Friday, October 30, 2009

Stem Presentation: Dr. Pandolfi

This was our first STEM presentation this year. Dr. Pandolfi spoke with us about his involvement with the Mars Rover which was launched in 2003. Watch excerpts from his speech and respond to the two questions below the video. If you would like to watch the entire Mars Rover video shown by Dr. Pandolfi, click here.

You can also visit the official NASA site on the Mars Rover: click here....

Or...if you have questions and would like to get answers: click here....

When you respond to these two questions, please reread what you have written to make sure it makes sense.

1. Why was it crucial to the success of the mission that everyone involved was a team player who was able to work well with others (even if they didn't particularly like one or two of the individuals)?

2. There were many STEM careers involved in the planning and executing of this mission. Which one do you think was/would be the most interesting and why?

68 comments:

  1. hotrod says: What does Tommaso's grandpa like most abouut his job?

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  2. Jack says: 1. Because they had managed to get a rover on mars to bring some information. It did not matter that some people did not appeal to others but the studies of exploration may have made them think differently.

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  3. Jack says: I think the best part was the physics part because they could determine where the right point to stop the shuttle before it went zooming straight to the north-eastern hemisphere of the Red Planet

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  4. Jack says: Would Mars have a strong magnetic field to bring asteroids crashing into the Red Planet? If so, would Earth have a stronger magnetic field to attract the asteroids about to crash into mars to earth to wipe out significant amounts of life on our planet?

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  5. Starburst says:
    Everyone had to be coperative in the team, even if they did not like eachother because if they did not listen and interact with one another, the mission would not have happened.

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  6. Starburst says:
    I think that the most interesting STEM career involved with the planning and executing of this mission would be the person who invents the idea for the Mars rover because that is what starts the whole mission planning.

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  7. Reina says:

    Being a team player was essential to the success of the mission. Even if people did not like each other they respected each other's ideas because that was what was in the best interest of the mission and research.

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  8. Reina says:

    Clearly there are several STEM careers involved in the planning and executing of this mission. Of these, I think that the most interesting would involve physics and technology. Calculating the exact point to stop the shuttle requires a lot of skill.

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  9. frosty says:It is important to work together because if someone has a disagrement on something, and they get in to some kind of fight, it could mislead the rover, or hold of the mission.

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  10. frosty says: i think the most interesting part of the career is creating or testing the mars rover. It is also the most important, in my point of view.

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  11. Cherry1230 says:I loved the speech and Mr.P {Tomasso's Grandfather} didn't have such a strong accient, it was fine!

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  12. sportsluver says: The most interesting part of his career was the fact that it had to do with outer space. I personally think it's very cool to study the world not on earth.

    It is very bad if they disagree because that could mislead the rover or they could make a big mistake and easily ruin something.

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  13. Murphy says:

    1. It was essential that everyone worked together, despite differences they had, to make sure that everything went smoothly, and nothing happened to the rover, that could cost NASA millions of dollars to fix.

    2. There were many careers involved in the planning and execution of these rovers landing on Mars. I think the most interesting part would be either testing the rover, or figuring out what to do with the data, like posting it online, or giving it to the public in some form.

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  14. Trench Coat says:
    1. I think that if everyone did not work together and they tried to launch it, and something was not working, because of people who did not work together, then everthing would go wrong. Such as it could go off course, and land in the moon or even comes back to earth, it could also blow up in space, and thousands of dollars would be lost.

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  15. Trench Coat says:
    2. I think that a really fun and interesting job would be building and creating the rover, because I really like engineering and creating things. Also you would need to knoow alot about sciench, math and technology (STEM) which are all really fun for me. And it would be very challenging and frustrating because you would need to try over and over again.

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  16. Mike and Ikes says:
    1. If two people were fighting and not focusing, something could happen that was critical and the whole mission could go wrong.

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  17. Mike and Ikes says:
    2. I think it would be interesting to do the whole design of when it breaks off of the rocket, and the parachute and everything like that because you could think of a little simulation in your head, and see what you need to fix.

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  18. cheesecake says:
    If no one coroperated they would fight and it would go wrong.

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  19. cheesecake says:if I was at NASA I would like to be the one who helps to make the rover because its so small.

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  20. Pearl says:1. It is important to work well with each other and be focused because something could go wrong.

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  21. Pearl says: 2. The most interesting STEM job would be the person who creates the mars rover and the person who comes up with the idea of the mars rover.

