Quotes
[student:] This experience made me realize that astronomy is much more data driven than I would have previously thought. Also, there’s a fair bit of automation in the data sorting, without which I don’t think much would get done.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] The least surprising thing is that we’re all nerds. No matter the location, we all geek out over the same basic things.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] I think that real astronomy is not just looking at different things in space, but actually researching different things using math and coding. I did not realize how much math and coding that goes on for scientific research and how that whole process goes.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] Real astronomy seems like a lot of melding of Boolean math principles with subjective reasoning, and it's really cool.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] The most important things I probably learned was how often we throw out data that we can't really do anything with. It took me a bit to internalize, but realizing the importance of being efficient sifting through usable/unusable data.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] The least surprising thing I learned was how much programming is integrated into the whole process. Data processing is a lot of work.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] The most surprising thing I learned was the amount of collaboration and communication between astronomers.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
The learning was also enjoyable. As teachers, we’re always learning new techniques and strategies and educational stuff, but it’s rare to just be able to learn new content. It’s good to know the ol’ noggin still works (mostly).
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
The best thing, as always, was working and playing with such great people: the other teachers, their students, my students, and you professional astronomers. It made it so much more enjoyable than just sitting at a screen all day, even a screen full of stars.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
I’m looking forward to our results and to what generalizations we can make about our regions. I was also impressed (more so than surprised) by the receptiveness of the students to our project and work. Their diligence and enthusiasm was respectable.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[The best thing was] Watching my students get excited about astronomy and this research! As the week unfolded, my students became more independent and confident in what they were doing. Yay, science!
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
I expected that we would be engaged the whole time and we were!...and tired afterwards! Whew!
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
I was surprised at how different each of the students were in our group. Each of the 12 students had a unique perspective and approach to learning and doing and it was fascinating to watch them all do science in their own special way.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
It is hard work here. Kids are DONE by the end of the day.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] I had no idea astronomers did so much coding. It makes a lot of sense when you're dealing with data sets with hundreds of thousands of points, but it was interesting that everyone at IPAC knows how to code.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] Astronomy is hard, and it is not just looking through telescopes, there is a lot of math and critical thinking involved.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] The best thing about the trip was the fact I got to do so much stuff that I had never done before. This was such an amazing opportunity to learn about not just the field of astronomy but also about myself. I found out that I actually enjoy interpreting data which I definitely did not think would’ve been fun before.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] ALSO I WAS VERY HAPPY WE USED IMAGES OF THE STARS! It was very cool to see the stars, I thought I would but it was still super cool to look at actual recorded data from telescopes.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[student:] Finding out how much coding was involved in all areas of astronomy was surprising. But to be honest I found everything I learned here surprising.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - StarChasers
[The best thing about the trip was] Learning. Really, really. But not just learning. Immersing in this experience and discussing topics with .. the rest of our team made the trip memorable.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - Cyclops AGN
The most important things I learned were how to feel comfortable talking about/explaining our topic, learning how to create the correct query in TopCat, and how to evaluate our data.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - Cyclops AGN
It is important to be patient, attentive and thorough, especially when dealing with large quantities of data like we are.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - Cyclops AGN
I think everything that we did is a part of scientific research. We definitely “did” science. We observed and discussed with peers, we manipulated and analyzed data, we had a lot of background research to prepare us for the work we did this summer as well.
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - Cyclops AGN
[This experience has shown me that] I definitely have to get more hands-on with my astronomy unit [in class].
said at Summer Visit - 2024 - Cyclops AGN
One of my great epiphanies for the year was that it's okay to not be the smartest one in the room. What's not okay is to stop trying to figure out the problem.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] Before NITARP, I thought astronomical research may have been a solitary pursuit. After, however, I now realize how important collaboration is in scientific discoveries! Working with the team was one of my favorite aspects of the project. This project has made me value teamwork.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] This experience did most certainly change the way I thought of astronomers. Before NITARP I thought astronomers only looked at pictures and made conclusions based on what they say, but going through this program showed me that this would not me further from the truth. I realized that astronomers also have to work with a lot of numbers as well as large data sets.
said at AAS - 2024
NITARP allowed me to do real astronomical research and to learn alongside students because I was put into their shoes. Because of this experience, I am now a better educator and colleague.
said at AAS - 2024
None of the work we did with NITARP felt like busy work.
said at AAS - 2024
This experience has made me realize that anyone can participate in astronomy research and that even amateur astronomers are an important part of scientific discovery and research. I've always had the thought that astronomers need to be masters at physics and math, and that's true to an extent. However, there are ways to "do astronomy" without having a PhD in it.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] I think this experience has taught me the importance of collaboration, so I believe this will change away how I work in the classroom. I would try to collaborate more with others and be more open about sharing my thoughts.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] I was surprised by how much programming and coding is involved in the whole research process.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] The most interesting thing I learned over the whole year of the research was the way how astronomers conduct their research. Before coming into this program, I pictured astronomers to be observers of the night skies most of the time. I didn't realize that data analysis and programming were such huge components of the task. This experience has definitely changed my perspective and my expectations of what I picture an astronomer to be doing.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] I have experienced so many unique things that I literally blew my mind and created a spark in me. I now know that I want to be in the field of astronomy. I have learned so many research, time management, and teamwork skills that will still be with me for my whole life. Overall, NITARP has changed the way I look at the world in terms of science and lit a fire inside of me. It has been an experience that I will stick with forever.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] I have always wanted to work in Aerospace. I still do not know exactly where I want to work but this experience has given me a taste of what hands-on research is like and it was really fun. Presenting and sharing our research with the AAS community was an experience that I loved and want to do again. So yes, this program has impacted what I want to study and my career path.
said at AAS - 2024
The sum of my NITARP experiences have changed my professional goals and career plans. I’m currently a Ph.D. student in STEM Education at an R1 university and hope to influence current and future STEM Educators to embark upon a research process with their students.
said at AAS - 2024
I am a huge fan of the “NITARP Process,” which in my mind, means to conduct a difficult scientific research project and learn as much as possible in the process under the guidance of a mentor. I conduct my scientific research course this way, and while it is initially a challenge for students, they have life-changing experiences by essentially muscling through those challenges. If anything, this NITARP experience has reinforced my use of the NITARP Process” in my classroom.
said at AAS - 2024
One of the best parts of my experience was to watch my students, with very limited science education offered to them at our rural school, work through the challenges.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] NITARP is a one-in-a-million experience. Students have the opportunity to engage in real astronomy research with professionals in the field and can gain a true understanding of what astronomy as a discipline looks like.
said at AAS - 2024
[student: Now, after NITARP,] I am a lot more collaborative and open to working with people I don’t know as well. Additionally, I feel a lot more confident asking questions (especially in my science classes), as I’ve gotten to experience first-hand the value of engaging my curiosity in topics I’m interested in.
said at AAS - 2024
I have SUCH high standards now for any research-based PD. I also am looking for more opportunities that are unique like NITARP and have more follow-through and continued learning.
said at AAS - 2024
[Now, in my classroom,] I really push my students to collect authentic data and we have been practicing our presentation skills a lot more. I also use the charts and graphs during our astronomy unit and talk about the experience with my students.
said at AAS - 2024
The most interesting thing was getting to present to a variety of different people at AAS and meet so many folks. I felt like an expert because I was an expert at that point.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] After NITARP, I have a clearer idea of what the future as an astrophysicist may look like and I am more prepared with experience to reach my career goals.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] The research conducted during the experience was the most interesting thing we did as we were literally making new discoveries that nobody had ever done before.
said at AAS - 2024
[student:] I knew astronomy was a demanding field but getting to actually experience a taste of what their career is like first-hand made me realize it is much more than I thought it was.
said at AAS - 2024
[student]: Personally, the most interesting thing I did over the whole year was being able to interact with real astronomers and get to see exactly what their career is like. I found it very interesting because I’ve thought about working in astronomy for a while.
said at AAS - 2024
I’m experiencing an excitement for science that I haven’t had for several years – it has positively affected my teaching and professional development. Over the course of the program I have seen a similar growing level of excitement in the students I am working with.
said at AAS - 2024
I am already going back to graduate school at least partly as a result of participating in NITARP. I have felt encouraged to look to other opportunities for professional development projects. I’d like to continue and build on the learning I’m experiencing as part of NITARP.
said at AAS - 2024
Being part of NITARP has really re-ignited my love of science.
said at AAS - 2024
I have [already] added many examples related to our project as examples in my classes. In some of the lower level classes I use steps in our process as examples for a discussion of the scientific method.
said at AAS - 2024
For me, the uncertainty associated with some of the data was surprising. In a chemistry context, where the researcher has control of the sample the data is much more direct, associating peaks in spectra with structure in the molecules is very direct. The idea that we are starting a project with a catalog of AGN, but are only 90% sure that the objects are AGN (R90) surprised me as I usually think of astronomy as much more mathematical and underestimate the differences in how data is collected compared to chemistry.
