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Solar Max Prospectus

SOLAR MAX International Research Expedition Prospectus


Largest Ever Study of a Great North American Total Solar Eclipse

The Solar Max Research Project is an aspiring, pioneering, once in a lifetime research project for 30 Terry Fox Secondary students along with up to 10,000 students across the continent. This endeavour will result in the largest ever published study on the effects of the fascinating, spectacular and incredibly rare astronomical occurrence of a Great North American Total Solar Eclipse on a wide variety of living things at numerous zoos, aquariums, and farms across North America.

Total Solar Eclipses are a wonder of nature and have been a powerful experience for humans throughout history. In a span of minutes, on April 8, 2024, day will rapidly turn into night and the temperature will drop considerably, disrupting the natural rhythms of plants and animals potentially causing them to react in unusual and understudied ways. Plants may shut down photosynthesis and animals may become anxious and attempt to frantically carry out their evening routines. Previous total eclipse studies are rare and often conflicting. The Solar Max International Research Project will utilize a network of research scientists, along with many teachers and student volunteers, to coordinate a vast number of simultaneous observations with a special focus on minimizing the negative impacts of the eclipse on agriculture, especially indigenous farming practices.

NASA’s overview of what to expect during this total solar eclipse: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/2024/apr-8-total/overview/

Introduction: A Total Solar Eclipse occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun while the moon is relatively close in its orbit to the earth (near perigee). Total Solar Eclipses only happen globally once every 18 months or so, but many of them occur over the ocean or remote land masses making the opportunity for observations even more rare. In April 2024, perigee occurs just one day before the eclipse making the moon’s apparent size almost as large as possible (1.0566 times larger than the sun).

On April 8th, 2024, the near-ideal “Great North American Total Solar Eclipse” will be partially visible everywhere in North America, however the greatest effects will be seen along the relatively narrow ‘Path of Totality’.  The United States experienced a coast-to-coast total eclipse in 2017, but incredibly, the 2024 path will also cut for the first time through Canada since 1979 and Mexico since 1991. There will not be another total solar eclipse anywhere in North America for more than 20 years!

We are excited to announce an ambitious research field trip for 35 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) students from Terry Fox Secondary (TFS) to travel from Vancouver, British Columbia to Dallas, Texas. Of all the major cities with zoos in the Path of Totality, Dallas has the highest chance of clear skies and will serve as Central Operations of the international study.

With the help of our experienced eclipse research partners, we will organize 100 Dallas teachers along with 1000 Dallas students to conduct coordinated, novel research at the Dallas Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo and Dallas World Aquarium. Similar networks will be organized in other Canadian, US and Mexican cities with zoos/aquariums (Toronto, Montreal, Niagara, Buffalo, Indianapolis and Mazatlan). All students will be trained by North Carolina University professors in advance over zoom and will learn about research methodology, data collection protocol and proper observational techniques.

In addition to zoos and aquariums we will have a special focus on the reduction of negative effects on agriculture, especially on indigenous farming practices. We are seeking additional research partners and increased funding support of $100,000 to make this project a reality.

Goals:

  1. Minimize Agricultural Impacts: Prior to the eclipse, TFS students will research the effects of solar eclipses on a wide variety of living things including agricultural livestock and crops. Beginning September 2023, we will launch an information campaign aimed at minimizing the negative effects of the eclipse on agricultural production, especially in regards to indigenous farming practices. We recognize that indigenous farmers have a deep understanding of the land and it’s cycles, and that the eclipse may disrupt these cycles. We plan to work with local farmers to understand their concerns and offer support and solutions where possible.

 

  1. Conduct Novel Behavioral Research: During the eclipse, with the help of a team of experienced eclipse researchers from North Carolina State University, the 35 students from TFS will conduct innovative research at the Dallas Zoo on the effects of a total solar eclipse on living things. Our focus will be on how a wide variety of plant and animal species respond to the unique environmental conditions during the eclipse. This research will contribute to our understanding of the natural world and have implications for fields such as agriculture, ecology, biology, and astronomy. Our results will be published in a Peer-Reviewed Journal, thus making our students ‘real scientists’.

 

  1. Compile Internationally Coordinated Observations: After the eclipse and upon return to Vancouver, TFS students will work from April to June 2024 to help compile the many observations from our international partnerships with researchers, teachers and students across the continent. Our team of experts is in the process of creating a custom App to aid in the collection of a large number of observations. These observations will provide valuable data to supplement our research and allow us to compare and contrast the responses of different living things in different locations and across different eclipse events (including a study performed at the Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina in 2017).

