A Mars expert from Nasa will visit Bermuda High School for Girls to speak with pupils from across the island.

Sarah Milkovich, a planetary geologist at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will also make a presentation, “Is there life on Mars?” next Tuesday, at 5.30pm.

The engineer works on spacecraft operations is the science operations development lead for the Mars 2020 Rover, which will seek signs of ancient life on Mars.

Dr Milkovich has previously worked in the Mars Science Laboratory (the Curiosity Rover), the Mars Phoenix Lander, the Cassini-Huygens Spacecraft at Saturn, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, where she was the investigation scientist for the HiRISE camera.

She has won JPL and Nasa team awards for her efforts to return the best possible science within spacecraft engineering constraints.

Dr Milkovich will present her journey and the work she is doing for Nasa at BHS on Monday and Tuesday next week to various year groups and classes.

All senior schools on island have been invited to send students to an assembly on Tuesday.

The public is invited to the lecture on Tuesday evening in the Queen Elizabeth Hall. E-mail leadingtheway@bhs.bm to book your place.