said at AAS - 2024
Meeting astronomers at the 2024 AAS meeting who were interested in our work brought home the idea that we were doing meaningful science during the project.
said at AAS - 2024
I was surprised that we actually got a real research topic that was of consequence and was a real “fishing expedition.” This not how most teachers in research opportunities turn out.
said at AAS - 2024
The reason that schools offer business, agriculture, engineering, etc. courses is to give students a sense of what that career is like. NITARP is one of the few opportunities that students get to experience what a “career” in science is like. For teachers, NITARP can showcase and teach the skills that are necessary for success in a scientific career and allow teachers to better educate their students on what that career path is like.
said at AAS - 2024
NITARP has certainly spoiled me on most science teacher PD opportunities… I am much less interested in hearing about textbooks and lessons and curriculum and much more interested in attending workshops that showcase authentic research or working with real data.
said at AAS - 2024
This experience gave me exactly what I was hoping for, which was a clearer idea of the “steps” of doing a research project and the confidence to lead new students in one on my own.
said at AAS - 2024
I have gained more confidence in classroom and feel less like I’m the “sage on the stage” doling out wisdom and freaking out when I don’t know something and feel more like a collaborator, someone who’s there to help my students figure out a solution, not just give them one.
said at AAS - 2024
Most of the time from Jan – Oct ’23, I would just say incorrect stuff when trying to talk through the project. It was frustrating thinking I had gotten a handle on one aspect of the project only to be misunderstanding some other aspect. The gentle but constant correcting of [our mentor scientist] was absolutely necessary and useful to the group as we all made these mistakes. Also meeting every single week meant that we all got very comfortable talking to each other and saying the wrong and not bristling at being corrected. Also [our mentor scientist] took a lot (a lot…) of questions from us and the students which again just made the whole group feel comfortable and able to press forward confidently.
said at AAS - 2024
Given the longevity of the program, the consistency of the mentor astronomers and the inclusion of a mentor educator, I had expected the year to be somewhat prescribed and a path forward to be well-trodden. This was not the case (in a good way!) There were certainly deadlines to be met and techniques which had been employed successfully in the past that we newbies could use, but our original research was just that! Original! The end was not in sight at the beginning, and we ran into issues during our year which we were able to work through together.
said at AAS - 2024
I still think attending AAS is the most interesting part of the experience. As a teacher, watching the subject you teach grow and change right before your eyes is pretty incredible, and as a non-professional astronomer, being so fully embraced by the professional community is a huge ego boost. :)
said at AAS - 2024
The most interesting thing I did (fyi, this is like picking between ice cream sundaes and chocolate cake for dessert) was listening to the students present their posters at the iPoster sessions and the IPAC booth. What was interesting to me was their absolute ownership of the work which I am excited about for my own students (as well as for myself). I also enjoyed learning about the science and process behind their work.
said at AAS - 2024
Giving highly motivated teachers a community to build their skills is a critical component of professional development that isn’t always an option, especially in small districts or specialized areas. NITARP gives an opportunity for teachers from smaller or more rural communities to find colleagues to collaborate and provide opportunities for students they would not otherwise have.
said at AAS - 2024
I'm definitely going to be bringing in even more hands-on experiences in my astronomy classes, beyond just using IPAC resources, thanks to exposure to tools and resources that are out there that were shared in some of the talks, especially the astronomy education talks.
said at AAS - 2024
It was amusing to watch some of the theorists and experimentalists poke at each other. (It seemed mostly lighthearted.)
said at AAS - 2024
The work that is done [in NITARP] is NGSS at it’s heart. Students and teachers do real, hard research where Google won’t help. Students can learn that science really is a best effort to expand understanding and knowledge (after covid the public perception of science has taken a hit with some groups).
said at AAS - 2024
The astronomers I met are so down to earth and willing to explain things to me.
said at AAS - 2024
I could not believe the amount of research being done regarding [my topic]. I do my best to read up on some astronomical findings but was simply floored by the number of things I had no knowledge of.
said at AAS - 2024
NITARP has opened my eyes and made me more aware. It’s made me more aware of the larger community of scientists and educators that work together and learn from each other, and I’m grateful to be in that community now. It’s made me more aware of opportunities and possibilities: programs and achievements that I didn’t know I was able to do or even capable of doing, and I hope to do more in the future. And lastly, it made me more aware of curriculum resources out there: content, techniques, and specific activities, and I plan on incorporating them into my classroom.
said at AAS - 2024
NITARP has changed my professional goals in that I’m now looking: 1) farther afield and with greater aspirations of what I could maybe do/accomplish, and 2) for things to do with my students. On the first count, NITARP has given me greater confidence to try things out, even if it just means applying for a program that I may have deemed too ambitious or beyond my capabilities prior to this experience. And on the second count, I enjoyed learning and working with my students and exposing them to something they never would have seen, much less considered, from their home, and would like to do it with others.
said at AAS - 2024
I hope to shift more from the “survive” to “thrive” mode in implementing what I’ve learned and experienced in NITARP. While “authentic scientific research” may not always be practical in my 41-minute high school science classroom, I still want to bring along and model the same wonder, curiosity, optimism for self-improvement and self-actualization, and sense of community that I experienced in NITARP.
said at AAS - 2024
I realized being an expert in one field doesn’t necessarily make you an expert in all astro fields. I realized that each subfield had a community of astronomers who were familiar with each other’s work. And I began to see the small but vibrant community of NITARPers out there, doing their thing and helping each other out, as well as helping the next generation of teachers and students alike. I hope that I may grow into that.
said at AAS - 2024
Confusion is the normal, and much appreciated, state during a NITARP experience. But it is that healthy, wonderful form of confusion that is triggering curiosity and engagement. The experience of the professional astronomers with individuals of our limited background knowledge and skills allowed them to constantly adjust the pacing and content of the experience to keep us on the edge of comfort/confusion. This is the sweet spot for cognitive challenge and growth, so it was a true pleasure to experience it in the NITARP setting with such fidelity and control over such a long period of time. The NITARP experience is masterful at supporting our development as amateur astronomers and professional educators. I loved every minute of it… even the, “wait a minute… what? No seriously… ??????” moments. Keep doing exactly this… let us flounder to the point of ALMOST tearful frustration… and then swoop in to pull us back just inside the edge of our comfort zones… it is awesome to experience.
said at AAS - 2022
[student:] My NITARP participation has strengthened my goal of studying STEM in college. I hope to major in a field like astrophysics or biophysics with the inspiration that NITARP has given me. Having the chance to do this type of advanced research at such an early age was a special opportunity that I will take with me to college and beyond.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] In other academically-based programs I've participated in in the past, I have found my interest in the subject decrease as I devote more time to it. However, with NITARP, I find myself fascinated by what we do no matter how much I have already done it. Learning the new content doesn't feel like a drag; it feels deeply rewarding. I want to carry this with me as I pursue studies in the earth and planetary sciences, hopefully researching something in that field.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] The NITARP experience has certainly influenced my thoughts on college. Even though I am not considering majoring in astronomy-related fields, I think the research experience has ignited my passion for further participating in research in college or my future career.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] The most challenging aspect was navigating the various websites that we used to construct our data. It was frustrating sometimes because we were all learning and trying to figure out which button to press, whether this graph was correct or not, or which steps I am missing.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] The most rewarding thing about being part of NITARP was that I got to experience life in the shoes of a true astrophysicist.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] The most rewarding thing about being part of NITARP is getting an authentic research experience that is not provided in a normal high school classroom setting. By participating in NITARP, I learned more about the actual research process from the beginning to the end and how to better collaborate with others.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] I always thought astronomy was looking through telescopes, collecting data, and mapping stars. I never expected it to be creating graphs and doing math for them. I always knew you had to be really bright but I always thought you generally knew what you were looking at. I never thought you would be discovering worlds and stars that have never been looked at before and have to learn along the way.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] The most surprising thing that I learned was how much more there is to astronomy than meets the eye. You are not just looking at stars through a telescope. You are graphing data, and doing math to better understand what you are looking at.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[I was surprised by] The extent to which we have collected so much information that discoveries can be made just through analysis of information that we have had for years. In many cases, [this] is not how I would normally think of research, but this appears to be key in astronomy and other areas of science where the data is there but it takes the right effort to find the connection. This is not how discovery is presented in popular media and in stereotypical representations of science.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
[student:] I learned that the type of research that astronomers do is not my forte which is very beneficial because as a rising senior [I need to know what I don't want]
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
What we worked on does feel like real astronomy, even without the complex math. I can see parallels between what we worked and some of the published papers we have reviewed. I did not anticipate how much could be done with data that is just available to work with. In chemistry you basically need to create your own data to then evaluate, feels like astronomy the data is there and the task is figuring out how to use it.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
Seeing our (the group’s) sample shrink down (from over 6 million possible AGN) to a number of objects we could realistically go through one by one to evaluate visibly was really satisfying. It felt like we could potentially be contributing something real to the field of astronomy through our efforts.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
For me, the uncertainty associated with some of the data was surprising. In a chemistry context, where the researcher has control of the sample the data is much more direct, associating peaks in spectra with structure in the molecules. The idea that we are starting a project with a catalog of AGN, but are only 90% sure that the objects are AGN (R90) surprised me as I usually think of astronomy as much more mathematical and underestimate the differences in how data is collected compared to chemistry.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
The most interesting and important part of my week was seeing how the different databases can be used in conjunction to create a subset of astronomical objects with a specific set of characteristics. We certainly read about this in some of our background papers, but actually doing it brought the process to life in a different way than reading through the literature did.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
Real astronomy is developing a question, getting data to help answer that question, adjusting the question based on the data, getting more data, and eventually summarizing your findings in a paper, poster, talk, etc. And acknowledging that there is still probably more to learn about your question. Everything we did felt like part of real astronomy; working as a team, starting with background stuff (what we know about this idea already), using the archive to sift through loads of data, digging really deep into one thing then zooming out to make sure we haven't lost sight of the original question, making mistakes (and luckily catching them before too much time had passed).
