Chelen Johnson
The goal of SHIPs (Searching Herschel Images for Protostars) is to find and identify stars in the earliest phases of formation in NGC 281, a.k.a. "the pac-man nebula". These stars will help us understand the history of the star formation process in that region.
I think this [AAS] trip is a crucial part of the program. I learned so much about the many different telescopes, enjoyed the historical presentations, and found the exposure to the more specific research to be beneficial, even if I didn't understand that much about the research itself. It was also a great chance to meet scientists as well as other educators.
I think the best thing about the trip was working with an actual research scientist (Luisa Rebull) at the Spitzer Science Center. This is a unique opportunity that not very many teachers and high school students get.
The networking is amazing. I could call up another NITARP teacher at the drop of my hat and just have a conversation. It’s awesome—the network you build with people who are just as curious and fired up as you are.
