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‘Classroom Under the Sea’ today to feature astronauts Aldrin, Gernhardt

Posted at 1:00 am October 16, 2014
By Roane State Community College Leave a Comment

NEEMO Project Underwater

The October 16 episode of “Classroom Under the Sea” will address how underwater training helps prepare astronauts for space exploration through programs such as the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) project. In the underwater image, an engineering crew diver simulates anchoring to an asteroid surface. (Photos courtesy of NASA)

 

Artist Concept

The artist’s concept image shows how an astronaut might use a similar process to anchor to an asteroid.

How do astronauts learn how to land on an asteroid? They practice under the sea.

Astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Mike Gernhardt will discuss how the undersea environment has helped astronauts train for missions beyond the atmosphere during the next episode of “Classroom Under the Sea,” an online lecture series hosted by two educators living underwater for 73 days. The live program starts at 1 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, October 16. Viewers can watch at roanestate.edu/classroomunderthesea and on youtube.com/classroomunderthesea.

Biology professor Bruce Cantrell and adjunct professor Jessica Fain from Roane State Community College in East Tennessee are living and working in an underwater habitat—Jules’ Undersea Lodge on Key Largo in the Florida Keys—for 73 days. While in the habitat, Fain and Cantrell are hosting “Classroom Under the Sea,” presented by Roane State and the Marine Resources Development Foundation on Key Largo.

During the October 16 episode, Aldrin and Gernhardt will highlight how undersea simulations help astronauts prepare for journeys to asteroids and to Mars. Aldrin, the second person to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, pioneered underwater training techniques. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Top Stories Tagged With: asteroid, astronauts, Bruce Cantrell, Buzz Aldrin, Classroom Under the Sea, Diversity in Aquatics, educators, episodes, Florida Keys, Jessica Fain, Johnson Space Center, Jules' Undersea Lodge, Key Largo, laboratory lessons, lecture series, Marine Resources Development Foundation, Mike Gernhardt, NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations, NEEMO, Roane State Community College, underwater, underwater habitat, underwater training, world record

Roane State professor hopes to inspire girls through undersea classroom

Posted at 8:20 pm August 18, 2014
By Roane State Community College Leave a Comment

Jessica Fain Diving

Jessica Fain emerges in the moon pool inside Jules’ Undersea Lodge, the location for Classroom Under the Sea. (Photo courtesy Roane State Community College)

 

The National Science Board’s 2014 Science and Engineering Indicators report contains an all-too-familiar statistic.

Women account for only 28 percent of the workforce in science and engineering jobs. Elementary schools, high schools, colleges, and universities around the country have designed initiatives to boost that number.

Roane State adjunct professor Jessica Fain wants to do her part, and she’s willing to live underwater for 72 days to show that science is cool, for boys and for girls.

“I definitely see those social barriers for girls interested in science,” Fain said. “They don’t want to be labeled as the nerd. We still have this stigma of wanting to be the popular girl and not wanting to be the science geek. I want them to see that it is OK to be the smart, nerdy girl.”

Fain, who has a bachelor’s degree in biology and teaches biology labs for Roane State, will participate in Classroom Under the Sea, a joint project between Roane State and the Marine Resources Development Foundation in Key Largo, Florida. Along with Roane State biology professor Bruce Cantrell, Fain will live and work in an underwater habitat for 72 days this fall (October 4-December 15). [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Front Page News, K-12 Tagged With: Classroom Under the Sea, engineering, girls, hands-on experiences, Jessica Fain, Jules' Undersea Lodge, Marine Resources Development Foundation, National Science Board, science, undersea classroom, underwater

Dive team finds more human remains near underwater pickup

Posted at 2:40 pm March 21, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Derek Funk Pickup

A truck pulled from the water in south Knoxville may have belonged to a missing local man, according to Knoxville police. (Photo courtesy WBIR-TV)

More human remains have been found by a dive team near a pickup truck found under water on Thursday and last seen being driven by a man missing since 2010, authorities said.

The Knoxville Police Department said the 1996 Ford Ranger pickup truck found upside down and under water on Thursday is the same vehicle last seen being driven by Derek Ryan Funk, 19, who has been missing since May 12, 2010.

Earlier Friday, a Knoxville Volunteer Rescue Squad dive team had reported finding human remains near the pickup truck in the 1400 block of Island Home Avenue in South Knoxville, although it wasn’t clear if the remains belonged to Funk. Funk went to Oak Ridge High School, and his parents live in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Darrell DeBusk, Derek Funk, dive team, Island Home Avenue, Knoxville Police Department, Knoxville Volunteer Rescue Squad, KPD, pickup truck, underwater

Roane State faculty members plan record-breaking underwater stay

Posted at 5:50 pm February 7, 2014
By Roane State Community College Leave a Comment

Jessica Fain Diving

Jessica Fain, an adjunct instructor at Roane State Community College, emerges from the moon pool at Jules’ Undersea Lodge. Fain has logged more than 100 hours in underwater habitats and labs. (Photos courtesy RSCC)

HARRIMAN—Two Roane State Community College faculty members plan to live and work under the surface of the sea for 72 days this fall.

While underwater, associate professor of biology Bruce Cantrell and adjunct instructor Jessica Fain will offer the most unique educational experience in the college’s history and raise awareness of issues affecting the oceans. During their stay, Cantrell and Fain will also set a world record for the longest time spent living underwater.

Roane State and the Marine Resources Development Foundation in Key Largo, Fla., are partnering on the Classroom Under the Sea project. Cantrell and Fain plan to start their underwater adventure Oct. 4 and resurface on Dec. 15. They will live in Jules’ Undersea Lodge, which is in the lagoon at the Marine Resources Development Foundation’s facilities.

“Roane State professors have taught in a variety of locations as part of our mission to bring higher education to the communities we serve,” Roane State President Chris Whaley said. “What Bruce and Jessica are planning is certainly new territory. While their project is unique, their expertise, spirit of adventure and passion for teaching are representative of what make community colleges so special.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Education, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: biology, Bruce Cantrell, Chris Whaley, Classroom Under the Sea, coral reefs, diving, ecology, ecosystems, Guiness World Records, Ian Koblick, Jessica Fain, Jules Verne, Jules' Undersea Lodge, La Chalupa, Marine Resources Development Foundation, MarineLab, ocean, Reef Check Foundation, Richard Presley, Roane State Community College, science, scuba diver, sea, underwater, underwater adventure, underwater habitat, world record

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Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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