Astrobiology education and outreach: New interdisciplinary initiatives with undergraduate GE and an "AstroBiology Society"

In 1998, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) was selected as one of the 11 initial member institutions (5 of which are universities) of the NASA Astrobiology Institute. Concurrently, in 1998-99 UCLA introduced a unique and innovative General Education cluster course, GE 70ABC: Evolution of the Cosmos and Life. This paper outlines some of the GE 70 content and objectives, with particular emphasis placed on the GE 70C seminar course component called Life in the Cosmos, designed and offered by the author during the Spring 1999 quarter. A primary education & outreach outcome of all this has been the founding of a promising student-oriented AstroBiology Society at UCLA.