Mars is the closest match to the Earth of all the planets and the most obvious target for colonisation, but it isn't very like the Earth.  'Terraforming' is the process of planetary scale engineering to make another planet more Earth-like. 

Simon will talk about what could be done to Mars to make it more Earth-like, how we might do this, and consider if any ideas are at all reasonable?

About the speaker: Prof. Simon Goodwin

Simon is a Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics in the Astronomy Group in the Department of Astronomy at Sheffield University.

His research interests are Star formation and the evolution of young star clusters.

He loves to travel to as many different places as possible.

http://www.sgoodwin.net/Simons_pages/Home.html