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AAS - 2021

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.  This year, the pandemic forced the Jan 2021 meeting online, and meant that we didn't select a new class for 2021, so only one class is attending the online AAS. 

The 2020 NITARP teams attended the 2021 January AAS. We sent about 30 people to the AAS. All of the posters we presented are here:

2020 Teams:

Also see video "turbo talks" from ORMA team : science and education.

 


Quotes

  • Well, perhaps unsurprisingly, my unconscious misconceptions of science continue to burble forth. I finally came to understand that “research” is a much broader term than I thought. [...]the struggle continues, and continues to delight.
  • [student:] [This project] showed me the importance of not only performing authentic research, but also by communicating it and involving interested parties that are not professional astronomers.
  • [student:] NITARP, more than anything, has taught me how to deal with being truly lost in information. It has been[...]the hardest “class” I’ve ever taken. But if I want to pursue a career in this field, I’m sure it won’t be the last time I get in over my head. NITARP does a great job preparing me for how to take notes, and what to do when I just don’t “get it.” In past years, I might be inclined to bury my head in the sand when I get lost. Now I know to keep my head up, and look for bits of info I recognize. Find a lifeline.
  • I am pleasantly surprised with the amount of interpersonal and professional aptitude, knowledge and skills that the kiddos developed through the NITARP process. Looking back on who they were a year ago, the growth is phenomenal.
  • [student:] The first time getting to use the IRSA Viewer software along with DS9 really opened my eyes to the professional realm of astronomy. Having understood and interacted with such advanced programs blew away my expectations. As a student I am conditioned to always expect a modified version of data or curriculum fitted to accommodate a learning situation, but the NITARP program gave me that taste of what it all leads to at the end of my educational career.

We're back from the Jan 2025 AAS and we had a grand time!