Red Bluff >> The Astrobiology Student Intern Program in partnership with Red Bluff High School, Lassen Volcanic National Park and NASA Ames Research Center held its annual student intern recognition night Thursday at the Red Bluff High School Library Media Center.
The program was created more than nine years ago to engage high school students in the collection of scientific data for NASA astrobiologists and the National Park Service.
This year there were 19 interns who presented their findings from the year-long research project they conducted at Warner Valley at Lassen Park. Two interns were unable to attend.
The students learned that observations on Earth can teach them about other planets. They learned there are four necessities for life — water, energy, key nutrients and favorable weather conditions, according to the presentation by the interns.
Each site studied during a field trip to Warner Valley provided different habitable conditions that result in different forms of life, according to the presentation.
Astrobiology studies life in the universe and the students used their findings from the field to identify similarities between Lassen Volcanic National Park and Mars.
In the students’ presentation they found that Lassen serves as an analog for Mars and gives direction to teams researching Mars.
The Warner Valley sites show what Mars may have looked like in the past, a student said. Lassen and Mars exemplified adequate microbial conditions.
During three field trips the students used visual observations, temperature and pH acidity levels, conductivity, or total dissolved solids, water samples, biology and geology samples to collect data from the sites.
The group conducted a water-rock experiment during the Alkaline Downstream field site trip, west of the Warner Valley Campground and directly below the Alkaline Upstream, and concluded the interaction between rocks and water increase the pH of the solutions in the laboratory dissolution experiment and caused a steady rise in pH.
The night began with an introduction by Robert Cromwell, National Parks Service ranger and education specialist, on the Lassen Astrobiology Student Intern Program.
Cromwell, a first time program mentor, said he and the park staff believe in the program and he is proud of the students for their commitment to the program and of their hard work.
The students spent nearly 1,400 hours volunteering in the field work conducting research, Cromwell said.
Keynote speaker and Senior Space Scientist at NASA Ames Research Center Dr. Dave Des Marais presented some of the topics the students had been learning throughout the program and presented, “Mars Exploration, Lassen and Life.”
NASA Ames Research Center Scientist Mike Kubo introduced the students and gave their certificate of completion of the program with Cronwell. The students thanked both of them for their support and encouragement throughout the program.
First year intern junior Neil Leslie said he enjoyed working with the scientists, who taught him about the different methods of higher, college-level thinking. Leslie said he would like to study similar subjects when he goes to college.
Michael Sartori, another first year intern and junior, said he enjoyed the research aspect of the program and would be studying astrobiology or related fields while in college due to his experience in the internship program.
“I enjoyed going out into the real world and apply what we’ve learn so far in science to research,” Sartori said.
“(The program) was a really cool experience, overall,” Sartori said.
Some of the goals of the program, which has been offered as a class in recent years, are to bring a dynamic, hands-on astrobiology learning to the high school student interns who are beginning to focus on their career path.
Dave Michael, a science instructor and Lassen mentor who has been with the program for nine years, said he has a unique perspective, getting to see the students interact with each other and grow and learn while doing research in the field and in the classroom.
“This program has allowed our students to do amazing and incredible things, all while getting a high-quality college level experience,” Michael said.
The students who participated in the program this year included Adam Swarthout, Allyson Drury, Natalie Brown, Nero Dotson, Taylor Nguyen, Conner Sousa, Abee Sabo, Ashton Smith, Broc Jones, Dax Wagner, Dylan Robinson, Gloria Abbate, Hannah Huhn, Jordan Munoz, Julia Zumalt, Michael Sartori, Neil Leslie, James Chrasta, Kiana Cruise, Naomi Renfroe and Victoria Yates.