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  22. acton says:
    1.If they did not work as a team they would not be able to accomplish the mission. When they are given an mission to do, they should ignore their diffrences to accomplish the same goal.
    2.I think that the most intresting job of that would being able to actually be able to fly in that rocket or shuttle to the destination because it is a chance of a life time.

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  23. appleski123 says:

    1: If they all want to do the same mission, they should be able to get along because if they don't then something bad could happen and it could go bad for them all. Also, a bad thing could happen to the mission if they fight about what to do about it.

    2: I think that the most interesting job would be to design the rover. I think this because then you can really build something and it would be exciting to engineer it.

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  24. fischer world cup says:

    1.I think it would be crucial to work as a team player because it would be hard to, almost impossible to do all that work alone. Things are always accomplished better when you are working with other people(even if you don't like them) because the work comes from many different perspectives.
    2.I think the most exiting part would be to make the mars rover because it would seem so interesting to make a robotic machine that could help the humans learn a HUGE amount of interesting facts about mars.

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  25. cookielover says:
    i think the one where you were able to see the progress of the Mars rover.

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  26. cookielover says:
    2. Its important to be a team player because you
    want to be able to work at any station with different people and understand their differences.

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  27. bubbles says:
    1:It is crutial to the success of the mission that everyone involved was a team player and was able to work well with others. If nobody there was a team player than they would get no work done and the rover would never work, because they would never agree on what to do in which case they would always be fighting.
    2:I think the most fasinating stem career invovled in the designing and executing of the mission would be the person who designs the rockets and the rover,because that person has to take into consideration the size,the shape,the airodinamics,the gravity pull, and the fuel source

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  28. elmo says:
    1: It is crucual to be a team player because if you don't work well together people will be fighting all the time and nothing will get done.

    2:The most interesting job would be desinging and biulding the rover.

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  29. familylover says:
    1. it is critical to work together in a team because if there is a problem they should all be able to fix it together as a team!

    2. There were a lot of stem careers involved! I think that that the most interesting would be the people who made this robotic rover work!

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  30. Snickers says:
    1: Its very important to be a team player in his job because if your not then you will never get anything done. Everyone will only want to do their idea instead of putting everyones ideas together.

    2: I think the most interesting job would be making the rover. I would like this because you would be creating something that would show you what the surface of mars really looks like.

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  31. yoyoyowassup says:
    1. It was crucial because teamwork is nessacerry for getting something done efficiently and well. If there were conflicts it could have set back the objective of getting the rover on mars.
    2. I think the most interesting one would be setting up the launch because it would be so much fun to actually make the part where the rocket leaves... without that the mission can't work.

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  32. Name says: If they did not work together like a team the mission would have fallen apart.

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  33. Name says: Ithink that the most interesting thing is when they land and you see another planet

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  34. Bob said: 1. It was crucial to the success of the mission because they where exploring a planet and also if something did not work out, it will be a bummer because it took a long time for the mars rover to get there and it will cost allot to make a new one.
    2. I think investigating the pictures will be pretty fun & exciting because you get to see the "stuff" on mars.

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  35. peanutbutter says:
    1. It's easier to get things done in a group.
    2. I would like to be an engineer because it looks fun designing the robot.

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  36. 0 says: 1.It is very important to succed the mission with other people (even if you don't like them) because space and discovering new things about the Red Planet is important and building the Mars Rover is too.
    2. I think engineering is most interesting because you get to build the pieces.

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  37. ferrari:Because they worked together and building the space ship because I like technology

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  38. Boo says:
    1. it's crucial to the success of the mission that everyones a team player because if some people did not cooperate then the rovers might not have been built as well and the information we got might not be as high-class.
    2.i think the job that designs how to land something and protect it would be the most interesting because you have to make sure that everythings well protected if you want to land it on another planet.

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  39. danielle:1.It is important to work as a team because you can comunicate well, succeed, working together , and do a good job.
    2.I thinka chef would be the most interseting STEM carreer because a chef uses math and engirneering.A chef uses math by measuring stuff to put in the food so it doesn't make it come out bad. Also a chef uses engirneering by using the oven and the stove to cook the food.

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  40. Brobo:
    Q1: If someone didn’t do what they were supposed to do, then the rest of the group would be let down. For example, if the inflated pyramid were spinning because the strings didn’t come out, it wouldn’t have landed where it was supposed to.
    Q2: The most interesting STEM career would be designing the physics of the rocket’s many stages so that it could get to Mars.

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  41. cakebatter says:
    if every one did not cooperate then no one would deside on anything and they would not get anywhere on the project.

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  42. cakebatter says:
    the most interesting thing would be to desighn the mars rover and all of the featers of it.

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  43. Branta says:

    1. It's important that everybody gets along or else someone might not be able to share an important idea in the midst of arguing.

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  44. Branta says:

    I'm not completely sure, but I'm thinking the most interesting job might have belonged to the people who tested the rover, because they got to see how it might work, and they could see and test all the interesting concepts used in designing the rover.

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  45. hotrod says: 1.It was critical because if they wanted to make this mission a success everyone had to be a team player even if they dont like each other?

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  46. hotrod says: 2.I think the most interesting job would have been the pearson who was in charge of the whole process, i think this because you would have to know alot about STEM do have this job?

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  47. Horse234
    1.I think it is important that everyone works together to be able to solve problems.
    2.I would like the job of helping to build the rover because I like to build new things.

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  48. Star Fire: I think since all of them showed team spirit and put in a 100% there mission was an success. But if they did'nt show any team spirit or any thing like that they would had gone no were with there project.

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  49. Star Fire:I would mostly like the job of buliding and creating the rover.

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  50. HOPPEDUPONSUGAR said:1.It would be hard to concentrate and you may not do your part 2.The one creating the landing gear because there would be physics involved

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  51. dukie says

    it was a good thing they worked to gether cause if they didn't there would have been many problems.

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  52. 1. Twirl5: To get anything done they would have to agree with each other. They might not have got the rover or anything else done without everyone being a team player and doing their share of the work.

    2. Twirl5: I think the most interesting STEM job would be engineering because it would be really exciting to work on the rover.

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  53. dukie says..... such as maybe if they were working to gether they might end up in a arguement and one person might be really mad and probably make a mistake.

    2 dukie says
    i would rather build the rover cause i can learn more about it and it would be fun to make a rocket

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  54. Cherry1230 says:1.Maybe they didn't like each other but they still have to do their job and work together.


    2.I think the most important STEM job would be a Engineer because engineers help a lot of things and people!!!

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  55. Girlie101 says: It is very important that everybody is a team player and everybody agrees on something and work together because they will never get anything done because they would be to busy arguing and not working.

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  56. Girlie101 says: I think the most exciting job would be to design the space ships because you can choose shape, size, color, and more! :)

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  57. ovechkin 8 says: i think it's crucial that you work as a team because if they didn't calabirate the rover never would have reached mars safely.

    I think the most important job was figuring out the landing sequence because if it can't land it won't work. Ialso think it would be the best.

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  58. ? says think the best job would be disigning the rover because you would be the most proud out of all the workers. i also think it is very important to have teamwork because not one person is the smartest in the world and you do not want to loose NASA millions or billions of dollars.

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  59. monkey939
    I think that they need to have a team player to do the missoin because if there is conflick in the mission it might mess up with the person that is trying to have the rover get to mars. The stem carreas that I thinlk that are inportant are being a doctor or working with space or somthing with enginaring.

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  60. Ponchic says:

    1)I thik that if the people who engineared and build the Mars rover hadn't worked together, and hadn't got along, then the mission would be impossible to acomplish because it would be to hard for individual people to build such a rover alone.
    2)I think the most interesting part of the mission would be to create the landing seqence for the load landing on Mars, because it's c;ol to watch how the load bounces!!!!:)

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  61. Andrea:It was crucial to the success of the mission that everyone involved was a team player because one person couldn't do all the work by themselves. There were many different branches of science needed to make this mission possible. If they didn't cooperate with one another or there would be no mission.

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  62. WUb it was crucial to the mission that every body in the mission worked together because there were a lot of deyifferent jobs or it would be a waste of money.

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  63. WUb If i was going to do any job on making the rover it would be to actually do the construction because it would be fun to touch it.

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  64. Halt Says: How much of studying does it take to know the exact spot to stop a miniature rocket before it crashes on the Red Planet?

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  65. blah blah blah blah blah

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  66. To whoever finds this note, the $1,000,000 case is buried the mailbox in front of 138 Cooper St, Jackson, Michigan.

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