USA Space Camp Awards 2002

Joise Spiller aged 16 from Wellington Girls' College is one of two students from New Zealand who has been selected by the Royal Society of New Zealand to attend the USA Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama in July. Josie will join over 70 students from 35 countries in an action packed 10 days which will include hands-on astronaut training, as well as learning about the mental, emotional and physical demands astronauts must face. The trainees are also involved in leadership training and will experience four G's of lift off force and actual weightlessness in the Space simulator.

Josie is very interested in the physiological changes on the human body while in space and is looking forward to seeing the design strategies being applied for maintaining health, safety and performance of the human body while in that environment.

Josie's interests extend well beyond space. She is an Under 16 representative for Basketball and also finds time to play the drums as well as studying for Bursary this year.

She says " the space camp would be an opportunity that she will value for ever and she would use the knowledge and experience gained to follow a career in the sciences that would help further our knowledge in the capabilities of the human body".

Andrew Brown aged 17 from Bayfield High School is the other student selected to attend the USA Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama in July.

Andrew has dreamed about attending the USA Space Camp ever since he heard about the programme 5 years ago and is absolutely over the moon that he has been selected. He has his own 60mm telescope and has been a member of the Dunedin Astronomical Society where he enjoys going along to listen to presentations made at the observatory.

He is involved in many extra curricular activities at school including theatre sports, debating and has been elected as Deputy Head Boy at Bayfield High School.

He says "representing New Zealand in a programme like this will be a real adventure and he will take every opportunity to gain what he can from the experience".

This is another opportunity for those of you or your students with a passion for astronomy to participate in an international gathering. Each participating country is invited to send one teacher and two students (age 15-18, one female and one male). Transport from NZ to Atlanta, Georgia and return from Huntsville, Alabama must be arranged for and paid by the participants. All travel from Atlanta, tuition, food and accommodation will be provided by the camp.

Further information and application details are advertised in the Term 1 NZASE newsletter and are available from:

Debbie Chan, The Royal Society, PO Box 598, Wellington, New Zealand; 4 Halswell Street, Thorndon, Wellington; Phone +64-4-472 7421, Fax +64-4-473 1841, debbie.woodhall@rsnz.org