Astrobiology and Why I like Facebook

There are lots of reasons not to like Facebook and I respect all those many people for whom it is just not their cup of tea.

But there is one thing that Facebook is really good for and for which, as yet at least, there is no better alternative. And that’s doing a little institutional bragging –  sharing, show-and-tell or whatever you want to call it – and being able to connect with a broad swath of a school community.

Two days ago I heard that high school science teacher Jonathan Heiles had been accepted into a prestigious summer program.

I put a squib on the PDS Facebook page together with a link to the program:

Within minutes there was a comment from an alumna. That was soon followed by other comments and likes from colleagues, parents and students past and present who are delighted to hear Jonathan’s news and recognition.

Ostentatious, showy and self-promoting – that is not Jonathan. But the truth is that the students whom he has influenced and inspired to continue science in college and take up science as a profession are many. It’s nice to do a little show-and-tell now and again and to have Facebook to help you do it.

And the summer program  sounds really cool. It’s at the New York Center for Astrobiology which is  devoted to investigating the origins of life on Earth and the conditions that lead to formation of habitable planets in our own and other solar systems.

If you’re a past or present student, parent, colleague or friend of PDS – and you are on Facebook –  let us know what’s happening.  Share what’s going on with the PDS community on the PDS Facebook page.