 

  1. Evaluate the Impact of this Endeavor on Feelings of STEAM Interest, Competency and Academic and Career Trajectory: With our international partners, our students will not only collect data observing the effects of the eclipse on plants and animals, but they will also provide data on the effects of this project on their own interest in, feelings of competency with and influence on academic and career plans as they are influenced by participating in this research project. Simply put, a total solar eclipse is a rare and powerful event and participating in an international research experience during this already heightened emotional opportunity might influence students to become more engaged with STEAM pathways – potentially influencing students’ orientations toward fields in need of not only professional practitioners, but also in need of greater diversity. The students participating in this work are at precisely the age in which girls and students from historically underrepresented backgrounds start to substantially move away from STEAM fields. Potentially, participating in an intense research experience during this rare event could reverse this trend for some of them.

Solar Max Research Team: The team is growing rapidly and we are also seeking more partners. Specifically, we are looking for institutions and experts in the fields of ecology, biology, astronomy, photography and agriculture. Soon, we will be reaching out to Dallas, Toronto, Montreal, Niagara, Buffalo, Indianapolis and Mazatlan area teachers and students to multiply our efforts. Our partners will have the opportunity to contribute to the groundbreaking research, access the App and professional training, engage with students, and gain exposure through media coverage of the project.

Budget and Timeline: The Solar Max International Research Project has already begun and will span a total of 2 years. The Field Trip from Vancouver, BC to Dallas, Texas will take place April 6th-9th, 2024, coinciding with the Great North American Total Solar Eclipse on April 8th.

Previous Funding: The TFS STEAM Team is proud to have received the following seed funding:

  • $50,000 CDN – “STEAM For All” Grant – Library Makerspace – 2023
  • $20,000 CDN – School District 43 STEAM Program funding – 2020
  • $9,500 CDN – Best Buy Tech Grant Award Winners – 2020
  • $3,500 CDN – Maxine Wilson Grant for Citizen Science – 2020

Solar Max Budget:

Total Budget $65,734 App

$1000 Logo

$100,000 Trip

——————

$166,734 CDN

 Overall Solar Max Project Current Project Team:  TFS, SD43, UNC, SFU-IEL, RASC, CCES
Secured Grant – $65,734 CDN App Development University of North Carolina Grant
Donation -$1000 CDN Solar Max Logo Commission Maxine Wilson Donation
Student Fundraising (ongoing) -$3000 Raven’s Nest Store Sales Solar Max Team Sales:

  • Coffee
  • Freezies
  • Gatorade
  • Popsicles
  • Pop
Remaining $97,000 CDN TFS Solar Max Research Project Supporter Opportunities:

  • Logo on Website
  • Social Media Mentions
  • Traditional Media Exposure
  • Get Access to App
  • Receive Professional Training
  • Engage with Students
  • Contribute to The Research

 

We are seeking funding to reduce the student financial burden for the Solar Max International Research Expedition. We welcome contributions from organizations and individuals who share our vision of helping young students conduct valuable scientific research to support the natural world, agriculture and indigenous communities. Funding contributions will be recognized through media coverage of the project, on our website and in all project-related publications.

Timeline:

Phase 1: Pre-Eclipse Preparations

  • April 2023
    • Finalize Trip Itinerary [Complete]
    • Secure School Board Approval [Complete]
  • May 2023
    • Open Solar Max Registration [Complete]
    • Create Custom Solar Max 2024 Logos [Complete, see top of page]
  • May 2023 – Sept 2023 increase partnerships (Dallas Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Dallas World Aquarium, Toronto Zoo, Buffalo Zoo, Indianapolis Zoo, UBC, Douglas College, U of T, Texas A&M, etc.) complete grant proposals (NSERC, Space STEM, STAN, etc.), raise $38,000
  • Sept– Dec 2023 – Purchase promotional materials and research equipment. Organize groups of teachers and students in other cities. Continue to increase partnerships and raise another $40,000
  • Jan – April 5, 2024 – Train teachers/students on use of the App. Raise $30,000

Phase 2: Solar Max Eclipse Observations

  • April 6 – 9th – Solar Max Research in Dallas and across the continent.

Phase 3: Journal Publication

  • April 10th – June 30, 2024 – TFS Students Compile International Observations
  • July – Dec 2024 – Complete 1st draft of publication with research partners
  • Jan 2025 – March 2025 – Revisions
  • April 8, 2025 – Publish article in a Peer-Reviewed Journal

Conclusion: The Solar Max International Research Project represents a truly once in a lifetime opportunity to engage academics, teachers and students in valuable, real-world research that will contribute to our understanding of the natural world while supporting agriculture and indigenous farming practices. We believe this endeavour will spark curiosity, build a strong scientific foundation, create a deep connection to the fragile planet we call home, and empower the next generation to take on the world’s biggest challenges. Ultimately, the full long-term impact of a project this large will be immeasurable and delightfully infinite.

We are excited to work with research partners and funders to make this project a reality. Please reach out to discuss and review this incredible opportunity  ecsuka@sd43.bc.ca

Sincerely,

Edward Csuka

STEAM Program Coordinator

Terry Fox Secondary

https://terryfox.sd43.bc.ca/steam/mr-csukas-page/

https://terryfox.sd43.bc.ca/steam/
https://www.instagram.com/tfsteam43/

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