Space exploration expert tackles trips to Mars in public lecture

When will we go to Mars and how will we get there?

Find out when renowned space exploration and Mars settlement theorist Dr Robert Zubrin presents a free public lecture in Mayne Hall at The University of Queensland at 7.30pm on Saturday, March 18.

The presentation will be the first in the inaugural 2000 UniQuest Lecture Series - an initiative of the new Young Engineers University of Queensland group (YEUQ) established by the Institution of Engineers, Australia.

Dr Zubrin is the author of two books - The Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must and Entering Space: Creating a Spacefaring Civilisation.

An astronautical engineer, he is the inventor of several unique concepts for space propulsion and exploration and the author of more than 100 published technical and non-technical papers in the field.

NASA recently adapted Dr Zubrin's human-to-Mars mission plan. He holds masters degrees in aeronautics and astronautics and a doctorate in nuclear engineering.

A former senior engineer at Lockheed Martin, Dr Zubrin is the president of the Mars Society, and the founder of Pioneer Astronautics, a successful space exploration and development firm.

Prior to his work in astronautics, Dr Zubrin was employed in areas of thermonuclear fusion research, nuclear engineering, radiation protection and as a high school teacher. He lives with his family in Indian Hills, Colorado.

Details of Dr Zubrin's visit are available at the website: .

For more information, contact Young Engineers Queensland president Jason Hoogland (telephone 3365 4251 or 0413 300 887).