com

www.facebook.com/bobbarboza

https://www.youtube.com/user/KidsTalkRadio

For more information about SOFIA and Ms. Nichols’ Involvement, contact:

Nicholas A. Veronico, Public Affairs Officer

Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy

NASA Ames Research Center, MS-211-3

Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

(650) 604-4589

###

Professor Jen Grey is creating more aliens (extraterrestrials) for Bob Barboza and the Occupy Mars Learning Adventures Team located in Long Beach, California.  We are writing original stories, music and sound effects for our new STEM visual jazz opera.  This is our creative way of keeping the visual and performing arts in our before and after school science and engineering programs.   We invite you to listen to the Jen Gray two part interview.

http://www.kidstalkradiousa.com/Kids_Talk_Radio_Podcasts/Kids_Talk_Radio_Podcasts.html

Who are NASA’s Earth and Space Science Explorers?

The middle school students who track weather to study its effect on bursting tree buds. And the scientist studying black holes in distant galaxies. But also the teacher whose class shares Earth science data with students around the world. And the engineer who designs robotic instruments to probe hard-to-reach planets. All of these people are Earth Explorers, Space Science Explorers or both. The Earth Explorers and Space Science Explorers series features NASA explorers, young and old, with many backgrounds and interests.

Phil Christensen stands in front of a Delta rocket. The picture was taken three days before the rocket carried an instrument called THEMIS to space. Image Credit: Phil Christensen

Rocks can be fun to collect. They come in many shapes and sizes. Some are gray and some are very colorful. They can be very smooth or very rough. All rocks are made of minerals. The color and feel of a rock depend on the minerals it contains.

Did you know that clues about the past are hidden in rocks?

Some rocks are millions of years old. Over time, wind and water can wear down a rock. Earthquakes and volcanoes also change rocks. The minerals in a rock can tell about its history. They can also tell about the history of the entire Earth.

Phil Christensen has a large collection of rocks. He has big rocks and small rocks. He has bumpy rocks and shiny rocks. In all, he has more than 8,000 rocks. That’s right — 8,000!

How did he get so many rocks?

Phil has liked rocks since he was a kid. He’s also always wanted to know more about Mars. Mars is a rocky planet much like Earth. When he was young, Phil spent hours looking at Mars through his telescope.

Now, Phil is a scientist for NASA. Scientists are always asking questions. One question Phil has is, “Are rocks on Earth like rocks on Mars?” The first step to finding an answer was to collect rocks from around the world.

But how would he do it? Visiting all the places he would need to go would take forever. Instead of collecting the rocks himself, Phil thought of a neat idea. He would ask kids everywhere to send him rocks.

This rock is from Australia. It is one of more than 8,000 rocks sent in by students to the Rock Around the World project. Image Credit: Arizona State University

That idea was the start of the Rock Around the World project. Students have sent in more than 8,000 rocks. Phil and other scientists study every rock. They use special tools to discover what minerals are in each one.

Studying rocks from Earth is the easier part of Phil’s project. Learning about rocks on Mars is more difficult. To do this, Phil helped create a special camera that was launched into space. The camera is called THEMIS. It circles Mars and takes pictures of rocks there.

The pictures can be used to figure out what kinds of minerals are in Martian rocks. They also give clues about whether there is water on Mars. Scientists learn a lot by comparing rocks from Earth and Mars. They learn how Earth and Mars are different, but they learn how the planets are alike, too.

Mars is the planet most like Earth. Humans may even go there someday. Studying Mars “can tell us a lot about the planet … and what humans have to be prepared for when they get there,” Phil said.

Kids Talk Radio Space Science:  We wanted to pass this press release out to our international audiences.

Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public Announce Middle School STEM Competition Semifinalists
11:45AM, AUGUST 19, 2015

Fifth Annual Broadcom MASTERS Semifinalists Include 300 U.S. Students Now in Consideration for Trip to Silicon Valley and $25,000 Grand Prize

IRVINE, Calif. and WASHINGTON – August 19, 2015

News Highlights:

300 semifinalists selected to compete in fifth annual Broadcom MASTERS® — the nation’s most prestigious Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) competition for middle school students
Semifinalists hail from 39 states and American Samoa — 61 of the semifinalists are from California, followed by Florida with 44, Texas with 20, Massachusetts with 13 and Oregon with 12
30 finalists to be named September 2 and competition takes place October 1-7; top place winner receives $25,000
Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public (SSP) today announced the selection of 300 students as semifinalists in the fifth annual Broadcom MASTERS® – the nation’s most prestigious Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) competition for middle school students. Semifinalists’ names and a state-by-state breakdown can be found at http://www.broadcomfoundation.org/masters/semifinalists/2015 or https://student.societyforscience.org/broadcom-masters-2015-semifinalists.

The Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars) rewards and inspires sixth, seventh and eighth grade students who have followed their personal passions in science or engineering and inspries them to continue their studies in math and science throughout high school. As the students focus on Project-Based Learning, the scientific method and the engineering process through hands-on challenges and compeitions, they are taught the 21st century skills of critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity.

