Chelen Johnson
C-CWEL (Continuing Cool WISE ExpLoration of BRC 38): Continuing on some work started by the C-WAYS team last year, this team is using Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) infrared images to search for newly forming stars in bright rimmed cloud (BRC) 38.
The best thing [of the Caltech trip] was working with the other participants and making progress as a team. My students were engaged and willing to be challenged.
I love learning about the myriad ways astronomers figure out how to make lemonade out of lemons. It almost seems like cheating sometimes, but it isn't. Astronomers are just so crafty when it comes to figuring out how to make the best use of the data they have.
My students now see themselves as capable of more than they had before but more importantly see themselves has having a future in the world they saw through the program. Attending the AAS is an important culmination of the experience that ties the importance of science research together and offers an important glimpse into a world of possibilities for students.