MDRS Crew 70
March 30, 2008 - April 12, 2008
Daily Crew Reports

Crew 70 is another very international crew at the MDRS, comprising a Chinese (Hong Kong), an American, two Belgians, a Persian, and a German crewmember, who between them, speak 10 languages. To take advantage of this, the daily journalists report will be available in Farsi as well as English every day and may also be available in other languages, depending whose arm the journalist manages to twist.

Name	Speciality
Boris Yim Shing Yik	Commander
Guerric de Crombrugghe	Crew Engineer / Astronomer
Céline Parascan	Crew Engineer / GPR Magnetometer Project
Elnaz Ghasemi	Crew Engineer / Radio Telescope Operator
Jan Gruber	Crew Biologist / Health & Safety Officer
Violette Manning	Chief Engineer

Boris Yim Shing Yik	Shing-Yik Yim (Boris) is a recent graduate of a master in aerospace at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and earned a bachelor in physics in his home town Hong Kong. After this MDRS mission, he will be a CAD engineer near Atlanta. During his undergraduate exchange to the University of Waterloo, Canada, he took courses in geology, underground water and anthropology for better understanding of human evolution to exploration of Mars. His graduate study focused on spacecraft technology, orbit analysis, mission design and analysis, and satellite system engineering. His research includes global satellite Internet, satellite imagery ground station placement optimization, simulation of eclipsing binary star system and other topics in physics. His interest in space development to advance the status of human civilization comes from the vision of mankind's future vast in expanse of space and time, infinite in potential, adventure, hope, and promise of new world and new technologies. He was the international first place winner of the "Why Mars" contest by the Mars Society, compiled the piano score of the Martian anthem "The Pioneers of Mars", and was also involved in the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, Waterloo Space Society, space elevator, rockets and solar UAV team in the university. He has the privilege to meet quite a few astronauts including several Chinese taikonauts, and be a close friend of an Apollo 13 Capcom. Activities he has enjoyed include hiking, camping, swimming, biking, diving, skydiving, stargazing, telescope making, traveling, programing, machining, experimenting, playing the piano, watching Star Wars and building radio controlled electric airplanes.
Guerric de Crombrugghe	Guerric de Crombrugghe is studying in the 2nd Bachelor Civil Engineer at the Polytechnical School of Louvain of the Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium. He chose electricity-mechanics as his orientation, in order to conceive robots that will travel all over the solar system. Guerric has always been passionate about astronomy, but he recently became more concerned with Mars exploration. When he saw it was possible to contribute to the story, he immediately jumped in. Especially that kind of contribution: there is nothing he likes more than challenging projects with "hard work, no pay, but eternal glory." He also participated in 2006 in the 9th Student Parabolic Flight Campaign of the European Student Education Programme with an experiment called "Propagation capillaire en milieu non-linéaire."
Céline Parascan	Céline Parascan is a Civil Engineering student at the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) in Belgium). Summer 2000: Céline took part in a space camp at the Euro Space Center (in Belgium). Her interest for space was picked at this time: she now wants to be the first woman on Mars! Later, she hopes to begin her career on the space side of the Aerospace industry. In her spare time, Céline likes dancing (especially tap dance), going out, playing volleyball, listening rock and pop music, spending time with her family and friends, going abroad and meeting new people, ... and she's a member of Belgian Scouts. She is also preparing her training for licensed pilot and a sky-diver."
Elnaz Ghasemi	Elnaz Ghasemi was born in Tehran, Iran. Her enthusiasm and passion for astronomy and space became apparent as a young girl as she found amusement in anything pertinent to outer space. In the later stages of her academic life, galvanized by her acquired knowledge, Elnaz was able to further enhance her passion and commitment for a long term goal. A goal that would see her become part of tomorrow's space related innovations and explorations. Elnaz studies Electrical Engineering at the University of Toronto and is currently completing her Professional Experience Year (PEY) as a research assistant. She participates and is involved in space-related activities as the communications director of Astronomy and Space Exploration Society at the University of Toronto and is the sole member of Saturn Observation Campaign, NASA's Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn, in Toronto. In addition to above, as a part-time tutor, Elnaz assists high school students on their physics course. At her leisure time and aside from her academic devotion and the zeal for astronomy and space, Elnaz seeks pleasure in writing, playing the piano, traveling and spending time with her loved ones.
Jan Gruber	Jan Gruber's plans to become an astronaut where squashed at a young age when he was fitted with his first pair of glasses. Ever since he has been interested in both the exploration of space and ways overcoming human biological limitations. It was the former interest that led him to enroll in a physics degree at the RWTH Aachen, Germany. However, after a year spend at Cambridge University (UK) and completing part III (math), he decided to focus his efforts on the biological applications of science. He spend five wonderful years in the Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics at the University of Oxford, where he obtained first his M.Sc. and later doctorate in Biophysics / Biochemistry. Since 2005 he is a postdoctoral research fellow in the group of Professor Barry Halliwell at the National University of Singapore. There, he is trying to understand the role of free radicals and mitochondria in ageing in the nematode worm C. elegans. He is still passionate about space exploration.
Violette Manning	Violette Manning is an undergraduate college student who plans to earn a bachelor's of science degree in computer or electrical engineering. Her long term goals include graduate school with a focus on applying computer/electrical engineering with elements of computer science, nanotechnology, and bioengineering to develop a means of nanoscale cybernetic interface between the human central nervous system and electronic components. Violette has been involved in many research efforts, including microgravity experiments at NASA and reverse engineering of electronics. She has also had several years experience as a student lab technician in the biotechnology industry. Much of the extracurricular research she's been involved in has been aerospace related research. Violette is very passionate about space exploration. She plans to be an astronaut (though prioritizes developing an engineering career before applying), and would like to visit Mars. In her spare time, Violette plays classical piano, paintball, and works on learning information security career skills and computer programming.

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