Chelen Johnson
LLAMMa: Luisa, Laura, Alexandra, Milton -- looking for new YSOs in Ceph-C, using IR, optical, and X-rays.
[This experience] has made me realize that while I use a lot of inquiry, I don’t always involve my students in the process of developing a testable question.
I already had a pretty good idea of how astronomers do science, but NITARP helped me see more exactly how data is collected, processed, and analyzed. It helped me also see that I can do astronomy myself, and can make a contribution beyond my own classroom. Not only can I analyze astronomical data to find scientifically useful results, but I can publish my work as a poster and be part of this community. I did not feel like a stranger or usurper or even out of place – it felt like I belonged.
Seeing and hearing about scientists at work, on different projects, brought to life the reality of scientists doing scientific work.
