MDRS Crew 31
December 18 - January 2, 2005

During the active field season, the crew of the Mars Desert Research Station rotates every 2 weeks. These are the scientists and engineers who live and work on site within the MDRS. They explore all of the facets of human exploration in a simulated Mars environment. The MDRS will be active for a 7 month period.

Name	Speciality
Louise Wynn	Commander & Geophysics
Ryan Anderson	MDRS Advancement
Andrew Bingham	Engineering & Astronomy
Mary Froeba	Geology
Isaiah Harp	Logistics & Engineering
Nicholas J. Perino	Biology & Ecology

Louise Wynn	Louise Wynn, a veteran of MDRS Crew 24 and FMARS Crew 9, holds degrees in English and linguistics. After working as a writer, editor, and college professor, she has gone back to school to learn more. She hopes never to get tired of learning and, ever the optimist, wants to learn more about the rock formations around the MDRS Hab by completing the geophysical survey she started last February. Louise raised five kids while living on the northern edge of the Venezuelan jungle and the western edge of the Saudi desert. One thing she learned doing that, and re-learned as a Mars analogue crewmember, is that taking care of the people and the planet around us, whether Earth or Mars, comes first. To that end, her goal with Crew 31 is to help crewmembers accomplish their research objectives while learning more about how humans can make Mars their home -- and space their future.
Ryan Anderson	Ryan Anderson received two degrees from the University of Ottawa, in April of 2004: a BASc in Mechanical Engineering, and a BSc in Computer Technology. While at University he undertook an undergraduate design thesis which researched Environmental Control and Life Support Systems for a Mars Direct Earth Return Vehicle, which he hopes will be a launching point for a career in spacecraft design. During his time at University, Ryan worked two years as a teaching assistant for a first year design class, organized and developed leadership conferences, and initiated a field lacrosse team. Ryan's current full time occupation is the care of his two month old daughter, Kaitlyn.
Andrew Bingham	Andrew Bingham is a 19 year old native of Enosburg Falls, VT, a small town of 2000 people located in what sometimes seems like the middle of nowhere. With the stars and planets clearly visible from his backyard, Andrew became interested in manned space exploration at the age of 7 and has never had his feet firmly on the ground since. Andrew is currently pursuing an Honors degree in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at Clarkson University, and plans to go on to graduate school for Astronautical Engineering while at the same time working on the next generation of manned space vehicles. Andrew believes that firsthand exploration is the key to the continued expansion of human knowledge and society. From serving as a crew member on a 130-foot schooner off the coast of Maine for eight days to exploring the diverse ecosystems of the Everglades, he has patterned his own education after this belief. Spending two weeks simulating a Mars mission is a dream come true for Andrew, who became aware of The Mars Society in 1999 and has read both "The Case for Mars" and "Mars on Earth". In October, Andrew presented a poster on a concept entitled "Deployment of an Interstellar Exploration System" at the 6th Annual Meeting of the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts in Seattle, WA. He has been selected to return as a Phase II Student Fellow and give an oral presentation on his concept at the NIAC Fellows Meeting in Atlanta in the spring. This unique opportunity has allowed Andrew to make this first of what he hopes to be many contributions to the space exploration community. In his free time, Andrew enjoys reading, writing, looking at the stars, and talking about space with anyone who will listen. Photography represents an important artistic outlet, with many interesting possibilities available at MDRS. Andrew's family is an important part of his life, and he is leaving behind his mother and three sisters, as well as his father and grandparents, during the holiday season. Their support throughout the process of applying and preparing for MDRS has been invaluable. Click Here for Andrew's personal weblog of his Martian adventures.
Mary Froeba	Mary "Frog" Froeba was born in Grapevine, Texas, in 1985, but could never stay there. She has made temporary addresses all over, especially in Australia. She loves to travel and explore new places. Recently, she coaxed herself into staying still long enough to earn a degree (or three) in Texas. She currently attends Austin Community College with the intention of transferring to a four-year college. With her first semester completed, she has high expectations for herself in the future. Mary joined the Mars Society after a friend summarized for her Robert Zubrin's The Case for Mars. She attended the Mars Society conference in Chicago in August. She's excited about being Crew Geologist, and what she lacks in education she makes up for in determination and hard work. Aside from geology and its related subjects, she is interested in the political and social sciences and likes to dabble with cars on the occasion.
Isaiah Harp	Isaiah Harp is currently a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin double-majoring in a challenging liberal arts honors program called Plan II, and Physics with a focus on Space Sciences. He chose these two majors because of his firm belief in the intrinsic worth of an intellectually balanced person. He reads as much superstring theory as classics of literature and philosophy; he finds his physics textbooks, Nabokov, and Plato equally engaging. Nothing excites him more than learning and exploration. When he was 18, Isaiah backpacked solo through Guatemala and Honduras, learning to scuba dive off the island of Utila. He is an active participant in nature and the mysterious experience of life in general. He has several years of construction experience, and looks forward to doing anything he can to improve the Hab. He rejects unqualified scientific materialism and moral relativism as incoherent and contradictory. And he plans on convincing a lot of people, very soon, to finance his inevitable vacation to Mars. Isaiah also thinks people should not ever give up on dreams and adventures.
Nicholas J. Perino	Born on the 22nd day of December in the bicentennial year of American Independence, Nicholas J. Perino currently lives in Mount Vernon, NY with his wife, Stephanie. Trained in biological science, he presently continues his studies as a candidate for a Master's degree at Lehman college in the Bronx where he is planning a research thesis to evaluate rainwater flow dynamics over external surfaces of the plant species Hosta. Nicholas is a science teacher of five years to public school seventh graders in the Bronx, and he takes great pride in the fact that he has the opportunity to inspire young people to love science and want to study space. In addition to his professional endeavors, Nick is a man of many passions. He is a guitarist/song writer and is currently recording his first CD as the rock band "the Nevers" (influenced by the Beatles, Pearl Jam, Sponge) Nick has played in several rock bands over the past 10 years. He is an avid writer who keeps a daily journal of thoughts, essays, opinions, events narratives, sketches and poetry. He is also in the formative stages of composing a book of essays designed to help young adults to understand and marvel at the vast and awesome universe that we are part of. Nick is an American history and political junkie. He enjoys careful study of the heroic age of the American founders and the building of an American identity that followed. Nicholas has chosen to dedicate a significant portion of his attention to the Mars Society because his deepest core values include the belief that the human species is destined to push ever outward into the cosmos; peacefully bringing Earth's brand of life out to the rest of the Universe. He long ago has internalized the fact that the planet Mars is (among other things) a new world bound to be the first extraterrestrial home to the curious and energetic inhabitants of Earth . Even the crudest extrapolation of the patterns of history points to the fact that our species is destined to colonize the heavenly spheres. We have the means and the calling. Mars beckons with promises of knowledge, challenge, clues, experience, adventure, freedom, secrets and riches. Nick is humbled by the small role he has the opportunity to play in our march towards Mars. His fondest memories with the Mars Society include having the New York chapter of MS (Paul Contursi) visit his school and give a power point presentation to his students regarding the Mars Society's vision and ideas. Also, Nick has enjoyed lobbying literally side by side with Dr. Robert Zubrin in our nation's capitol in support of the New Vision for NASA in July 2004. Nick's aspirations in life include raising a family with his wife Stephanie, writing books (history, science), teaching Planetary studies or the history of Astronomy, obtaining a Master's degree in American history and getting involved in public service. Along the way, Nick derives inspiration from a few of his heroes: Stephanie, John Adams, Victor Hugo, Carl Sagan and Charles Darwin.