• NASA
  • IPAC

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

  • [student:] Astronomers are more sociable than I previously thought them to be. All of them are happy and willing to talk about their work and they are also very willing to answer any questions you ask them. They are also more open to amateur astronomers, like me, and are willing to describe the basics.
  • [student:] My group has failed many times. We have not gotten the results we’ve expected many times. And that’s okay! Because we’re researching, and when you research, it’s normal to fail; it makes you stronger every time you get knocked down.
  • [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.
  • The support offered was fantastic as we were given the environment to be very comfortable with asking any questions we may have.
  • [student:] I loved looking at the IRSA catalogue and gathering the data. To put it into the Topcat software and actually see, with my own eyes, individual points of data from a real, legitimate, astronomical object was incredible.

Related Teams

The 2026 NITARP application is now available! Go here for the instructions. Applications are due by 3pm Pacific time, Monday Sep 15, 2025. (NOTE: contingent on availability of funds and AAS travel!)