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
This has really illuminated for me the "nebulous"ness of research, as in we really didn't know what we would find in the data until we dug in, and what we found then began guiding and shaping the new questions we wanted to answer.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
I was surprised how quickly the group sort of meshed together and got to work. Not to say all the students were best friends by the end of the week, but I was surprised how quickly they were willing to work together and share ideas and contribute to the project. I honestly expected it to be more of the teachers teaching the students and then hopefully when we left everyone would feel confident to continue the work. I think we all picked a great group of students who hit the ground running and understood they were there to work and everyone was as well versed as they could be on the project on day one.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
[Qualities of an astronomer are:] Patience, perseverance, passion, adaptability, flexibility
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
One moment that was incredibly impactful for my students was when they heard from other scientists on the web conference and people were talking about “not belonging,” self doubt, and feeling “out of place” in their careers. That really resonated with my students and they told me how relieved they felt when other people said they felt that way too. They seemed much less anxious after hearing that and were more excited to push forward. Both of my students want to pursue Astronomy in some aspect in their higher education and I think hearing those comments from real scientists showed them that they don’t have to be perfect or the smartest person in the room to do Astronomy (or science in general). After that web conference, one of my students said “I’m going to remember this experience for the rest of my life.”
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
It was really challenging work to do myself, not to mention helping my 2 students learn how to do the work as well. We really needed time to work together in person, especially when using topcat. We needed time and space to discuss the project and really deeply understand what our goal was. I also feel like we really bonded through this process - both teachers and students.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - AGNatha
[qualities important for an astronomer are] Resilience and being comfortable in not knowing. That has got to be so frustrating. And strangely rewarding at the same time.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] Real astronomy is time consuming. It is sleepiness and long periods of looking at computer screens. It is not knowing if you are doing anything the right way.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] I think the most important part was also being able to see the growth and change in myself as I became a more passionate learner.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] I loved astronomy prior to the trip but I have even more interest in it now that I’ve gotten to do some actual work in the area.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] The most important thing I learned was that it is okay to ask for help and ask questions I may have thought were rather “dumb.”
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
I have an even greater appreciation of astronomy and astronomers because of this experience. To be able to make inferences and calculations from things basically intangible and find the possibilities in this research is really “out of this world”!
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
The best thing about the trip was collaborating with my group. Everyone was so willing to help each other and work toward a common goal. You don’t always see that in many work environments.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
The least surprising thing [I learned] was the dedication and brilliance of those involved in astronomy research. I realize what a special group of people they really are to understand and persevere with their work.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
My advice for teachers is to be willing to take the risk of learning side-by-side with your students. Likely every teacher is reluctant to do this, but if you can get over the initial anxiety, the rewards are great for yourself, your students, and even your school’s culture.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
Qualities that are important to be an astronomer are perseverance and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Astronomers also have to be effective communicators in order to discuss their findings.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
Real astronomy is making sense of data, asking questions, and trying to develop an approach answering those questions. Everything we did on this visit was scientific research. We asked questions, looked at data, asked more questions, compared existing information to visual data, and made plenty of mistakes and had to start over.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
This experience made me think about the massive amount of astronomical data generated and archived. There must be all kinds of new discoveries waiting to be found in those data!
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
There is nothing like the group being in the same room to ask questions and to support each other. Also, listening to others’ questions is an important piece of this project – many times, I didn’t think of the question that was posed before it was asked.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
The least surprising thing about the summer meeting at Caltech was the rich, immersive environment that allowed the teachers and students to learn a large amount of content in a short period of time and apply it immediately.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] The least surprising thing I learned was that even scientists feel stupid sometimes. I feel like that makes a lot of sense and makes me feel a little better about how I feel when trying to do research.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] The least surprising thing from this trip was the amount of information that we were given. I knew going in that there was going to be a lot of information to handle, but I was not anticipating the sheer amount that we were given, even on day one of working. There is a lot of hard-to-process data that goes into one very small, easily-understandable diagram.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[student:] I was most surprised by how quickly much of the data we were given was processed in such a short amount of time, even when doing work "by hand." The SEDs, for instance, were expected to take a long time to complete, but even when doing them in Excel, my team was able to complete them very quickly.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
I think [this experience] helped me realize and experience how much work [astronomers] do and how many different tools get used. I liked experiencing the "huh, that's weird" moment when we found something neat.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[The best thing about the trip was] I felt like an actual researcher, and it was incredible seeing our results in real time.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
I was surprised by how much we got done in the short amount of time. When we went to JPL, seeing the scale models of the different spacecraft was SO COOL!!
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
It was epic learning how to actually go through the data and interpret what we were seeing. I also loved seeing the campus and working with the other teams.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
"Real astronomy" is using real data to analyze and make conclusions. Research is an iterative process in the sense that we get some answers that generate more questions. And we did that!
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
Now I think everyone can do astronomy. In the past, I thought it was for an elite group of people, and this experience showed me that even people with no astronomy background are capable of conducting authentic research.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
I'm most surprised at how quickly we accomplished so many things.
said at Summer Visit - 2023 - SCHARP
[NITARP] helps teachers and students see what STEM careers are like. That it's not ivory towers, and that a lot more people can do it.
said at AAS - 2023
NITARP gives kids a chance to move from the staged, contained, constrained world of science demonstration and rote learning methodologies to the messy, chaotic, beautiful, and sometimes nonsensical world of real science. Kids get a chance to learn about pushing at the boundaries of human knowledge where astronomers have to use real world data that does not necessarily fit any previous theory about what is supposed to happen. Teachers and students have to learn about the technology and use their brains to consider the meaning of this data, looking for trends and similarities to tease out possible explanations.
said at AAS - 2023
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.
said at AAS - 2023
One of my primary professional goals has always been to bring research into the classroom through my experiences. This has made me realize that it is possible to deliver those experiences directly to students. This will cause me to look further for these types of experiences that directly involve my students in research.
said at AAS - 2023
It was great feeling like we could actually ask questions and get real answers.
said at AAS - 2023
I tended to lump astronomy in with theoretical physics and its stagnation to some extent. Obviously, the opposite is true. The pace of discovery and analysis is amazing.
said at AAS - 2023
Teachers are more effective and inspirational when they engage in the learning process just like their students. NITARP is invaluable for teachers and is far superior than any professional development that a school district could or would offer.
said at AAS - 2023
Hearing from last year’s group of students and educators confirmed for me that students do like to be challenged as long as they feel supported, and that discomfort can be part of the learning process as long as it doesn’t end there.
said at AAS - 2023
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.
said at AAS - 2023
I’m experiencing an excitement for science that I haven’t had for several years. I think I am seeing a similar excitement in the students I am working with.
said at AAS - 2023
It's important to work with others and see strengths and weaknesses, yet still collaborate. I am sure that is an important skill in all scientific work.
said at AAS - 2023
Why can't teachers go to conferences more often? Educators need support to gain experience and pass that experience on!
said at AAS - 2023
I thought I understood how very focused a research project was, but it is even more so than I thought. Each published paper has a ton of info on a narrow topic (with lots of data). I just thought research was more like a textbook - lots of connections to other knowledge and sciences. "Big picture" stuff might get lost sometimes.
said at AAS - 2023
What kept me going during the research project was the knowledge that I was going to be able to present my real research at the AAS to other, real astronomers. I am really proud of that.
said at AAS - 2023
I think even more important than my learning, was the impact it had on the student I worked with. I think the entire experience showed him what it really means to collaborate and work hard and persevere. You just can’t give students an authentic real world experience in a classroom. Participating in NITARP was as “real-world” as it gets, and I think he came away from this experience with a new appreciation for what it takes to do real science and work in a group.
said at AAS - 2023
Programs like this are incredibly important to the growth of teachers. I know that I certainly grew both as a person and as an educator through this experience. It was really fun to be thrown into a group with other people and have to work on working together and learning something entirely new.
said at AAS - 2023
I know so much more about the wealth of information available to me, so we are going to be using a lot more actual, real astronomy data in my classroom. Also, I just feel like I know so much more about astronomy so when students tell me they are interested in astronomy I can give them such a clearer answer of what studying astronomy might look like.
said at AAS - 2023
What I already knew about astronomers/astronomy that was confirmed was that you need to work really hard to do research and that often there are things you see in the data that you can’t necessarily explain right then and there. There is still a lot we don’t know and so much archival data still to go through.
said at AAS - 2023
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.
said at AAS - 2023
The AAS was an amazing experience, as was the entire NITARP program.
said at AAS - 2023
[student: In NITARP, ] You learn a TON of astronomy, and what scientific research can be like. You learn a lot about yourself, like perseverance. I learned to be confident with my knowledge, even when talking to high-up, PhD level astronomers who were so much more experienced and knowledgeable than me. I learned to be okay with saying “I don’t know” about something, and share all that I did know. I learned how to read a scientific paper and poster, and got to see how they were written and created as well. I had the opportunity to be in a program that allowed me to meet many leaders–women, people of color–who are doing great work not only in the field of astronomy but also opening doors for the next generation of scientists. This program got me excited about science, especially astronomy, as a future career.
