Presentations from NASA's Etheater in South Africa

Students in Durban, South Africa gather around Hasler for his autograph after being impressed with Etheather presentation

The World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg just concluded. Colin Powell, Secretary of State, many Heads of State as well as a multiplicity of government and non-government agencies from around the world attended the summit.

The CSIR of South Africa which is similar to the National Science Foundation organized a side conference called "Youth at the Summit" and invited NASA to develop an Etheater presentation to the attending students.

The CSIR "Youth at the Summit Conference" was held August 31 in Pretoria with Earth/Space Science and Astronautic Expert presentations from the around the world to about 400 African students. It was the first time the Etheater has been introduced by the singing of African songs and with an African folk tale to get the students in the mood for learning.

According to Code 900's Fritz Hasler, the successful HDTV Etheater was very well received. Students were able to see the "Pulse of the Planet" from global GEO, and SeaWifs data and compare these data to the global fires with emphasis on Africa as well as several Earth Science visualizations and movies. In addition an Etheater presentation was arranged at a disadvantaged Secondary School in Durban South Africa on September 6th.

A series of Etheater presentations will begin in Cape Town at the MTN ScienCentre and in Durban. The 16 presentation NASA/NOAA Etheater South Africa tour will present in Skukuza and will conclude in Hoedspruit on September 26th.