“Broadcom MASTERS enables middle school students to harness their potential as future scientists, engineers and innovators to solve problems and create inventions that will impact their world,” said Paula Golden, President and Executive Director, Broadcom Foundation and Director, Community Affairs, Broadcom Corporation. “We are extremely proud of the many thousands of young men and women who were nominated to compete because of their amazing science fair projects and congratulate 300 semifinalists from around the United States who have reached this exciting stage of the competition.”

Semifinalist Data Points:

Semifinalists hail from 226 middle schools (the majority of which are public schools) in 39 states and American Samoa, and represent 127 regional and state science fairs across the U.S.
61 of the semifinalists are from California, followed by Florida with 31, Texas with 22, Oregon with 19 and Pennsylvania with 14 .
Semifinalists were selected from more than 2,230 applicants after each application received three independent readings and evaluations by distinguished scientists, engineers and educators. Nominees qualified to enter the Broadcom MASTERS by placing among the top 10 percent of the participants at their SSP-affiliated science fairs.
Semifinalists’ independent research projects include a broad range of topics such as:
Communication Protocol: Self-driving Vehicles at Intersections
Solar Desalination: An Eco-Friendly Solution for California’s Water Independence
2-Gether We Make Football
How can the Ebola Virus Disease be cured through inhibition of Viral Protein 35?
Can You Get Your Transistors In Line?
Developing Assistive Technology for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Wireless, Wearable, and Customizable Electronic Solution to Predict and Prevent Autistic Meltdowns

The 30 Broadcom MASTERS finalists will be announced on September 2. Finalists will receive an all-expense paid trip to Silicon Valley, California from October 1 – October 7 to showcase their science fair projects and compete in a four-day STEM competition for awards and prizes, including the top education award of $25,000 presented by the Samueli Foundation.

“We are extremely proud to join with the Broadcom Foundation in congratulating the 300 semifinalists selected,” said Maya Ajmera, President and Chief Executive Officer of Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of the Science News family of media properties. “This year we are celebrating the fifth anniversary of Broadcom MASTERS, and I am more impressed each year by these talented students. We hope competitions like Broadcom MASTERS inspire them to pursue their passions and become the next generation of scientists and engineers.”

Sponsored by Broadcom Foundation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation funded by Broadcom Corporation, the Broadcom MASTERS is a program of Society for Science & the Public. SSP has run some of the world’s most prestigious science competitions for more than seven decades.

As a semifinalist, each student will receive an award ribbon, semifinalist certificate of accomplishment, Broadcom MASTERS backpack, a Broadcom MASTERS decal, a one year family digital subscription to Science News magazine, and a one year subscription to Mathematica+, courtesy of Wolfram Research. In recognition of the role teachers play in the success of their students, each semifinalist’s classroom will receive a collection of Sally Ride Science Career Books courtesy of Deloitte.

Resources:
For more information on the Broadcom MASTERS, visit the Broadcom Foundation and SSP websites or visit Broadcom Foundation’s Newsroom and read the B-Inspired Blog.

To keep up with the Broadcom MASTERS on Twitter, use hashtag #brcmMASTERS or follow Broadcom and SSP. And to stay connected, visit the Broadcom MASTERS and SSP Facebook pages.

About Broadcom Foundation:
Broadcom Foundation was founded to inspire and enable young people throughout the world to enter careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through partnerships with local schools, colleges, universities and nonprofit organizations. Broadcom Foundation is the proud sponsor of the Broadcom MASTERS®, a program of Society for Science & the Public – a premier science and engineering competition for middle school children. The Foundation’s mission is to advance education in STEM by funding research, recognizing scholarship and increasing opportunity. Learn more at http://www.broadcomfoundation.org.

About Broadcom:
Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a FORTUNE 500® company, is a global leader and innovator in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. Broadcom® products seamlessly deliver voice, video, data and multimedia connectivity in the home, office and mobile environments.  With one of the industry’s broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip solutions, Broadcom is changing the world by Connecting everything®. For more information, go to http://www.broadcom.com.

About Society for Science & the Public:
Society for Science & the Public is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the achievement of young researchers in independent research and to the public engagement in science. Established in 1921, its vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its acclaimed education competitions, including the Intel Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning publications, Science News and Science News for Students, Society for Science & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. Learn more at http://www.societyforscience.org.

Broadcom®, the pulse logo, Connecting everything® and the Connecting everything logo are among the trademarks of Broadcom Corporation and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Broadcom Foundation
Dana Orsini
949-562-3670
danabrz@broadcom.com

Society for Science & the Public
Sarah Wood
202-872-5110
swood@societyforscience.org

Students and teachers in the USA have been in contact with Russian teachers and students.  We want to continue our work on ” The Occupy Mars Learning Adventures Program.”   This is an international space science simulation program with headquarters in Long Beach, California.    If you want more information about collaborating for educational enrichment purposes contact Bob Barboza, Founder Director of Kids Talk Radio Space Science.   http://www.KidsTalkRadioLA.com and Suprschool@aol.com.

This program is free and open to K-12 teachers from around the world.