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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2016-02-03, Page 7Wednesday, February 3, 2016 • Lucknow Sentinel 7 "The awe of everything" - Grey -Bruce's astrophysicist working with Mars Rover Jane Young Hanover Post It wasn't until she was much older that Carrie Bridge realized that a movie she loved in the '80s "maybe changed the trajectory" of her life. Bridge says she watched Space Camp, where young attendees at a space camp get a dose of real life when their shuttle is accidentally launched into space. It starred Lea Thompson, Kelly Preston and Joaquim Phoe- nix, with Kate Capshaw as the astronaut who helps co- ordinate the youngsters to get back to Earth. After watching it repeat- edly, Bridge became obsessed with going to real- life space camp, then located in Alabama. She never did get to go, something she says her "dad regrets" now that she actually is working for NASA. Looking back at the movie with adult eyes, Bridge realized it was there she saw female leads who "had strength and passion in roles normally played by men. Having those figures helped shape my vision, it helped push me." Bridge, 37, moved to Han- over when she was in grade 3, when her father became the manager of TD. She went to Dawnview, James A. Magee and then JDSS for grades 9 and 10. "I wasn't born in Hanover, but I always say I'm from there, I grew up with kids there, that period of time is so forma- tive," she says. After finishing high school in Elmira, she headed off to the University of Toronto to study human biology. "The goal was to become a physi- cian," Bridge says. However, her path veered when she took an introduc- tory Astronomy course. "I had always loved looking at the stars. I had a neighbour who was an amateur astronomer, who logged meteor showers. I remem- ber sitting out with him and my mom." She also remembers being at a cottage outside Kincardine, where her grandfather would take her down to the lake to track satellites. "We'd make note of the time, and then go back the next night and wait for it. Astronomy was a hobby and a passion." With her interest reig- nited, Bridge did her under - grad in Astrophysics with a minor in Geophysics. She finished with a PhD in Astrophysics. Bridge says at the time she was very lucky, because Toronto had pur- chased "telescope time in Chile," the site of the Magellan telescopes, the "biggest, best telescopes in the world." She was able to travel many times to Chile, where she honed her skills as an observational astron- omer. "I focused on taking observations of galaxies and how they form," says Bridge. She also credits the oppor- tunity to travel to Chile at that age as being "so impor- tant," as she recalls flying to Santiago, taking a smaller flight, then a bus up a moun- tain to get to the site. Bridge then ended up in a post -doctoral fellowship at Cal -Tech, again gaining access to some of the best telescopes in the world. Some are located in Hawaii, so she travelled there many times. After being on track for a faculty position, her career took a slightly differ- ent turn when she accepted a position at Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL). "JPL was started by stu- dents in the 1930s and 1940s who were the founders of rocketry, finding out ways to make them go straight, for example," Bridge explains. JPL is managed by Cal - Tech but employs NASA workers. The new position was a good fit for Bridge, as she "got to do astrophysics research, looking at how gal- axies form and merge. This meant I could do science daily." Her new position also meant beginning to work on the Mars rover named Curiosity. "My role is to co- ordinate large teams of sci- entists. Every day we are searching for the building blocks of life. The rover has instruments on the end of its arm to take samples and inside its body it has what it needs to conduct experi- ments. There are 10 instru- ments, some are run by teams in Canada. There's a drill and a laser, so it can shoot it at a rock and it takes data the moment it vapourizes. The engineer- ing is phenomenal" says Bridge. Each day orbiting satellites make multiple passes and that's when data and the day's images are sent. "It's very exciting," says Bridge. "It's all in real time." Curiosity, which is "about the size of a Mini -Cooper," drives approximately 30 metres an hour. "Every day the teams report on their current data and we decide, ok what are we looking at? What do we want to do?" Bridge says. "I work to interface the science with the engineer- ing. Once the scientists have laid out the questions, I co- ordinate the engineering requirements. It's like Jenga, I am there to make all the teams happy." The rover's discovery of organics on