Chelen Johnson
I am fortunate to be able to employ my software-development skills for a program as worthy as NITARP. Its hard-working mentors and participant teachers inspire me to make an extra effort in creating the best software product possible. I have gained many interesting insights from interactions with users of my software.
Sure, I wrote long papers for my masters', but those papers were to scholarship what engineering math is to actual mathematics - just get through it to do your job. Working with you in NITARP, I saw scholarship as a living community. [..] this experience encouraged me to write for the journal of my profession, but even moreso taught me to reach out to others[..]
To get the chance to work with astronomers and researchers in the field, to do authentic research, and to attend conventions and be immersed in astronomy is absolutely amazing for a high school science teacher.