Chelen Johnson
Finding Infrared Excess in the SEIP (fIRes) will be looking for stars with infrared excesses in the Spitzer Enhanced Imaging Products catalog.
[...]..never have I attended an "industry" convention where the overall collaborative nature of the attendees is so strong. Everyone that I came in contact with was approachable and eager to answer questions or contribute some knowledge.
Since I teach students how to do research, it would be cool if I was doing research too and show them that I don't know what's going to happen, and I'm doing the same type of stuff that they are doing in research class. I wanted NITARP to help make me a better teacher in research and a better teacher in astronomy.
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!