Judging and award guidelines

• In science fairs that divide students into junior and senior divisions, one Marsbugs award may be given in each division.
• In science fairs that do not divide students into divisions, only one Marsbugs award may be given for the entire fair.
• Any project that concerns some aspect of astrobiology is eligible for the Marsbugs award.  Possible fields of study include: exobiology and astrobiology (life on other planets), the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), ecopoeisis and terraformation, Earth from space, the biology of terrestrial extreme environments, planetary biology, primordial evolution, space physiology, biological life support systems, and human habitation of space and other planets.
• A student's project does not have to specifically include astrobiology in order to be eligible for the Marsbugs award.  For example, a study of the UV effects on crop plants would have applicability to Martian exploration, and would be eligible even if the student had never considered the astrobiological implications of the project.
• Awardees should be chosen on the merits of the science of the project and the student's ability to use the scientific method, not simply on the topic of the project.  For example, a well-designed project that investigates the environmental limits of bacterial metabolism would be a better candidate than a project in which a student surveyed people's opinions about extraterrestrial life.
• Projects based on "pseudo-scientific" disciplines (e.g., creation science, alien abduction, astrology, etc.) are not eligible for the Marsbugs award.
• Winners of the Marsbugs award will be listed on this page and in future issues of Marsbugs: The Electronic Astrobiology Newsletter.  Science fair coordinators/directors need to send the following information to Dr. Dave Thomas ( dthomas@lyon.edu ) as a condition of using the Marsbugs award:
• Science fair name, location and date
• Winning student's name(s) and division (i.e. junior/senior)
• Winning student's school and location
• Winning student's project title
• Optional: scanned or digital photo of the student, copy of the abstract.

The Marsbugs Astrobiology Award is available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF 3.0 file.  It must be downloaded and printed onto parchment, presentation paper or other suitable media.  The award can be used "as is" and the appropriate information written in by hand, or it can be filled out electronically.

To fill out the award electronically, open the file with Acrobat Reader or Adobe Acrobat.  Click on the "hand" tool.  Click on each of the blanks and fill in the appropriate information.  Print the completed award.
 
 

14 March 2002
North Central Arkansas Regional Science Fair, Lyon College, Batesville, AR, USA
Tice Brown (Senior Division), "The Effects of Commercial Air Flight on the Human Respiratory System," Batesville Junior High School, Batesville, AR.

Marsbugs Astrobiology Award winners for 2002

15 March 2002
North Central Arkansas Regional Science Fair, Lyon College, Batesville, AR, USA
Sara Mitchell (Junior Division), "Submersibles: Collecting Environmental Data," Batesville Junior High School, Batesville, AR.

Marsbugs Astrobiology Award winners for 2001

16 March 2001
North Central Arkansas Regional Science Fair, Lyon College, Batesville, AR, USA
Cosey Preddy (Senior Division), "Effects of UV Radiation on Squash Seeds," Marshall High School, Marshall, AR.
Ashley Treadwell (Junior Division), "The Effect of UV Exposure on Brassica Rapa," Marshall High School, Marshall, AR.
 

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