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AAS - 2015

The Winter American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting is the largest meeting of professional astronomers in the world. NITARP educators attend an AAS first to meet their team, then they go home and work remotely for much of the year, and then attend an AAS to present their results.  At any given AAS, then, we could have two NITARP classes attending - those finishing up, and those getting started. Reload to see a different set of quotes.

The 2014 and 2015 NITARP teams attended the 2015 January AAS meeting in Seattle, WA. The 2014 class was presenting results and the 2015 class was starting up. We had many alumni raise money to come back as well. We sent about 50 people to the AAS and had a grand time. Please see the special article on NITARP at the AAS. All of the posters we presented are here:


Quotes

  • [student:] I would tell Congress that this program has ultimately enriched my education in ways that I never believed were possible. This program gave me a passion to pursue science and to work harder in everything else in my life.
  • [student:] I don't always have to be right to be successful. Sometimes, it's okay to take several roads and make mistakes, as long as there is a somewhat clear goal in mind and a will to work.
  • The thing that most surprised me [...], was how objective astronomers was in their conversations. Conversations with scientists are all about data, learning about a system, and objectively trying to determine an answer. It can seem like they are stepping on toes, or even being rude, but once you realize that they are just trying to uncover an answer or ferret out an idea, and then it is no big deal.
  • [student:] I was worried I wouldn't understand anything or that I wouldn't be able to answer questions asked of me. I felt none of these things, and everyone was super friendly, nice, and personable.
  • [student:] NITARP teaches collaboration skills, research skills, and general life skills that are valuable to a student whether or not they choose to pursue astronomy further.

AAS - 2015