The University of Arizona's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, also known as HiRISE, has been mapping the surface of Mars since November 8, 2006.

The camera is on-board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and it has provided a detailed image library of the red planet's surface. The operations center for the project is located at the U of A, where the staff carries out the day-to-day activities.

Audrie Fennema is an operations specialist with the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. She explains that the university, being a land-grant institution, has as its mission to serve the public. Now, the team at the operations center is initiating an online tool to enlist the help of the general public in processing the huge amount of data that has been compiled.

“So we came out today to Flowing Wells High School to tell the students a little bit about HiRISE,” she says after a recent presentation to students. “We also want to tell students about the new image suggestion tool that we are going to be releasing to the public.” Fennema says that this collaboration benefits the scientists, and "we want the public to use it. We call it the 'people's camera,' so hopefully they’ll have some good suggestions… and some good feedback on our tool."

The project is still in the beta-testing phase, but for the newly-formed astronomy club here at Flowing Wells the opportunity to collaborate with the HiRISE team is a world-class science experience.

(Story by Luis Carrión)