STEMarts Lab is thrilled to be partnering with TCA to curate a space-themed Science on the Screen evening. Space Botanist, Jacob Pepperseed Torres, is a native Northern New Mexican from Española who worked with the NASA plant science team to grow NM Chile in space during Plant Habitat (PH)-04. In discussing a movie to complement his talk about his work in Astrobotany, he selected the movie, The Martian. NASA will grow crops to supplement astronauts diets during missions to space, the moon and eventually mars. Jacob introduces the movie which depicts a story about the character Mark Watney, an astronaut who is stranded on Mars and grows sweet potatoes in the environment to survive. Sweet potato growth shown in the movie is based on real science by Plant Physiologist Dr. Ray Wheeler who is part of the NASA Space Biology team that Jacob researched with. Join Jacob for an introduction to the science behind the movie and space farming.

April 12, 2024 | 7:00 pm | Taos Center for the Arts

About Jacob Pepperseed Torres

Jacob Torres is the New Mexico Native who worked with NASA to grow New Mexico Chile as the first fruit in microgravity and is the Principal Investigator for The Space Chile Grow a Pepper Plant Challenge. An engineer by education, Horticultural Scientist by profession, Jacob has researched with the NASA Space Biology team at Kennedy Space Center since 2018. Starting as a student intern, he implemented rapid prototyping, engineering, and horticultural science to fulfill 17 NASA Space Plant Biology experiments. Currently transitioning to fulfilling a doctorate at UNM starting Fall 2024, Jacob is working in his home community in Northern New Mexico to share the Space Chile story and inspire STEAM disciplines in schools.

STEMarts Lab Youth in Space

As part of our STEMarts Youth in Space |Taos Chapter, we are connecting Taos youth with space experts. We offer interactive experiences in topics like astrobiology, astrophysics, space law, and satellite design. Our mission? To ignite the imaginations of young minds through art, science, and technology, all centered around space exploration, science and policy. Our goal is to prepare our youth leaders who will shape the future of space exploration in this exciting second space age. Special thanks to the Lor Foundation for funding this new initiative.