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] I’m still not sure what I want to pursue in my life, but this experience has definitely opened up a lot of new possibilities that I hadn’t considered before. I got to see what a real scientific research project could look like, and had a blast attending the AAS. Before this year, I wasn’t thinking about going into Astronomy as a field of study or career path, but now I am.
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] This experience truly showed me what astronomy was like. I was excited and amazed to witness the collaborative nature of this work, and was excited to collaborate with my NITARP team on the research we did. I had no conception of what astronomy research was truly like, and throughout this process, I got to understand what astronomy, and scientific research as a whole, can look like.
said at AAS - 2023
[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.
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] This experience exceeded all of my expectations. Going into the program, I had no conception of all the amazing opportunities and experiences that I would get to be a part of. It was amazing getting to attend the AAS and be surrounded by so many famous and up-and-coming astronomers doing exciting research. Their passion for their work and the field of astronomy was super infectious and inspirational to witness.
said at AAS - 2023
In [...] NITARP, students and teachers get to be exposed to the process of being [an] astronomer. [...] Beyond the process, the teacher and student alike learn that science is conversational in which you learn together, help each other, and present your findings to others.
said at AAS - 2023
The most interesting thing is just how impactful working with teammates/students is for your results and overall experience of the program. Constantly interacting every week and then seeing everyone in person drastically changes the research dynamic.
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] I did not anticipate how tedious research actually is. It did change the way I viewed astronomical research. Before, I viewed astronomical research as much more exciting, as if you were getting to actually see the things you were studying. However, it turns out that most of the research is just through graphs with little to no visuals.
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] This experience did change how I think about astronomers because before I only cared about the cool facts that they discovered. Now I realize that all their work is important because a lot of people worked very hard to find that information.
said at AAS - 2023
It is hard feeling like you do not know what’s going on or not being strong in this content area, but it is an important reminder that this is often what our students go through. This experience was a good reminder that not everyone will absorb the content at the same pace and at the same time. I often felt behind on understanding the content, and when I did, I asked questions. It is important to ask questions!
said at AAS - 2023
What has changed about my teaching is how I go about asking questions, and I have modeled this after the way Varoujan asks questions and WAITS. I don’t know if he knows this, but he is a master at what teachers call ‘wait time’, which is the process of waiting for students to answer a question and not jump in to answer it for them. He is so patient when asking all of us questions, and it gives us a chance to think and figure out the answer, even if we get it wrong the first time. Most teachers are not good at ‘wait time’ because they are uncomfortable with silence and want their students to know the answers. I have learned to ask better questions with my students and patiently wait for answers, and if my students have the wrong answer, it is OK, we work to figure it out together.
said at AAS - 2023
I keep going back to something Varoujan said to us when someone asked the question, “How often do you get the result you expect when you do research?” and he said “Almost never.” It was refreshing to know that not everything works out the way you expect it to, and that’s OK. This is how we learn. I think I had this misconception that scientists have all the answers, which is silly, because I know they don’t and that is the reason we do research.
said at AAS - 2023
This experience gives students and teachers an unparalleled opportunity to understand and conduct research. It pulls back a curtain to allow us to see the steps, frustrations, wins, and connections that science brings. Most science teacher preparation does not [do this at] all for this level of engagement with science.
said at AAS - 2023
For the NITARP team: thank you for putting this together and thank you for your patience and time, year after year. I’m sure there are many other things you could do with your time, but I’m grateful you spent it with us.
said at AAS - 2023
NITARP is a great experience. Not only does it give teachers (and their selected students) valuable experience in authentic scientific research, but it also gives them the confidence and expertise to continue developing. Because of this program, one of our students is planning on majoring in astronomy and my own student is considering an astronomy-based internship this summer.
said at AAS - 2023
Through NITARP, I’ve become aware of many more opportunities available to teachers than I ever knew existed.
said at AAS - 2023
NITARP has expanded my vision and increased my confidence.
said at AAS - 2023
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve already referenced the content of our NITARP project in class as we talk about various topics, I’d have well north of a couple bucks. Even more important than the content, however, is the process. I’ve been teaching the scientific method for over 20 years, but have never formally done it in the form of scientific research. Well, that changed with NITARP. As I move forward, I plan on incorporating more authentic scientific research into my class, not always in formal research, but simply in regular labs and activities: I’ll try to get the students to ask questions, decide what data they need, good ways to collect and analyze that data, think about their results and come to conclusions, and then report their findings to others, just as we did in our project.
said at AAS - 2023
[NITARP] also changed my ideas about the people who are astronomers and how astronomy gets done. Astronomy, I realized, might be more dependent on other fields than any other branch of science (or study in general): you need geologists, physicists, chemists, biologists(!), meteorologists, and engineers to successfully pull off many astronomical projects. It’s important to build good relationships with these people who could make or break your project. Fortunately, it seems most of these people are passionate about what they do: they’re working there for a reason!
said at AAS - 2023
I was also intrigued at how we can figure out so much while knowing so little: just by knowing a few numbers such as the magnitudes at 4 IR channels, we can model and predict debris disks around stars, including size and distance. At the AAS, listening to people’s presentations, it was also interesting to hear how they are able to model distant systems and galaxies with the data they used, and how they can test these models. Before, I would hear of what we thought something might be like, but never heard much about why we thought it was that way or what the next step in our investigation might be.
said at AAS - 2023
I was surprised by the level of detail and nuance involved in research (just when I thought I was all good, Varoujan would mention some little detail that made me rethink things I thought I knew. It was a very humbling experience), as well as the positive vibes from working with such great people.
said at AAS - 2023
I enjoyed the process of original, authentic research. It was exciting to not know the answer: I was eager to see where the process took us and what we would find in the end. It was also cool to realize that I was helping to add a very tiny bit to the pile of human knowledge, that, somewhat in the words of Whitman, “the powerful play goes on, and I can contribute a (very tiny) verse”.
said at AAS - 2023
It was great to work with such dedicated and fun people, including teachers, students, and two certain Caltech astronomers. In fact, everyone in the astronomy community seemed very welcoming, friendly, and eager to share what they knew, especially if you needed help. I never expected to make such friends in this (or any) program.
said at AAS - 2023
I was amazed by the sheer amount of data that’s available out there. Equally amazing was all the subtleties and nuances about the data [...]. I knew that astronomy was hard, but you astronomers really have to know what you’re doing!
said at AAS - 2023
My students were inspiring during this project, even when frustrated. They wanted to keep plugging through even when it was hard.
said at AAS - 2023
The best advice I can offer [for new NITARP participants] is to ask questions. No one wants to do this (including me) because you don’t want to be perceived as having the least knowledge in the room. Also, don’t miss the opportunity to work side-by-side as peer with your students. It’s valuable for you as an educator and valuable for the students to experience this as well.
said at AAS - 2023
Participating in NITARP provides teachers with a true nature of science experience. Most classroom educators have not experienced the shaky ground of not knowing the answer. It is a challenge NOT to be the expert and know all the answers when working with students. However, this is precisely where teachers can truly impact science education. Teachers experience a deep understanding of what it is like to be a student, model what lifelong learning looks like, and how to persevere through challenges.
said at AAS - 2023
My (original) NITARP experience prompted me to immediately start a scientific research group (like a club) that met before and after school. In Tennessee, Scientific Research is an actual laboratory course complete with state standards, so I started teaching that course when I moved to Tennessee. This year, I was able to expand my course with funding from the Tennessee Rural STEM Collaborative. I followed the example of NITARP and have located subject-matter experts as mentors for the students for their self-selected projects. Nine of my students are taking their research projects to the Regeneron science fair entry event in east Tennessee, including my two NITARP students, who are investigating light variations of stars in NGC 1245. No one from Greene County Schools (my school district) has ever had students present research at this venue.
said at AAS - 2023
NITARP is the single best professional development opportunity I have ever been a part of and has fundamentally changed the way I teach in the classroom.
said at AAS - 2023
I did not anticipate that my students would develop such a strong bond with Varoujan. They learned quickly that they could ask him questions on the videoconferences and the summer meetings and he would patiently explain, sometimes more than once. I saw a huge amount of growth of my students, especially in their identities as scientists.
said at AAS - 2023
Students at my rural high school have few opportunities available to them and this program positively affected both the students and the school culture. With a student population at just over 300 students, everyone in the school knew what we were doing and wanted to know about the project, both after the summer visit and after the AAS.
