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NASA selects Libertyville teacher to help map polar ice in Greenland
Mark Buesing
Updated: April 1, 2013 2:04AM
LIBERTYVILLE — Invited by NASA, Libertyville High School science teacher Mark Buesing is set to travel to Greenland in April to participate in the space agency’s Operation IceBridge.
Buesing has been asked to contribute to NASA’s six-year mission mapping polar ice in greater detail, a District 128 press release explained. The purpose is to better understand how the polar regions are connected to the global climate system, the release added.
Buesing applied to be part of the research team through PolarTREC, which pairs teachers with polar researchers.
“PolarTREC and I share many of the same goals, chief among them is to get students interested in science, technology, math, and science (STEM) careers,” Buesing said.
Approximately 300 teachers applied to participate in polar projects around the world. Buesing was one of only 15 chosen.
Though he expects his days will be busy while on the mission, Buesing said he will make time to connect with his Libertyville classroom.
A resident of Bristol, Wis., he said he also plans to connect to his own children’s elementary school.
“If any teachers want to participate, they should contact me,” Buesing said. “I hope to make this experience valuable to as many students as possible.”
PolarTREC is managed by the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) and funded by the National Science Foundation. For more information, visit www.polartrec.com. For more information on ARCUS, visit www.arcus.org.
