Life,
The Universe, And Everything *
*from The
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series of novels,
used with permission of Douglas Adams.
|
The Bioastronomy Conference 2002, Australia By Jason
Finley Jason Finley is a co-founder and dedicated ex-co-president of ABS. It is he and Laurel Methot that have created this student group from scratch, and the 1999 Bioastronomy conference was what could represent its very beginnings. As Jason notes, this conference was a great landmark for ABS, and the contrast between the idea that ABS was in ‘99 and the established group it is now is impressive indeed. The following is Jason’s first-hand report on ABS’s second Bioastronomy conference: The Bioastronomy Conference is held every three years, each time in a different location, bringing together scientists, educators, and media from around the world to share progress and ideas about the interdisciplinary field of bioastronomy (a term interchangeable with astrobiology). Three years ago, in 1999, the conference was held on the big island of Hawaii. I and my ABS co-founder, Laurel Methot, were lucky enough to be able to attend then, before ABS had been created. We brought with us only a framework of ideas for starting a student group devoted to astrobiology. In the summer of 2002, three years later, we returned to the Bioastronomy Conference in representation of ABS, a student group which has grown into something successful and unique through three years of hard work by us and fellow inspired students. It was a great pleasure to see familiar faces from 1999 and to be able to show what had been accomplished by UCLA students since then. The convergence of superb and visionary researchers from around the world always make the Bioastronomy meetings terrific events. The exotic locales don’t hurt either. This past July, the triennial conference was held on Hamilton Island, just off Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The conference, entitled “Bioastronomy 2002: Life Among the Stars,” was sponsored by the International Astronomical Union, Australian Centre for Astrobiology, NASA Astrobiology Institute, and the SETI Institute to name a few. The location was magnificent, from the dazzling white beaches and crystal waters to the colorful fauna (wallabies and cockatoos among others), to the luxurious resort where conference attendees stayed. The southern night sky delighted us with a view of stars and our galaxy unknown in the northern hemisphere. The opening ceremony for the conference included an inspiring traditional aboriginal welcome by descendents of the island area’s first human inhabitants. The oral and poster presentations were also exceptional. Dr. Baruch Blumberg, outgoing Director of NAI and Nobel Laureate, talked about the generational nature of testing hypotheses in astrobiology, and thus the importance of recruiting tomorrow scientists today. Dr. Jill Tarter, Director of the SETI Institute, described the current and future strategies and methods of SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). Dr. Lori Marino, cognitive scientist at Emory University, spoke about objectivity in the study of intelligence here on Earth (such as dolphins), and the need for avoiding biases in the study of such intelligence. Dr. Simon Conway-Morris, Professor of Evolutionary Paleobiology at the University of Cambridge, expressed the idea that convergent niches in evolution give us indications of what life beyond Earth might be like. Dr. Paul Davies, a theoretical physicist at the Australian Centre for Astrobiology, expounded on the fundamental composition of the universe, and what it may mean for life. These are just a few samples of presentations that come to mind. But the Bioastronomy Conference wasn’t the only show on Hamilton Island. The 2002 Fulbright Symposium, entitled “Science Education in Partnership,” was held in tandem with the Bioastronomy Conference. So first-rate educators from around the globe added another perspective to the scientific program, covering topics such as new approaches to teaching science, working with scientists to educate students about science, challenges in engaging students with science and keeping them interested, and current issues with teaching evolution in the United States. Laurel and I weren’t simply attendees of the Bioastronomy Conference; this time we were participants. We brought our poster, “Origin and Evolution of the UCLA AstroBiology Society,” which chronicles the formation and growth of ABS. We also made available plenty of ABS fliers and fliers for ABS’s contribution to NAI’s Astrobiology Pathfinder Mission, which went like hotcakes. Our poster was even displayed during “An Evening with NAI,” which showcased NAI projects, focus groups, and technology for collaboration. The conference ended with a snorkeling odyssey on the Great Barrier Reef, one of the most biologically amazing places on the planet. The entire trip to Australia for the Bioastronomy Conference 2002 was an incredible intellectual experience as well as a physical one, and was all the more rewarding thanks to the growth and success of ABS. Check out the following
web addresses for pictures from our trip. Here’s the website for
the conference: One more bonus, here is
an article on Space.com in which we were featured. It was written by
Doug Vakoch of the SETI Institute, who we met during the conference: |
 |
|
|