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] The NITARP experience helped me realize how broad the field of astronomy is, and how much astronomers can learn from others that specialize in different parts of astronomy.
said at AAS - 2023
[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.
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] NITARP has been one of my favorite life experiences!
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] NITARP has also shown me that not all questions have definite answers.
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] I underestimated how vast the astronomy field truly is. There are so many aspects and levels of careers.
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] This opportunity has opened my eyes to what research really is. I still am firm in believing it was the most striking thing I learned. I always saw research as having a set answer that we look for. However, I have learned that there are so so many stages and sometimes those stages are open-ended.
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] I [...] see school research [as] boring now [in comparison to NITARP]
said at AAS - 2023
[student:] The most surprising thing to me was how collaborative it was and how equal I felt. During the zoom meetings, I had felt more like an observer than a participant. However, during this week, we were all in it together, learning, asking questions, sometimes struggling. As a student, I felt like a true member in the group, participating in all things just as the students and the other teachers did. I was also surprised by how collaborative astronomy can be. Collaborating and engaging in tasks as a group allowed me to truly gain a better understanding of what we were doing. I was also surprised by the amount of complex math and coding Luisa did to create our SEDs, plots, etc. I (naively) didn’t realize how much math was involved in Astronomy. Additionally, I was surprised by how much fun I had and how much I laughed. I expected it to be a very serious trip. We were very focused and got a lot of work done, but we also had a ton of fun and made lots of jokes along the way, which I wasn’t expecting. I was also a little surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I didn’t really know what to expect going into this week, but I had an amazing time. Actually starting to analyze our YSO candidates was SO COOL. I kept getting super excited every time I was able to apply what we learned in concept these past few months, or even that morning, into practice as I analyzed SEDs, images, plots, and light curve data.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[student:] This experience definitely changed the way I think about astronomers. I wasn't aware of how complex and tedious the work they did was. Definitely opens my eyes to the complexity of figuring out information about distant objects.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
[student:] The most surprising thing I saw and didn't know was the sheer amount of data these telescopes gather. There were billions of sources with multiple different types of information gathered on each source.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
Though I've been teaching and preaching [the scientific method] for years, this is really the first time I've honestly done it (with A LOT of help and guidance, of course).
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
I realized going into this that astronomy probably did not mean working with full-color Hubble images all day, every day. What I didn't realize, however, is the amount and type of data involved. There's a lot! And looking through all of it can be a bit tedious. Fortunately, computers make our work soooo much easier.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
the fact that someone, somewhere (namely, you who write the grants and those that fund them) valued what we do and thought we were worthy of some extra investment, made me feel more effective and more confident and made me think forward to additional opportunities and accomplishments, rather than being saddled with the day-to-day deadlines and targets that typically dominate a teacher's thinking.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
[The most surprising thing was] the sheer amount of data that astronomers have to work with. At times it seems as if it could be overwhelming
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
[student:] Some qualities that I think are important to be an astronomer are having a good work ethic, being patient, having good communication skills, being open-minded for learning new things, and being able to focus on what you need to do for long periods of time without getting distracted.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
[student:] Before this experience I was aware that astronomers did work to progress in the science world, but I didn't realize just how much research, scientifically common knowledge, and effort was required for astronomers to do their jobs.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
My advice for teachers is to allow students space to formulate their own ideas. Students need the opportunity to struggle and make mistakes alongside their teacher. It’s okay not to be the expert - it’s meaningful to model struggling right along with your students.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
Astronomers must have a strong work ethic and be able to persevere through challenges. Astronomers must develop creative solutions to problems and be able to ask questions, including questions that arise as they work through data. They must be good at distinguishing patterns.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
This experience continued to remind me of why I love astronomy. The opportunity to work at this level with a mentor astrophysicist and share it with my students is just incredible. There is no other opportunity like it.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
The importance of building a team relationship is the key to success. The benefits of working together at Caltech include being able to immediately receive feedback from the mentor astrophysicist and the other participants as well as being able to ask questions that occur organically in the midst of a conversation.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
One of the best things was being able to take two students from our small, rural, school in Appalachia and watch them fearlessly ask questions, struggle, work hard, and thrive in the environment at Caltech. They also successfully navigated the challenges of traveling and temporarily living in a new place One of my two students had never flown before, which is likely not a rare condition for a NITARP student, but no one in his immediate family had ever flown before.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
[student:] Also, make sure to work hard. Not only for your own good, but for the people who are working with you. You are a team and no team can be run by a single person.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
[student:] An astronomer requires a large work ethic. The thing about space is that not all questions have an answer. You have to work towards a finish line that you can't see and that may not even be there. Perseverance is a huge part of it too!
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - fIRes
[The qualities you need to be an astronomer include] The understanding of how the details you pay attention to makes you an expert in a small part that fits into a bigger picture. No one is an expert in every aspect of the whole field of astronomy! It is collaborative, so working on a team is of utmost importance.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[the most surprising thing] was how much the people at JPL, IPAC, and Caltech in general seemed to really like their jobs!
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[student:] Overall it was interactive and more collaborative than what I think of when someone said scientific research.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[student:] Real astronomy is having confidence in the steps you took and the work you achieved using those steps but also being willing to receive feedback and critism. It's also curiosity.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[student:] The most surprising thing I did was enjoy myself. I didn't expect to feel happy while working (that sounds bad), but I expected to just be really stressed. It was stressful, but also extremely rewarding. On the last day I still felt like I had energy left for a couple more in-person all-day work days.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[student:] I feel stupid a lot of the time when doing this work and it felt reassuring to hear Luisa say that it's okay.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[student:] Determination/resilience are qualities that I believe are very important to be an astronomer.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[student:] I didn't realize astronomy was so much coding and tech. It makes sense now that I have experienced it, but for some reason I thought it would be a lot more looking at pictures.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[student:] The best thing about this trip was getting the opportunity to experience what actual astronomy is, and participate in real science. I love that I get to continue this research and find things that no one has before.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[student:] I was told it's okay to fail, as most or all of learning is failing and accepting help from others, which I used to not believe entirely but this experience was definitely impactful.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
The major two qualities [for being an astronomer] are passion for learning and conquering the fear of not understanding content and learning to code.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
The major thing [I learned] is that astronomers or any scientist all have moments of feeling "stupid" and you should push through it. Also you do not need to have astronomy backgrounds to work in the career field if you are a coder for example.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
The best thing is being able to work in a group in person to see the level of detail on the topics. You have the ability to interact more freely. Plus you can build team dynamics during and after the day.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
I think in order to be an astronomer you have to be smart, hard working, and really like data. You also need to know computer programming. And, based on what everyone on that Zoom call said, you need to be good at working on a team. There is more teamwork than I would have guessed.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
Well, it seems like “real astronomy” is analyzing data. Making the satellites and rovers is really more engineering, which I guess I did not realize. I guess I expected to analyze data, but I had no idea how we would do that. So learning all about how to read SEDs and CCDs/CMDs etc. is something I did not realize I would be doing, but it is because before this I did not know SEDs existed.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
Astronomy is not really what I thought it would be. It is much more computer programming and data analysis than I realized. It is still interesting, just not what I expected at all. Which is good, actually, because I am really learning a lot.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
[The least surprising thing was] Everyone who works at Caltech does a ton of work and works really hard. And astrophysics is hard - the concepts, the analysis. It’s all difficult and requires a lot of time, thought, and energy.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
It was surprising to learn how much programming and data analysis are currently dominating the astronomy field. It seems like today’s astronomy is primarily data analysis, no one is actually looking at any stars. I get it, because we’ve pretty much exhausted the visual part of the spectrum, but I had never really thought about it before.
said at Summer Visit - 2022 - SNAG490
YES this experience transformed the way I think about astronomy and astronomers. There’s so much that we don’t know and are constantly learning.
said at AAS - 2022
The most interesting part of the whole experience was getting a glimpse of what real Science research is like–and just how variable it can be. I thought it was amazing that when the data wasn’t showing us what we expected, we were able to use different tools and shift our understanding fairly quickly.
said at AAS - 2022
Sure, I wrote long papers for my masters', but those papers were to scholarship what engineering math is to actual mathematics - just get through it to do your job. Working with you in NITARP, I saw scholarship as a living community. [..] this experience encouraged me to write for the journal of my profession, but even moreso taught me to reach out to others[..]