Mars was a high- light for Bridge, because it shows there "used to be fresh water at one time, meaning it definitely was a habitable place for life in the past." Bridge says that in her line of work, sometimes you "need to take a step back" to be able to process what she is seeing. She has experienced moments such as "seeing a new galaxy that no human eye has ever seen, or just the billions of stars with billions of planets around them - it's just the awe of everything." For now, Bridge says she is really enjoying her work on the rover and has no plans to leave. In 2020, a new rover will make its debut. Just as Bridge was influ- enced by seeing lead actresses in space back in 1986, she hopes to "empha- size the importance of women in science." She has made a point of speaking to Guiding groups about her career. Astrophysics is a male -dominated field, but that is changing. At home in Pasadena, California, Bridge has her hands full with 2.5 year old twins Emmett and Piper. They don't quite get what their mother does yet --Bridge says she gets a kick out of them asking her in the morning "are you going to work on Mars today, Mommy? And I kind of am." Huron County wants students to complete immunizations for school The Huron County Health Unit has sent let- ters to students who don't have a complete immuni- zation record. The Health Unit annu- ally reviews immunization records for students attending school. Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) Ontario students are required to be vaccinated against several infectious diseases in order to attend school. "Students may have received these vaccines but the Health Unit may not have the records," said Public Health Nurse Ruth Ann Ogilvie in a media release. "Any vaccinations you receive at your doc- tor's office do not auto- matically get shared with the Health Unit." If your family has received a letter, the Health Unit asks you to make sure the student's shots are up to date. Fami- lies should fill out the rest of the notice and return it to the Health Unit by email, fax or phone. Check with your health- care provider to see if they have a record of the required vaccines. If your child needs the vaccine, please take the form with you to the appointment. You can have your health- care provider complete the form which you can then send to the Health Unit. "Even taking a photo of the completed form with your camera and emailing it to us helps us complete a record," said Ogilvie. This first immunization notice will be followed up by a second notice for anyone who does not respond. Ontario students must be vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps and rubella. In 2014, vaccines for meningitis and pertus- sis (whooping cough) were added to the list, as well as varicella (chicken- pox) vaccine for students born in 2010 or later. To report an immuniza- tion or to ask questions about these changes, call 1-877-837-6143 ext. 2025, e-mail immunize@huron- county.ca or fax 519-482-9014. Submitted Carrie Bridge is seen in front the two Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea, Hawaii at 14,000 ft. Bridge says "you are usually above the clouds, which you can see below, so the view is spectacular and great for observing the universe. LUCKNOW ARENA SCHEDULE FEBRUARY 3RD - FEBRUARY 9TH Wed Feb 3, 2016 10:OOam Adults & Tots Skating - $2/Skater 5:OOpm Jr. & Sr. Initiation Practice 6:OOpm PeeWee Rep Practice 7:OOpm Bantam LL 8:30pm Legends Practice 9:30pm OPEN ICE Fri Feb 5, 2016 10:OOam Adults & Tots Skating - $2/Skater 5:OOpm Initiation/Tyke/Novice Practice 6:OOpm PeeWee Girls Practice 7:OOpm PeeWee Rep Practice 8:30pm Midget LL Sun Feb 7, 2016 10:OOam 11:30am 1:OOpm Port Albert vs Wingham OPEN ICE Public Skating - Sponsored by Lucknow Kinsmen 2:30pm Atom Girls Practice 4:OOpm PeeWee Rep Playoff Game vs Flesherton 5:30pm Midget LL Practice 6:30pm Midget Rep Playoff Game vs Zurich 7:30pm OPEN ICE Tue Feb 9, 2016 10 00a Adults & Tots Skating - $2/Skater 5:OOpm Atom LL Practice 6:OOpm Bantam LL Practice 7:OOpm Bantam Girls 8:30pm Lancers Practice Thu Feb 4, 2016 10:OOam Adults & Tots Skating - $2/Skater 5:OOpm Tyke Practice 6:OOpm Bantam Rep Practice 7:OOpm Bantam Girls Practice 8:OOpm Rec League Lagers vs Lanes 9:30pm Rec League Kintail vs Holyrood Sat Feb 6, 2016 9:OOam Jr. Initiation Practice 10:OOam Sr. Initiation vs South Bruce 11:OOam OPEN ICE 12:OOpm Novice LL Game vs Blyth/Brussels 1:15pm Atom LL Game vs Wingham 2:30pm PeeWee LL Game vs Goderich 4:OOpm OPEN ICE 5:30pm OPEN ICE 7:OOpm Lancers Mon Feb 8, 2016 10:OOam Adults & Tots Skating - $2/Skater 5:OOpm Novice LL Practice 6:OOpm PeeWee LL Practice 7:OOpm Bantam Rep 8:30pm Midget Rep HURON TELECOMMUNICATIONS CO-OPERATIVE LTD. 519-395-3800 www.hurontel.on.ca