10 public schools, four of them in rural areas, are participating in this educational project led by Laia Ribas, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC).
Nearly a thousand students from across Catalonia, aged 6 to 12, are taking part in CatMart, an educational and experimental project designed to analyze whether there could indeed be life on the Red Planet, while also making visible female role models in science to encourage vocations, especially among girls. Hypatia I analog astronaut Laia Ribas, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), developed the original idea for the educational material.
As part of this project, students in early, middle, and upper grades from 10 public schools across the region, four of which are in rural areas, analyze “Martian” sand samples in the classroom. These samples were collected by the Hypatia I crew during their analog mission at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in the Utah desert, United States.
The CatMart project includes audiovisual material and all the content necessary to experiment in classrooms. At the end of the project, the Hypatia I crew will visit the participating schools during Science Week (from November 8 to 17) to introduce students to female scientists who are leaders in various disciplines.
The CatMart project is supported by a Joan Oró 2024 Grant from the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation (FCRI).