Science Café - Life on Mars?

News item published on: 2013-01-24 14:25:16

The University of Southern Mississippi Libraries Science Café will be held Monday, January 28, 2013, at 6 p.m. in the Cook Library Art Gallery (LIB 105A), located next to Starbucks.

This Science Café will feature the work of Dr. Scott P. Milroy, assistant professor in the Department of Marine Science, who is conducting research on the prospects of life on Mars. Thanks to a NASA-funded research grant, Milroy is embarking on a year-long project that includes an attempt to grow a form of blue-green algae – known as cyanobacteria – in incubation chambers at the Stennis Space Center. Milroy hopes to mimic conditions that exist on the surface of Mars. Dr. Milroy will also show a selection from the NOVA film, “Is there life on Mars?”

A Science Café's casual meeting place, plain language, and inclusive conversation create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere for people whose primary background may not be science. Each meeting is organized around an interesting scientific topic, with a presenter (usually a scientist) giving a brief overview and showing a short video to kick off the discussion. Science Cafés are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tracy Englert at 601.266.6396 or Tracy.Englert@usm.edu .

Find out more about Science Café, Mars, and related information.