Mars Mission Program
Are you interested in STEM, design and space? Have you always wondered about whether there’s life on Mars, or whether humans could live on Mars? Check out this summer program run by the Boston Leadership institute in which you will learn about various aspects of the Mars Mission, including how to get there, and the practical challenges of sustaining life on the Red Planet. The program includes esteemed guest speakers and teachers, including astronauts and physicists. Whether or not you plan to study or plan to work in this field, the Mars Mission Program is an immersion, interesting and hand-on way to spend the summer.
“Design and learn the science behind rockets that can reach Mars with a PhD Physicist from Harvard who has been on a simulated Mars Mission. Review data with him on the effects of radiation — which astronauts are exposed to on their journey through space — on human health and genetic mutations. Learn about the satellites, spacecraft, and other aerospace technologies scientists are using to chart interplanetary travel. Use ‘Mars-like’ soil to plant vegetables in a temperature controlled green house and assess how they would survive on the red planet. The first humans may walk on the red planet in the next five years—The future is here. Be a part of the science of space exploration. Put principles of physics, genetics, chemistry, biology, and engineering into action.
This is a great pre-college program for teens interested in various fields like rocketry, physics, space biology, engineering, and 3D printing.”
How do I get started? See the website for the Boston Leadership Institute.
How do I expand this narrative arc? If science and space are in your narrative arc think about supplementing this larger project with one of the smaller science (or space)-based opportunities. For example:
Continue to explore the world of Mars when you compete to Build a Mars City State.
Diversify your space creds when you compete to build the best International Space Settlement.
Want a more hands-on space experience? Interested in how space travel affects biology? Check out Genes in Space.
Similarly, send a science experiment to the International Space Station with Cubes in Space and Dream Up.
Explore a smaller citizen science project that is space-oriented. For example, Become a Muon Hunter, Become a Galaxy Hunter or Find Planet 9.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SUMMER PROGRAMS: College admissions officers are very adept at identifying “resume padders”: expensive, one-off programs paid for by your parents which do not mesh with your narrative arc. Therefore, make sure any summer program or course you consider falls into one (or more) of these four buckets:
Highly selective/competitive
Totally unique + linked to your narrative arc
Evidence of adulthood (long hours, multi-year commitment or simply hard work)
A jumping off point or expansion for an authentic narrative arc.
If none of the above apply, a program could still have value to you if it allows you to test a potential interest. However, if it does not end up being a jumping off point for further interests, then you may not want to mention it in your high school resume