Chelen Johnson
This virtual team collects all independent research presented in 2013, and done by NITARP or Spitzer alumni with students outside of a formal NITARP team. In 2013, we have one article in The Physics Teacher, and one poster on young stars.
This past year was a very intense NITARP experience for me, stretching my intellectual and technological skills beyond their limits while learning to be a mentor teacher and of course transferring as much of this experience to my students as possible.
NITARP has been the best experience I have ever had for my personal and professional development as an astronomy educator.
My students now see themselves as capable of more than they had before but more importantly see themselves has having a future in the world they saw through the program. Attending the AAS is an important culmination of the experience that ties the importance of science research together and offers an important glimpse into a world of possibilities for students.