AAS - 2022

The Winter American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting is usually the largest meeting of professional astronomers in the world. NITARP educators attend an AAS first to meet their team, then they go home and work remotely for much of the year, and then attend an AAS to present their results. At any given AAS, then, we could have two NITARP classes attending - those finishing up, and those getting started. Reload to see a different set of quotes.

The 2020/21 and 2022 NITARP teams had planned to attend the 2022 January AAS meeting in Salt Lake City, UT. However, the meeting was entirely cancelled due to COVID. We still have this special article about the NITARP teams finishing and starting up. All of the posters from the 2020/21 teams we presented are here. Most of the 2020/21 teams came instead to the June 2022 AAS meeting in Pasadena, CA instead. Those posters were iPosters, so the PDF versions that are here are still the versions from Jan 2022, but the numbers are from June 2022.

Science Poster - 101.18 Strasburger et al., "OIRMA: Optical-Infrared Reverberation Mapping of AGN"
Education Poster - 242.05 Sharif et al., "Bringing Experiential Education into the Classroom"
Education Poster - 242.02 Rodriguez et al., "Promoting Student Interest in Astronomy Using Student-Delivered Professional Development"
Science Poster - 406.05 Rodriguez et al, "Visible and IR Light Curve Variability Analysis of Young Stellar Objects in IC417"
Science Poster - 406.06 Urbanowski et al., "Cataloging and Analysis of Young Stellar Objects in the Spider Nebular (IC 417) Using Archival Visible and Infrared Data"
Alumni poster - 242.04 Blackwell, "Opening of New Observatory Facility at Phillips Exeter Academy"
Alumni talk - 212.03 Granucci, "Authentic Astronomy Research Hybrid Course - A method to reach all level of learners in astronomy"
Alumni poster (Jan only) - Rutherford, "Sixteen Years of Astronomy Research at Sullivan South High School" (submitted to Salt Lake City, not going to Pasadena)

The 2022 class got started on Jan 9, just before when the winter AAS would have been held. There are two teams in 2022.

Quotes

I am pursuing personal growth in terms of introductory level gathering of spectroscopic data and its analysis. I am pursuing knowledge and skill to transform my theoretical understandings of astronomy into practical real-world, data-driven inquiries for my students… variable star observing, color imaging, astrometric tracking of asteroids, etc.
[student:] One important thing NITARP has taught me is when working in a group environment, disseminate work to other people rather than trying to take on the whole load of the project by myself. In NITARP, it would’ve been impossible for one person to do all of the work, and splitting everything up made the whole project work more effectively and efficiently. I am going to try and carry this strategy into other group work I do in school.
I use spreadsheets much more now. I do this because the kids need spreadsheet skills that they’re not getting through direct instruction in the “foundations of technology” classes. I also do it because aggregating and parsing data are defining STEM skills and kids shouldn’t have to wait for college before they start doing it.
[student:] I always used to think astronomy and research, in general, was a very cutthroat, individual field where it’s every scientist for themselves. But through NITARP, it’s become clear to me that astronomy is nothing like this at all. The whole goal of this field is to work together to create a greater understanding of our universe. Everyone is collaborative, encouraging, and happy to help you learn.
[student:] I have always wanted to be an engineer, and although NITARP hasn’t changed that ultimate goal, it has given me an extreme passion for research. Now, I want to get involved with undergraduate research as soon as possible in college, and without NITARP, I don’t think that interest would have emerged.

AAS - 2022

Quotes

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