280 Planetary Exploration and Education: How We Learn About Our Solar System and Beyond
This session links how we teach and learn about the solar system to how we have gained that information (i.e., space missions). Descriptions of teaching activities/courses, and strategies for working with students are encouraged.
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
HBGCC, 214B
Planetary Surface Exploration Teaching and Outreach with Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles
Paper number: 280-4
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 2:30 PM – 2:50 PM
Authors
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Timothy Goudge Presenting AuthorJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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Mariel NelsonJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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Medha PrakashJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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Leah TurnerJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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Jasmine GulickJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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Eleanor CoteJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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Jessica BentJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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Eric HiattJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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Rhianna MooreJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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Morgan CarringtonJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
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Abdallah ZakiJackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Abstract
Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have emerged over the past decade as an important tool for studying geoscience problems, including in planetary science for terrestrial analog research and planetary surface exploration. In addition to their appeal as research tools, UAVs offer an exciting platform for enhancing teaching and outreach in the Earth and planetary sciences. Here we detail two efforts at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) to use UAVs as unique teaching and outreach tools for planetary surface exploration. Both efforts make use of previously existing programming for teaching and outreach, but add a specific focus on UAVs and planetary exploration.
The first effort is a module run through GeoFORCE Texas, a summer education program managed by the Jackson School of Geosciences at UT. GeoFORCE Texas provides >500 high school students each summer with unique outdoor learning experiences centered on geoscience concepts. GeoFORCE Texas is organized by year, with rising 12th grade students participating in thematic, one-week research modules. We have created and led one of these modules, entitled “Monitoring Coastal Change with UAVs.” Students in this module focus on understanding the efficacy of different UAV-based monitoring techniques (e.g., lidar, SfM) for assessing landscape change at a field site on the Texas coast. Participating students consistently express significant interest in learning about monitoring planetary landscape change and UAV-use, highlighting the ability of this tool to excite high school students about Earth and planetary exploration.
The second effort is an activity organized as part of the larger STEM Girl Day at UT Austin, which opens UT’s campus to >15,000 K-8th grade students (and their families, educators, and caregivers), where they can engage with STEM-focused activities. As a part of this event, we organized an activity called “Exploring 3D Landscapes across the Solar System.” At our activity we showcase eight 3D prints of landscapes across Earth and Mars, which we pair with 2D, planform images of the same landscapes. Student participants are encouraged to match the 3D print with the corresponding 2D image, including matching the appropriate orientation, challenging students’ spatial perception skills. Past work has shown that 3D prints can be an effective tool for teaching students about landscape topography, and our experience with several hundred K-8th grade student participants anecdotally confirms this conclusion.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6
doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-414306
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