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Bringing Mars to Southwest Michigan

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Jim Montgomery is a rocket scientist. A native of Michigan's Great Southwest, he developed a keen interest in science while watching NASA missions to the moon as a student in the South Haven Public Schools and now he wants to pay back his alma mater by returning to share recent results from America's latest mission to Mars.

Montgomery is a member of the South Haven High School Class of 1982 who turned his fascination with science into a career with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. After graduating high school here in Southwest Michigan, Jim advanced his learning with a Bachelors degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan in 1986 and both his Masters and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Southern California in 1992 and 1999, respectively.

A year later, in 2000, Montgomery got his dream job of exploring the universe when he joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and has been a member of the Mars Science Laboratory team since 2006. Currently he services as a Lander Vision Systems Engineer on the Mars 2020 and Europa Lander missions.

Next Thursday, August 18th, Jim returns home to Southwest Michigan to present an overview and the recent results from America's latest mission to Mars, the Mars Science Laboratory and the Curiosity Rover. It was the Mars Science Laboratory that delivered the 2,000 pound rover to the Martian surface four years ago on August 5, 2012. Curiosity has made numerous discoveries since that landing. 

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Jim's presentation will include a slide show with movies about the Mars Science Laboratory and Curiosity. Additionally, the show at South Haven High School's Listiak Auditorium will preview a new landing system that may be used on the next rover mission to Mars in 2020, a possible Europa lander mission in the mid 2020s and other future robotic and human missions to the moon, Mars, asteroids, comets, and other planetary bodies. The address will also set aside time for questions and answers from the audience at the end. 

Admission to the special presentation on Mars is free for all students with a suggested $10 donation for adults with the money benefiting the South Haven Public School Foundation. 

Showtime for Exploring Mars & Beyond is 6:30pm on Thursday, August 18th at the Listiak Auditorium of South Haven High School. 

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