said Vincent Urbanowski
NITARP totally changed the way I teach, and I am grateful. Spreadsheets and data infuse my lessons. I assign kids to create spreadsheets to demonstrate that they really know how to, for example, apply trig to a problem, and then use those spreadsheets to use their solution to answer a question.
said Vincent Urbanowski
Because of NITARP my teaching has grown for the better. The entire project really made me appreciate and re-evaluate the scientific process. I was amazed by the support and well organized lines of communication, and found a new level of respect for Google Sheets.The number of connections I have made with other astronomy and physics teachers has really helped me find new and interesting ways to make physics more relevant to students.
said Nick Goeldi
Participating in NITARP has made me more confident about teaching Astronomy and communicating to students about how archive Astronomy research is done. They are surprised to learn that even THEY could do Astronomy research. My students and I had such a experience (they LOVED the JPL tour) and I'd love to participate again because I have some new students that I think would love this program!
said Laura Wommack
Look at where my kids are now. Their resumes are leaps and bounds better. Their confidence in talking with other students, teachers, and scientists has gone off the charts. We really changed their paths.
said at AAS - 2022
This is the only experience I've seen in physical science where you are as much a scientist as anyone else. Often it feels the teachers are just spectators.
said at AAS - 2022
Every time we meet or talk or work on the project I feel just a little bit more knowledgeable, skilled and, perhaps most importantly, confident in what I know and can do...
said Benjamin Senson
Thank you for opening such a wonderful door of opportunity for me. These two years have been the best professional learning experience of my career.
said Benjamin Senson
The NITARP experience is guided by Jedi Masters… they perceive the force and guide it to flow through the process in harmony with the dynamic interactions between the science, the data, the people, and the products that all need to dance together to achieve a meaningful result. The impact on the participants of NITARP is significant, measurable, positive and spiritually inspiring. We come out the “other side” of the NITARP experience a changed person in ways that we never could have created on our own… so THANK YOU, Thank You, thank you for the wonderful opportunity that is NITARP.
said at AAS - 2022
...learn enough to answer 80% of your questions while recognizing 10 new ones, and getting just enough data found, crunched, visualized, considered and understood to still not quite have caught up with your goals. But that is science… the real-world, messy, challenging, inspiring world of science. Embrace your curiosity, embrace the opportunity to question and to explore, embrace the 80% success that you will achieve because that, along with the remaining 20% you will never get to, is what the next scientists in the line will be able to pick up and run with as the data that drives their inquiry. You are scientists in a long line of scientist that have been, are, and shall always be… so have FUN with it!
said at AAS - 2022
The NITARP experience provides the highest quality environment of building on the existing, limited, knowledge and skill sets of both teachers and students while challenging both in terms of both their depth and breadth. But more importantly, because it is real-world science carried out in collaboration with a team of both professionals and amateurs, it is a develops the personal perception of the participants of themselves as already being on the spectrum of what a scientist is and does… seeing themselves moving persistently along that spectrum toward a more knowledgeable and skilled place… and developing the meaningful confidence in their ability to pursue the next steps to remain engaged in STEM inquiry in the future. Participants have a personal and accurate first-person knowledge of what a career in STEM might require… which helps them to refine and define their own academic and professional development goals for the future. And, the engaging way in which this is accomplished creates new participants in the pipeline to professional participation in, and support of, the STEM disciplines.
said at AAS - 2022
I am pursuing personal growth in terms of introductory level gathering of spectroscopic data and its analysis. I am pursuing knowledge and skill to transform my theoretical understandings of astronomy into practical real-world, data-driven inquiries for my students… variable star observing, color imaging, astrometric tracking of asteroids, etc.
said at AAS - 2022
It has become commonplace for me to contextualize a concept, lesson or procedure through the reality of my NITARP experience. This makes the experience of my students live in a space in which the science itself is not a body of knowledge or a collective of results, but instead a living thing… in which they are participants already and that can grow with their engagement and growth in knowledge and skills. There is always a question for the now, a process for challenging ourselves to try to figure out an answer, and an infinite prospect for new question that arise from both the process of inquiry and the results obtained.
said at AAS - 2022
The main resources [we used] were the image data set that are available via the IPAC and other resources for our archival work. This combined with the tools that are integrated to allow easy searching for, processing of, sorting, summarizing, etc of the information was amazing. This combined with the ability of our professional astronomer to allow the space for us to experience the learning curve for what is available, how to get it, manipulate it, summarize it, analyze it and then to finalize all of that with the magic mojo of coding to crunch all of that into code to crank out hundreds of products ready for the next steps in the process was so impressive and empowering. I may not have the time to become a coder, but I appreciate the talent and skill that it brings to the science more so now that I have completed NITARP.
said at AAS - 2022
My experience with NITARP has reinforced that the essential traits of an astronomer are a willingness to question the “obvious”, wonder about what is not yet known, and persistently (and openly) recognize the limitations of your present understanding, knowledge, skills, tools… and then do something to overcome the limitations. It has also become crystal clear just how small of a community the world of professional astronomers really is at present. It was also amazing to see how openly the data is shared for anyone with the time, talent, inclination, etc to pursue astronomical inquiry. And putting these last two together… there is SO much data filling the bucket that there is no shortage of questions to ponder nor data with which to pursue resolving them.
said at AAS - 2022
It was transformative to carry a project all the way through from “Yah, IC417… that sounds like it could be cool” to the representation of scientifically valid results in our AAS poster and the publication of a catalog of 512 new candidate YSOs. Some small piece of the collective knowledge of astronomy was produced by our team. That is empowering personally, but more importantly it is transformative for the conversations I can have with my students (in and out of NITARP). These conversations have made the occupational choice of astronomer be more “real” for the students, and thus has increased the number that are actively entering into undergraduate programs thinking that astrophysics is for them as a career.
said at AAS - 2022
[student:] After NITARP, I am definitely going to look out for more authentic experiences (especially when it comes to research) where I can do new, original work in a self-enriching manner. There are a lot of programs out there, many of which I have gone through, that are very structured and “follow the procedure” type experiences. NITARP is nothing like those experiences and teaches you to be innovative, creative, and original, and I’ll definitely be looking for more experiences like it.
said at AAS - 2022
[student:] I have always wanted to be an engineer, and although NITARP hasn’t changed that ultimate goal, it has given me an extreme passion for research. Now, I want to get involved with undergraduate research as soon as possible in college, and without NITARP, I don’t think that interest would have emerged.
said at AAS - 2022
[student:] One important thing NITARP has taught me is when working in a group environment, disseminate work to other people rather than trying to take on the whole load of the project by myself. In NITARP, it would’ve been impossible for one person to do all of the work, and splitting everything up made the whole project work more effectively and efficiently. I am going to try and carry this strategy into other group work I do in school.
said at AAS - 2022
[student:] I always used to think astronomy and research, in general, was a very cutthroat, individual field where it’s every scientist for themselves. But through NITARP, it’s become clear to me that astronomy is nothing like this at all. The whole goal of this field is to work together to create a greater understanding of our universe. Everyone is collaborative, encouraging, and happy to help you learn.
said at AAS - 2022
Thank you from the deepest well of my heart and mind for a beautiful, challenging, fascinating and life-changing experience.
said at AAS - 2022
NITARP is the shining example of science outreach to public education, and should be a model for similar federal entities, such as CDC, DOE and even the NEA. Any entity currently providing grants could make their impact more palpable by sharing their work and culture directly with high school teachers and students as NITARP does. A program like NITARP turns teachers into adult representatives of the discipline at its heart; a program like NITARP makes every day in the classroom a Career Day.
said at AAS - 2022
I always wanted to publish, as I said in my original application to the program. Somehow, being exposed to the papers in this most recent literature search, and realizing that writing papers is part of your lives, finally got me moving. Now, just today in fact, I sent off my first peer-reviewed paper with what should be the last round of editorial revisions! So, thank you for normalizing publishing to me.
said at AAS - 2022
I use spreadsheets much more now. I do this because the kids need spreadsheet skills that they’re not getting through direct instruction in the “foundations of technology” classes. I also do it because aggregating and parsing data are defining STEM skills and kids shouldn’t have to wait for college before they start doing it.
said at AAS - 2022
The most interesting thing continues to be the experience of being treated as a social peer of scientists. This improves my confidence in the classroom when working with any kind of science. And I believe this confidence, rooted as it is in both the NITARP social experience AND the experience of actually having done some science (!!), is palpable to my students. This confidence makes me a more qualified emissary of Science to my students.
said at AAS - 2022
[student:] NITARP gives teachers and students a deeper appreciation of astronomy research and astronomy careers.
said at AAS - 2022
[student:] NITARP helped show me the excitement of the true scientific research process.
said at AAS - 2022
[student:] Previously, I did not entirely understand how versatile the data collected by telescopes are. Astronomers can utilize data and surveys that were created for a specific purpose for a completely different purpose. I didn't realize this before NITARP.
