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Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy

The summer visit to Caltech is 3-4 days long and is the only time during the year of work when all the participants on the team come together in person to work intensively on the data. Generally, each educator may bring up to two students to the summer visit that are paid for by NITARP, and they may raise funds to bring two more. The teams work at Caltech; the summer visit typically includes a half-day tour of JPL, which is a favorite site for group photos. Reload to see a different set of quotes.

The CM4Sy team came to visit in July 2013. The core team educators attended, plus 11 students.


Quotes

  • [student:] The best part of our trip was probably collaborating with other students from different areas of the U.S. I thought it was very cool and exciting to be working with kids from places very different from where I live and to become good friends with them.
  • [student:] I’d say that the best thing about this trip was the people that we were with for the week. I’ve met so many amazing people who have honestly changed my life. I’ve made strong friendships with all of my group mates and the classmates that I came here with. Everyone was so friendly and great. I also loved how the work was very hands on and not through a textbook. It gave me a chance to really explore the work field that we were in.
  • [The most surprising thing was that] Some hypotheses do not succeed, even with the best scientific ‘assumptions’ and backgrounds…. I know – it’s not all that surprising really, but it was interesting. I’ve seen this many times before, but it always brings me to my favorite place when “doing” science: now what?
  • It was most rewarding to watch my students gain confidence in science and to shed some self-doubt. I think I shed a good deal of self-doubt as well.
  • The best thing about the trip was the chance to interact with others who are trying to do the same things that I am trying to do. No one else around me tries to do student research (even though I have tried to get other teachers involved), not in my district nor in any of the surrounding ones. It was great to spend time with other teachers (and their students) who are trying to accomplish the same things that I am trying to do.

Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy