Spring 2001
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Spring 2001 |
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Surat Intasang: Shuttling Shrimp Into Space, All In
Surat Intasang's work reflects an ongoing Rose-Hulman goal of stimulating interest in science and mathematics among pre-college students. The 1998 mathematics graduate has added a global perspective to that mission, and some might even say he has taken it to a level that is out of this world. Intasang works as a project analyst for the National Science and Technology Development Agency in Thailand. He serves as that country's coordinator for the STARS (Space Technology and Research Students) program. STARS is an international program where students participate in experiments flown to space on the Space Shuttle or to the International Space Station. Through STARS, students in New York will send ants to space, students in China will launch silkworms, and students in Australia will speed spiders to space. In Thailand, the experiment that has been selected for study is a small self-contained aquatic ecosystem. The system is housed in a biosphere and contains: shrimp named Halocaridina rubra, amphipods, water flea, Ostracods (seed shrimp), Cyclops copepod, Ramshorn snail, green algae, two types of bacteria, and water. Students in the Thai program will develop certain hypotheses concerning the biosphere and what will happen to it in space. A test biosphere was sent to space by the Russian Soyuz rocket earlier this year. "For three months, cosmonauts will monitor the ecosystem's shrimp and other aquatic plants and animals to see how organisms adapt to the microgravity environment of space," Intasang explained. "Video and photographic images of the experiments are available to students via the Internet. Students will compare the on-orbit observations with ecosystems experiments in their classrooms." While Thai students have not had an original experiment go up in space yet, Intasang says that is a long-term goal. "Our students are eager to send Thai animals to space," he noted. Thailand is planning the second year of its STARS involvement at this time. Serving as country coordinator is no small task. Intasang oversees 2,000 students from 50 schools in this project. He has visited over half of the schools, and does much of his work via the Internet. In addition to working with students and teachers, he writes for a monthly magazine and works with the Junior Science Talent Project. Intasang said the Internet is an important tool in this project. "Many large schools have Internet connections, but most teachers and students do not see the Internet as a useful tool in their teaching and learning," Intasang said. "STARS lets them learn how to study using the Internet. They see different ideas coming from their peers who live in different parts of the country." One teacher in the program was quoted in a newspaper in Thailand that the project helps create a stimulus, both for the student and the teacher. Intasang said his biggest challenge is helping teachers improve their performance, while helping them keep up with technology and use it to the fullest advantage in the teaching process. In the end it all comes down to student success for Intasang: "My reward is the happiness that comes when I see students enjoy doing science."
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