said at AAS - 2022
Thanks for this amazing opportunity and it has been especially rewarding sharing the experience with my daughter!
said Neal Boys
[student:] This experience has changed the way I work in a classroom by giving me confidence to attack intimidating things and never be afraid to ask for help. It gave me the skill to keep working through my confusion and not be discouraged.
said at AAS - 2021
NITARP is not about the answer, but instead about how to find the answer. It can be reinvigorating to return to that wonder about how and why
said at AAS - 2021
What took place over the previous 12 months for myself and my students involved in the project was authentic learning. My students and I were interested in the project not because of a grade to receive at the end of the project nor because of a test that would assess our knowledge and determine our progression with respect to our peers.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] I think the value of NITARP comes from experiencing a new way of learning those things. Actual research just isn’t something students can do in school. Sure, I’ve gone through labs before, but it just doesn’t compare to a long, arduous project that is finding something we actually don’t know. There’s a whole new level of value to be gained from feeling like you’re contributing something to the scientific community.
said at AAS - 2021
[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.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] Now I feel more comfortable in both communication and comprehension of topics in astronomy as compared to the mindset I held before taking part in the program.
said at AAS - 2021
[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.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] [As a result of NITARP,] I have more confidence in myself that I can tackle challenging topics that I have no previous knowledge of and can eventually work through them
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] I didn’t realize how math-involved astronomers are! Not only are they collecting data and observing, but they also analyze, sort, and interpret it.
said at AAS - 2021
The NITARP experience, with its focus on the teacher, and the allowance of inclusion of students, is a powerful engine for accomplishing [sharing how science works]. It ensures that the limited capacity of the program is leveraged through the many years, and multiple classes taught by a single teacher. The involvement of students binds these teachers to embrace participation to a depth and degree that makes the experience understandable to their future students by providing the evidence that a small number of their current students are getting it… it makes sense as it is occurring. And the passage through the whole process from unlimited brainstorming, to focused questioning, selection of a research topic, literature search, proposal, research, analysis, visualization, communication and defense of your results allows one to know, first person, how this engine works.
said at AAS - 2021
Young people need to be exposed not to just the body of knowledge that science has produced. In the modern world most of that can be looked up anyway. The essential experience that is needed is to see the way in which science works.
said at AAS - 2021
[As a result of NITARP,] I spend more time talking about diligence, persistence, resiliency and collaboration as being as essential as knowledge and skill. I am also just more excited than ever to bring real world data and research processes into my classroom.
said at AAS - 2021
[...]one of the greatest lessons I think I learned about professional scientists… they are drowning in challenges but keep smiling, keep questioning, and keep persisting. Building in the necessity of that kind of resiliency can’t be faked.
said at AAS - 2021
Bracketing the NITARP experience between an opening and a closing AAS meeting empowers us as participants to see that the process we are developing and the research we are doing is legitimate. The opening meeting sets a model in our minds for what the end of the project will look like. The closing meeting makes us defend our work… the real closure on science… peer review! The overall experience makes it clear to me that I am in the right place professionally. I love the research process.
said at AAS - 2021
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.
said at AAS - 2021
The whole year was as much, and more, than I could have expected… the story arc of a real research project means that we faced off with unforeseen forces, confusing data, limits in our knowledge, and other demands on our time. And, as real as it gets, we had to step up, step in, and take all of these on in order to move the work forward.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] I had no clue so much math and analysis went into astronomy and I definitely got to learn something I couldn’t have otherwise.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] Experiences such as NITARP help start teachers and students down a road of curiosity. If there is one thing I’ll remember doing in NITARP, it’ll be asking questions. Instead of sitting in silence wondering what to do, I was encouraged to ask questions, and when that happened, I would always get a reply that sparked my curiosity even further. Having the ability to observe the world around me and wonder how it works is something that would not have happened without NITARP.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] There are always [...] summer classes you can take or a special class in robotics, but NITARP has shown me that these things aren’t as unique as doing actual research. Nothing beats making an actual contribution to human knowledge, no matter how small it is, and this contribution cannot occur in a classroom.
said at AAS - 2021
[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.
said at AAS - 2021
[From NITARP,] Teachers learn what it is to be overwhelmed by new material that the presenters have long ago mastered. This humbling experience is profound and deepens empathy with students, and leads to better teaching.
said at AAS - 2021
NITARP has given me is a glimpse of an infinitude of pursuable interests.
said at AAS - 2021
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.
said at AAS - 2021
[..] as someone who has both careers in science and education, this is the most authentic experience I've had that satisfies both. I never felt like I was just a teacher observing, nor did I wonder how to take it back to the class.
said at AAS - 2021
The support offered was fantastic as we were given the environment to be very comfortable with asking any questions we may have.
said at AAS - 2021
This experience definitely gave me a better understanding for what goes into Astronomical research. It opened my eyes to all of the different areas of study, the level of research and amount of collaboration that goes into it. It also helped me understand the sheer quantity of astronomical tools that are used.
said at AAS - 2021
This experience changed the way I thought about astronomy. I assumed there would be a wealth of data easily accessible to everyone. I had not considered that there would be gaps in coverage and that there are real limitations to real equipment used to gather the data.
said at AAS - 2021
The most interesting thing I did over the whole year was seeing the entire process of how [we] thought of [the] research question, then how we would gather the data to explore it (using IRSA) and then learning the software (Topcat) that made sense of the data. The reality of the experience matched my expectations. It was a bumpy process, with points where we needed to pivot.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] I've never had any formal classes in astronomy. I always figured it was similar to cartography, or just making big maps of the sky. I thought it would require a lot of memorizing, like when I had to memorize the solar system in fourth grade. But during this process I learned about the science behind astronomy.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] I was expecting the data to be clear and easy to draw conclusions from. In school-based labs the data is always handed to you on a plate in an easy to digest way. In this case most of the data was interrupted by excess noise, and only 4 out of our roughly 500 sources showed promise. This was disappointing at first, but it also gave me newfound respect for researchers who spend years of their life working on new scientific breakthroughs.
said at AAS - 2021
[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.
said at AAS - 2021
[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.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] Having the experience of working with other intelligent, hardworking, curious people makes me want to do more of it in the future.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] I never knew how much astronomers worked with computer programs and data, and I think this helped me gain a new sort of respect for them: this is not easy work!
said at AAS - 2021
[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.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] This experience has taught me to feel okay to not know what the result will be when conducting a science experiment.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] Experiences like NITARP teach participants to take responsibility for their own learning. For example., If I wanted to get good at the software we used for this project, the onus was on me to practice and learn it. There was no grade nor enforcer making me. I think this accountability to one’s self is valuable, and absent from current education systems. Experience like NITARP teach participants how to teach themselves and learn on their own whereas traditional school often just drags students along to where they have to be without regard to the underlying quality of the students learning.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] I wish my classes were taught with more focus on understanding and retention than just throwing spaghetti at students’ brains and hoping it sticks. With NITARP, I enjoyed the focus on retention and understanding taught through practical application as opposed to the pasta-flinging method familiar in school classrooms.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] After this project, [...] I see science as more a collective than an individual undertaking.
said at AAS - 2021
[student:] I was fascinated by how rich a picture of the cosmos we are able to put together with such scant information from it. I think it’s really cool that we can know so much about our universe just by measuring the amount of light coming from different directions and how wiggly that light is.
said at AAS - 2021
NITARP has been the best experience I have ever had for my personal and professional development as an astronomy educator.
