VANCOUVER, Wash. — An educational DVD-ROM developed over the last four years by faculty and students at Washington State University Vancouver and West Virginia University was released this month by University of Pennsylvania Press.
Designed for school, home or library use, “Red Planet: Scientific and Cultural Encounters with Mars” includes text, photos, film clips, video interviews and cultural memoirs that depict society’s relationship and fascination with the fourth planet from the sun and the seventh largest. WSU Vancouver’s Harrison Higgs, Michelle Kendrick and Jeannette Okinczyc with a cadre of English and electronic-media students helped with research and production of the electronic textbook, working with faculty and students from WVU and University of British Columbia.
Higgs directs WSU Vancouver’s Multimedia Application Research Studio and teaches courses in fine arts. An artist and designer, he was hired in 1997 to develop interdisciplinary and collaborative multimedia projects. The Mars project developed from a brainstorming effort with Kendrick and WVU’s Robert Markley.
Kendrick is an assistant professor of English and director of WSU Vancouver’s electronic-media and culture program. Okinczyc, a WSU graduate and employee of WSU Vancouver’s information services, served as the project’s art director.
Screenshots and a project preview are available online at www.mariner10.com. The DVD-ROM is available from University of Pennsylvania Press and bookstores.
ah130-01
