Chelen Johnson
Luminous Data Miners: Using ultraviolet images from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite and infrared images from the Spitzer Space Telescope to find a correlation between the color and luminosity of gas emission and dust emission around supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies.
[My favorite part of NITARP is] Getting a chance to participate in cutting edge research. As an educator you don't always get those opportunities, since you're always focused on teaching, teaching, teaching, so it’s exciting to see the science that's happening in the present moment.
I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate in the NITARP program for the past year. I gained experience that I never thought I would be capable of, gained many new resources, and learned more that I ever expected. It has been a very unique and productive experience and I am proud of both the scientific research we accomplished and the educational aspects that were brought to our school systems.
The best thing [of the Caltech trip] was working with the other participants and making progress as a team. My students were engaged and willing to be challenged.