EDUCATION & General background
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Graduated in May, 1983 with a B.S. in
Biology and
a strong background in ecology. I have taken many CELSS specific classes
to further my skills in managing a CELSS.
Graduated in 1999 with a B.S. in Geology--and a geology grade point average of A.
EXPERIENCE
I have worked on developing a CELSS for many years. Initially experiments in gardening, then greenhouse operation, then a basement biosphere. Currently operating a semi-closed ecological system called Mars Base Zero capable of providing food, but not water or air.
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Sealed inside alone for the week
§
No food other than what was
available from the greenhouse garden
§
Harvesting food and tracking data
to maintain optimum nutrient levels
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Logging data onto the internet for
tracking by others worldwide
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Sealed inside alone for 39 days
§
No food other than what was
available from the greenhouse garden
§
Harvesting food and tracking data
to maintain optimum nutrient levels
§
Logging data onto the internet for
tracking by others worldwide
Design, construction and operation of ecosystem components, working towards an integrated system.
Responsibilities included:
o
Design of earthworm, aquatic, soil and
hydroponic systems
o
Building these systems
o
Designing experiments to determine the
operational parameters
o
Running the experiments and determining
what worked, what didn't (and why things didn't)
Responsibilities included:
o Design of crop systems: what and where to plant
o Design of greenhouse
o
Managing everything from planting to harvest
Lead gardener, building up from a small garden (10x20') to a large garden (30x80'). Responsibilities included:
o Design of crop systems:
§
What to plant (foods needed for a balance
diet)
§ Where to plant (what can be planted next to each other without comptetition problems)
o
Everything from plowing to harvesting:
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Determining the size garden to plow to
obtain the desired results--and then plowing it
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Planting the crops
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Making sure the weeding and watering was
done
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Harvesting in the fall
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Recording and analyzing the yield
§
Performing post-crop work (threshing the
wheat, for example)
In 1976 I planted a large enough garden to grow all the food needed for the winter.
REFERENCES
(Note: these references are primarily for general reference, rather than related specifically to CELSS experiences.)
Mike Powers, Administrator
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
1650 Cowles
Fairbanks, AK 99701
(907)451-3535 (work)
Evan Jones, Director of Alaska Ministries
1399 Springwater Dr.
Fairbanks
AK 99712
(907)457-3242 (home)
Department of Geology and Geophysics
University of Alaska Fairbanks
P.O. Box 755780
Fairbanks AK 99775-5780
(907)474-5514
The
current copyright laws protect this page, even though not specifically
copyrighted.
However
if you want to use portions of it feel free to do so, though I would
appreciate
it if you would acknowledge my authorship.
Last
updated spring 2007.