The Search for Life: NASA Scientist Amy Williams Brings Mars Discoveries to SPC

St. Petersburg College is preparing for a giant leap this February. As part of its space themed Science Week, Feb. 16 through Feb. 20, SPC will host renowned University of Florida astrobiologist Amy Williams for a keynote lecture that promises to bring the Red Planet down to Earth.

Amy Williams visiting the Grand Canyon

In Williams’ lecture, “The Curiosity to Explore and the Perseverance to Rove: A Decade of Discoveries on Mars,” she’ll present an overview of NASA's ongoing search for life on the Red Planet, focusing on findings from the Curiosity and Perseverance rover missions.

These missions have shifted the understanding of Mars from a dead planet to a world that was once, and perhaps still is, a complex, habitable environment.

“Mars and Earth were very similar, early on,” Williams explains. “Mars is smaller than Earth, but we now know they both had water on the surface and rivers flowing into lakes. There might have even been an ocean on Mars.”

Williams has been a member of the NASA Curiosity rover science team since 2009 and currently works with her team to explore the distribution of organic molecules on the Martian surface. She is also a science team member on NASA’s Perseverance rover mission, which is collecting samples that can one day be returned to Earth.

For aspiring scientists at SPC, Williams emphasizes that the pathway to NASA is right in their backyard given the proximity to Kennedy Space Center.

“UF and other Florida institutions, such as SPC, want to train students in Florida and retain students in Florida,” Williams said.

Inspiring the next generation of explorers and scientists is part of her mission.

“I get a lot of joy from sharing my enthusiasm for science and exploration. My hope is to inspire the next generation to accomplish things I can only dream of,” she said.

Explore Space Across Campuses

Williams’ lecture kicks off Science Week on Monday, Feb. 16 at 11:30 a.m. at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus. The week also includes activities focused on space exploration across four campuses, including experiments, a magic show, screenings of the film The Martian, and a look at the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP), where SPC students are competing to have their experiments transported to and operated in space.

For fans of The Martian, Williams offered a bit of insider info.

"The premise of the movie is a windstorm that knocks the character over. On Mars, the atmospheric density is so low that the winds can basically never blow hard enough to knock a human over," she laughed. "Lucky for our future astronauts, that wouldn't be a concern!"

Learn more about Mars and space throughout the week with snacks and giveaways at most events. All events are free and open to the public.

For questions, contact Grace Moore, Assistant Dean of Natural Sciences, at Moore.Grace@spcollege.edu.

Science Week Schedule

Monday, Feb 16

• 10 a.m. Coffee with Dr. Amy Williams & Telescope Observations, St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus Quad
• 10 a.m. Meteorite Impact Experiment, Clearwater Campus, NM 261
• 11:30 a.m. Keynote Presentation by Dr. Amy Williams: “The Curiosity to Explore and the Perseverance to Rove: A Decade of Discoveries on Mars,” St Peterburg/Gibbs: SU 236 or watch online via Zoom.

Tuesday, Feb 17

• Noon Exploring Microscopic Life, Clearwater Campus, NM 265
• 12:30 p.m. The Martian movie screening, Tarpon Springs Campus, Chris Sprowls Workforce Innovation Hub
• 6:30 p.m. Planetarium Show, St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus Planetarium
• 7:30 p.m. Night Sky Telescope Viewing, St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus, SC Rooftop

Wednesday, Feb 18

• 11 a.m. Strawberry DNA Extraction, Tarpon Springs Campus, FA Lobby
• 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Space Bus, Clearwater Campus
• 3:30 p.m. Talk by SPC Alum NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Adam Robinson, “Life Beyond Earth, and SPC: Charting a Path from SPC to the Unknown” Clearwater Campus, NM 201
• 4:30 p.m. Chemistry Magic Show, Clearwater Campus, NM 252

Thursday, Feb 19

• 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Space Bus, Tarpon Springs Campus, Chris Sprowls Workforce Innovation Hub
• 12:30 p.m. SSEP Student Panel, Tarpon Springs Campus, Chris Sprowls Workforce Innovation Hub
• 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Space Bus + Free Kona Ice, St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus, SC North Lot
• 2 p.m. The Martian Movie Screening, Seminole Campus, Digitorium
• 5 p.m. Chemistry Magic Show, St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus, SC 232
• 5:30 p.m. SSEP Mission Patch Design Award Ceremony (K-12 & College), St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus, SC 232