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.
It was wonderful to see the students from last year presenting their posters and talking with astronomers and teachers from all over the world.
Working with teachers and astronomers across the country was great for my personal knowledge. Working across times zones was another fun, but interesting challenge. Learning how to work with completely new people, being in a new place, learning new material, all of these experiences help shape me better as a person.
I have been in education for 4 decades and this one program has given me more confidence in teaching space science than any college training I ever did.
