Chelen Johnson
Investigtating Moving-group Photometry and Understanding Lightcurve Structures (IMPULS) will be studying rotation rates of stars in the young nearby Beta Pic Moving Group.
I was surprised [during the summer visit] with the speed with which my students increased their proficiency with the tools we are using -- especially Python programming! My students acted very independently and hardly ever needed me to suggest something for them to do next; many times they were already anticipating the next tasks and trying to figure out how to do it!
Science in the classroom can get so abstract, and after 20 years of teaching, I want to find out how people are using all of this math I'm talking about in class. I've always had an obsession with astronomy and physics, so NITARP is perfect for me.
The experience made a huge impression on [my students] and that was food for my soul.
