This email contains information about the main projects that the PA Chapter will be involved in over the coming year.  They are a great opportunity for everyone to get involved.  Please email me for more information.

 

1.       Political Outreach

2.       Mars Outreach Initiative

3.       Chapter Challenge

 

 

1.   Political Outreach

 

We are still in need of volunteers to help set up meeting with their local politicians.  There are plenty of resources available from the political task force to make this as easy of a process as possible.  We need to begin contacting politicians now to set up meetings, as this is a somewhat time-consuming process.  Please email me if you are available to help with this incredibly important project.

 

2.  Mars Outreach Initiative

 

The Penn State Mars Society is spearheading a large-scale outreach program in mid-February entitled the Mars Outreach Initiative. This program will educate the public about Mars, especially in relation to the MERS rovers and Mars Express Beagle 2 lander that will be arriving in late December and January. We will be setting up displays at our own campus and in various museums and libraries around Pennsylvania. These small exhibits will feature not only the current missions but also the endeavors of past and future missions to Mars.

 

Currently, we are planning on hosting a large exhibit at Penn State – University Park campus, as well as participating in Engineer’s Week at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh.  We are currently contacting other museums and libraries across the state to host small exhibits.  Please visit the MOI web site at: http://www.psums.org/moi for more information.  Additionally, we will need help setting up exhibits across the state.  If you have any contacts at museums, or want to give presentations as part of this event, please contact me.

 

3.  Chapter Challenge

 

A new friendly competition started for this coming year will pit chapters against each other.  Scoring will be based on number of new and returning memberships obtained, number of lectures given, and other outreach related events.  The Pennsylvania Chapter (this includes all four chapters in the state) has officially challenged the Michigan Chapter!  And word on the street is that the Northern Illinois Chapter is trying to jump in our challenge as well.  The official scoring system is below.  How can you help?  Renew your membership!  Recruit other members!  Give presentations!  Help with the political outreach, as well as the Mars Outreach Initiative!  Please report all scoreable activity to me, including membership renewals.

 

Here’s the list of scorable activities:

 

Public Outreach

-1 point for every display table or presentation about the Mars Society, it's projects and/or research.

-1 point for every ten contacts made (name & email address recorded & relayed to Headquarters)

-2 points for every member interviewed on radio/television/newspaper concerning Mars exploration (‘Mars Society’, “Robert Zubrin” and/or “The Case for Mars” to be mentioned at least twice)

Political Activism (Meetings with Elected Representatives)

-4 points for every staffer met with

-5 points for meeting with actual Representative

Scientific Research (‘Mars Society’ to be mentioned in the title)

-2 points for every article published in a non-peer-reviewed periodical describing past or present research in the Mars Society.

-3 points for articles published in peer-reviewed journals

Support to the Mars Society

-1 point for every $100 of cash contribution collected

-1 point for every $200 of in-kind contribution collected

-1 point for every evening spent on Mission Support

Membership

-1 points for every member renewed

-2 points for every new member joined.

 

 

As always, please email me with any questions or comments about our projects.

 

Kevin Sloan

kfs113@...

PA Chapter of the Mars Society

http://chapters.marssociety.org/pa