Just like winning the Nobel Prize, one way to be eligible to into space for NASA is by becoming a successful physiologist or medical doctor, former payload specialist James A. Pawelczyk told an audience of high school students and science teachers today at an American Physiological Society Education program, "Physiology for Life Science Teachers and Students" session at Experimental Biology 2006 Monday.

Pawelczyk, associate professor of kinesiology and physiology at Pennsylvania State University, said the major challenge of the 21st Century's most ambitious project of reaching Mars "isn't the engineering work to design the spacecraft, because most of those tasks are identified and being addressed. But the greatest unknown questions surround the human body, which will present unprecedented challenges in space life medicine and physiology."

And who's going to solve these problems? "Given the current time frame for a Mars trip in 2020 to 2025, the scientists who will do the research to address these issues are the high school students of today," told the audience which also included many APS physiologists, who look forward to the annual presentation for students and teachers.

Day-long high school program introduces 'inquiry-based' physiological research

Marsha Lakes Matyas, APS Director of Education Programs, said: "APS is pleased to, once again, bring cutting edge physiology to students and teachers in the Bay Area. As a national scientific organization, the APS offers a one-day program that immerses students and teachers in the field of physiology, including the chance to discuss research posters with APS scientists and catch the excitement of scientific discovery through hands on activities."

In addition to Pawelczyk's insights into the challenges of space travel and how earthbound physiological research helps solve some of those issues (and vice-versa), the teachers and students have fun in separate afternoon laboratory sess
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Contact: Mayer Resnick
mresnick@the-aps.org
301-634-7209
American Physiological Society
3-Apr-2006

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