AAS - 2023

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 2022 and 2023 NITARP teams attended the 2023 January AAS meeting in Seattle, WA. The 2022 class was presenting results and the 2023 class was starting up. We had alumni raise money to come back as well. We sent about 30 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:

2022 Teams:

Ciambra et al., A More Complete List of YSO Candidates in AFGL 490
Benter et al., Survey of the Spitzer Enhanced Imaging Products (SEIP) Catalog for Potential Debris Disks Around Main Sequence M Class Stars
Bonham et al., NGSS Science and Engineering Practices in Secondary Education through Real Astronomical Research
Swigert et al., Teacher Roles within NITARP: a 13-month Research Collaboration

Alumni:

Granucci, "Does a Solar Telescope generate more interest in astronomy than Night Observing Telescope?" (talk)
Kniezewski, "To Rain or Not to Rain: Correlating GOES Flare Class and Coronal Rain Statistics" (poster and press release; student alumna!)

Quotes

[student:] I didn’t expect how much I would love this program. At first, I was very nervous since I hadn’t had much astronomy—or any research—experience, and I was uncertain about how it would go. I loved the whole experience, from going to Pasadena and the AAS, to meeting the NITARP team to filling out a crazy spreadsheet as I analyzed each candidate (many times!). I am so grateful I got to be a part of this program and am sad it has come to an end.
[student:] Something that I did not anticipate was the better understanding of different people. I really enjoyed working with a team of people with diverse backgrounds.
I had no idea, perhaps idiotically, how much data analysis went into astronomical research. I learned that in order to be a successful astronomer you need to be able to code and understand raw data very well.
I am now more aware that astronomy can be a wider variety of things. Astronomers and astrophysicists can be visiting distant observatories, but they can also resemble highly technical librarians sifting through collected data to construct models and simulate complex systems from shards of glimpses into the EM spectrum.
I have always felt that astronomers were able to make sense of things not always tangible, but now I realize what deep visions they have and their great dedication.

AAS - 2023

Quotes

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