Irene Schneider Puente E-Mail: sschneid@geosc.psu.edu, ihrenes@yahoo.com | Home || Public Appearances || Publications || Resume || Academic CV ||

Biography Irene Schneider Puente was born in Madrid, Spain, where she went to the Universidad Autonoma in Madrid to study Pure Physics, continuing later in the U.S.A. to graduate with a bachelor in Science, in Physics (with honors) from the University of South Florida, Tampa. Nominated  "Student of the Year" in 1998 by the American Physical Society, she was later awarded a research internship at the Fermi National Laboratory near Chicago, Ill. Following this, she won an invitation to attend the CERN Particle Accelerator School in Geneva, Switzerland. She then earned a full doctoral research award in the field of Nuclear Physics at the Nuclear Physics Institute in the Netherlands. Irene holds a Masters degree in Geosciences from the Pennsylvania State University with a specialty in Astrobiology. Her research is focused around planet Mars and its surface radiation environments in collaboration with Professor James Kasting and Dr. Francis Cucinotta of the NASA Johnson Space Center. She is also a member of the NASA Virtual Planetary Laboratory, a group of distinguished scientists whose main goal is to understand how habitable other planets might be around other suns. In addition, Ms. Puente has been a public speaker at scientific meetings such as "The Advanced Space Suit Symposium" at the Mars Society International convention and has been invited twice to be a guest on the "Space Show" a world renowned web based radio show where prominent space personalities are interviewed to discuss current space issues. Irene speaks Spanish, English, some very forgotten German and colloquial French and is a member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), American Nuclear Society, The Planetary Society, and The Mars Society. She enjoys the company of friends, swimming and is an avid snow skier!

News !! Click here to view some of the videos!! Irene has been invited to the Executive Advisory Board of The Astronaut Teacher Alliance to participate in the proposal to develop the largest international center for Astrobiology and Space Studies in an International Initiative of Space Sciences as Director for Radiation studies.  This research and educational center will be developed at the Atacama Desert, Chile, with the active participation of world class institutions, top scientists in the respective fields, and the Chilean academic community. In this center the following programs will take place as well as others yet to be defined: 1] A lunar base analogue to test operational protocols, pioneering space technologies as well as space suits. 2] A Mars base analogue to test operational protocols, pioneering space technologies as well as space suits. 3] A center of excellence for the education & training of students from middle school all the way to colleges for future astronaut crews. 4] On going workshops in Astrobiology, Space Studies and education outreach including media outreach & educational documentaries. 5] Radiation center for field studies and simulation of operational protocols for human space missions. The project is currently in its definition phase and proposal preparation. .. June 20th. We got great news! Irene and her team have WON the NASA proposal to develop a full scale simulation for a lunar manned based in the US. The base will be developed in the North Dakota Badlands with NASA funding, and design and construct 2 pressurized state of the art habitats, 1 rover, 1 pressurized rover, 2 NDX prototype planetary space suits and will be developed during the next 3 years. Congratulations to all the team, Pablo de Leon (space suit designer), Andy Daga (space habitats engineer), Gary Harris (space suit designer), Daniel Ewert and the rest of the people who will be helping us in this cutting edge fascinating simulation!! Irene is currently looking for sponsorships who would like to support her participation. Media coverage will include The National Geographic, EuropaPress, The Space Show and many more to be announced & coming soon. Please contact her directly for an in depth presentation of the project currently under definition phase. … … … March 2009. Irene has been invited by the University of North Dakota to act as independent consultant to address the issues of space radiation as part of a proposal to NASA to develop a large scale simulated Moon base. If the team is selected the base will be developed in the North Dakota Badlands with NASA funding, and design and construct 2 presurized state of the art habitats, 1 rover, 1 presurized rover, 2 NDX prototype planetary space suits and will be developed during the next 3 years starting this August! Wish us luck to get selected!! … … … The Space Show. 19th Dec. 2008. The Space Show invited Irene once more to run a live special on the effects of cosmic radiation on Mars for future manned space missions and the radiation received by the Phoenix mission during its 5 months of operation.  To listen to the show (free of charge) go to Space Show website at: www.thespaceshow.com ... … … 7/10/07 - Bioastronomy Irene presented her research at the Bioastronomy 2007 meeting held in Puerto Rico. The submitted paper will soon be published in the conference proceedings in the Astronomical  Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series. The abstract can be seen at the link below. http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/UHNAI/bioast07-poster-session2.html … … … 4/15/07 - NASA-MDRS Expedition Irene Schneider was selected by NASA/Mars Society as crew physicist for the expedition 61 for the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS). The expedition and simulation exercise was a great success. MDRS Crew 61/Spaceward Bound Crew Five, was a two week mission simulation carried out in the dessert of Utah where NASA in collaboration with The Mars Society, runs their simulations for future manned missions to the red planet. There she developed and helped implement EVA emergency radiation protocols. http://marssociety.org/mdrs/fs06/0414/sum.asp

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Last Updated: 14th Dec. 2008.
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