said Benjamin Senson
The best thing about the week was being able to contribute to a real project where we don’t know the answer. [...] It was refreshing to have the chance to explore and analyze.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
I was most surprised by the students’ ability to keep up (no offense to them). I really felt that students, instructors, and astronomer were all on the same footing and able to contribute and ask questions freely. I had worried about power dynamics in the group, since only one of us does astronomy research professionally, but I was pleasantly surprised at our ability to form a cohesive team so quickly.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
It was very interesting that we had to immediately pivot our plans. It doesn’t get more authentic than when Plan A didn’t work, and as a team we had to talk out our next steps on how to find applicable data. It has also been very interesting to see how that develops as we all branch into our own pieces of the research, and how that dialogue continues.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] The best thing about the week was that I as a student was able to help out and contribute ideas to the project. I was not just being told what to do, but I had the opportunity to actually help solve problems and find solutions.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] The most surprising thing I saw was how everyone was learning at the same time and all dealing with the same challenges. It was surprising to see the instructors figuring out TOPCAT at the same time as the students. It was also surprising to see how we encountered obstacles that were not expected, and we had to figure out in the moment. These things were surprising because I am used to a classroom environment where the answers to problems and predetermined and the teachers already know them. I appreciated this contrast to the classroom, and I believe that this contrast is one of the reasons NITARP exists.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] An astronomer must be patient, curious, and willing to learn. They also must not be afraid to take risks, to embarrass themselves, and to ask questions. They have to be content with sometimes admitting that they made a mistake or were wrong about something, and that it’s okay to not know everything.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] “Real astronomy” is being curious, and wanting to turn that curiosity into answers. This means articulating your problem, then coming up with a way to solve that problem, even if it means taking a detour from what you originally thought you would have to do to reach your solution. I loved that things weren’t set in stone, and that we often adapted our methods on the spot in order to suit our needs. This entire experience taught me that, as I had expected, not everything is sunshine and roses, and that sometimes, you have to do a bit of unexpected grunt work in order to achieve a goal.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] Real astronomy is not the enhanced pictures that ordinary people are used to seeing in the news or on the internet, instead it is data. It’s knowing how to manipulate this data to understand what it truly means. It is extracting from these numbers the structure of something that we can barely even see. In essence, astronomy is the ingenuity to turn something that is invisible into something visible. Something that I expected to be a part of scientific research was accessing the data and creating the light curves. Something that I did not expect to be a part of authentic research was the flexibility that was needed to obtain the data that you need.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[...]the program creates an in-practice glimpse of what it can be like to work with students in a radically different way from how we do in the standard classroom. Not knowing the answer is a powerful interpersonal equalizer. And that leveling is not an ornamental feature or political nicety, it’s a critical precursor to collaboration in a group of educators and students.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
The program has been transformational for me professionally.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[It's important for astronomers to have:] Curiosity. Patience. Tenacity. Ability to collaborate fruitfully. Willingness to ask for help. Willingness to work hard on something that may not turn out.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
Real astronomy is the business of trying to answer previously unanswered questions about the cosmos using methods that use (or take into account, in the case of theory) actual data from actual measurements.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
Working together was super powerful because with many eyes on the same problem it takes less time to find new avenues and catch missteps.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[...]one of NITARP’s superpowers: the way that research work can reshape the relationship between students and teachers from a hierarchical one to something more collaborative.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
I was super impressed with the uniformity of effort and contribution from both educators and students. I think seeing this meant a lot to the students.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
Working with a highly expert mentor astronomer is crucial. (this is not a surprise, but just got reinforced!) On day 3 it turned out that we had WAY fewer AGN to work with than expected. I was scared that our science was in trouble. Varoujan came back morning of day 4 with an alternate approach to developing a catalog that opened things up again.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[Astronomers need to be] Patient, analytical, flexible and willing to change and being ok with not finding the answers they were hoping for.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
Real astronomy is DATA. It is having to think outside the box to turn the invisible visible by using multiple sets of information from potentially multiple sources. I expected this would be part of the research project but was surprised by the ability to successfully change methods for data collection during the project.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
I understood that Astronomy is data driven, but working through this data analysis just enhanced my understand and the scope of this. I also understand better the challenges that Astronomers have in determining what data is needed and being able to access that data.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
Working together is crucial to the project so when one person fell behind or was confused, there were multiple people to help them get on track. I feel that we are even more comfortable working collaboratively after the 4 days and we were able to feed off of each other’s ideas and strengths regularly.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[The best thing was] Meeting and working with the entire team, seeing the teamwork of the group in action, and being impressed by the talents of the students involved. Also, feeling comfortable with the content and the procedure we will be using to get our data.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] I realized that good astronomers admit their lack of perfect knowledge and remain curious to strengthen their own intuition and identify new issues.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] I did not expect such patient discussions and workflow as part of the research process. Instead, I assumed that we would be put on a structured and inflexible fast-track to results, thinking that to be the most efficient method of results. Instead, the first priority was comprehension and unanimity, no matter how long it took. Looking back, it wasn’t a mistake that we spent the first half of the week learning. That comfort is what prepared us to dive into the workflow and be able to independently process large amounts of data, not rushing.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] Through technical and scientific issues, it turns out that astronomers (and scientists as a whole) are team players more than soloists. Their goal is on completion rather than competition. Furthermore, astronomy as a field rewards patience and perseverance rather than serendipity.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] what the group provided was a system of rapid feedback which I could assist with my own insights and receive help from in times of confusion. At parts in the workflow where I might be banging my head against the wall, I could work through the issue with someone else, which was helped greatly by screen sharing. By the end of the week, the group felt like more than a formal convocation of academics to conduct research, and more of a group of enthusiasts who could also joke and engage in tangent discussion, not just work.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] The best thing about this week was the sensation of work and progress. Learning about the relevant astronomy was definitely fun and valuable, but when we analyzed light curves, pored through databases, and created spreadsheets of candidates, I felt that I had taken tangible steps towards my goal. At that point, I had actually done astronomy, not just learned about it.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] I was surprised that despite humanity’s extensive mapping of the sky, astronomers still might not have all the resources that they need, and that often they must creatively make do with what they have. To the surprise of everyone, the [...] catalog ended up being insufficient for our needs and we needed to expand our search. But even though the workflow of the project was not progressing in the way we expected, the team did not skip a beat in accepting it and moving forward.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] what I will never forget is my temporary lack of comprehension and occasional struggles to keep up with the rest of the group. In those situations, I was forced to accept my own shortcomings and ask others to clarify or slow down. This last week has taught me to rely on others and be honest with my own skills.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
I’m certain that I would not have been able to get the work needed done without the help of the group, teachers and students equally.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
Best thing was the collaboration with all involved and the students being more like peers.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - OIRMA
[student:] Astronomers definitely have to be hard working and dedicated to their study. They have to be passionate about the data they are working with, and smart enough to understand it well. They also have to be good communicators, as it involves a lot of collaboration with peers. It’s also important that they are good at explaining their findings to the public, such as in a scientific journal.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] The whole process felt like we were doing some real science. We were looking at real stars, collected by real telescopes, and sorted out and categorized the stars. We made SEDs and color-color diagrams of the stars for our research. It was definitely real astronomy.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] It definitely changed the way I look at astronomy. I guess I never really thought about what else the field had to offer besides looking through telescopes. Now that I’ve gotten a feel for some of the work, it definitely involves a lot of data analysis and paperwork, too.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] I ended up getting way farther along in the process than I expected. That’s what I appreciated about working in small groups. I found we worked together really well and asked each other for help if we needed it.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] Working with all the real star data from different telescopes and satellites really made what we were doing feel important. It wasn’t like we were working with numbers made up from some textbook; we were actually analyzing and categorizing stars in a nebula out in space. Super cool.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] Astronomers have to be incredibly patient. They can’t be deterred by failure because failing and having to start again is inevitable.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] Real astronomy is mostly looking at data and numbers. I didn’t realize we would be using so much math these last few months, so it’s important to remember how closely math and science correlate.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] I didn’t realize that most of astronomy is looking at numbers on a screen. It was hard work and intense math and it made me have more respect for the entire field.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] The best part was getting to collaborate with intelligent people on a project that will be relevant to actual science.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] I was surprised with how quickly I could understand some things but not others, so I was forced to focus my energy on the concepts that needed refinement.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] Personally, the most important thing I did was getting to work with real data and seeing how it can be manipulated to relay applicable information. Students rarely get to work with anything that has relevance to modern science so that’s a uniquely exciting thing I got to be a part of.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] I discovered that there was more math involved in the work than I assumed there to be.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student: The best thing was] Being able to work with other people around the country and feeling the satisfaction of correctly working on data that I assumed I would not be able to understand.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] I think that as an astronomer it’s incredibly important to be patient, determined, and persevering. The results take time to get, so you have to be patient and you have to keep your goals in mind.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[the qualities of an astronomer are:] Math and patience. Maybe not in that order.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
Working together is a must. Multiple eyes, opinions, strengths, needs, etc were all on display. Students stepped up at different times in different ways.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] there is a lot more programming than I thought there would be.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
Astronomers don’t look at the stars. They look at their computers. Not that that’s a bad thing.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
The BEST thing about the week was seeing everyone rise to the opportunity to do this over Zoom. Seriously. There was a possibility of being burned out by “yet another Zoom”, or distractions from being at your home. Yet, we appeared to have the full buy in and attention for the entire time. I’m really proud of what we accomplished.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
I was most surprised at how well the students picked up the material. I can only speak with great deal about my own students, but overall the amount of silence that was present leading up to the conference convinced me that we’d have to spend conference time reinforcing the underlying science. Great job for [the] educators in getting our students ready to go.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
Astronomers have to be solid on the fundamentals of scientific theory and mathematical analysis. They must be curious about how we came to conclude that which we claim to know, and about what lies beyond the predicted patterns formed by theories. Astronomers must be clear, concise, and complete in communicating the why, what and how or what they are doing as it the collective that must be able to interpret, integrate and challenge their process and conclusions before new knowledge is accepted as true. This means that persistence is also a key quality of any scientist.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
The summer NITARP experience reaffirmed the incredible power of collaborative construction of knowledge and understanding. Astronomers have so much data available to them that it is overwhelming if not processed in small doses. [...] I have always known about the collaborative nature of science, but this experience has really made it clear how powerful it is as a check on erroneous understanding, poorly thought out processes, and simple error in work product. [...] I now see how much better the quality of the work is because of the collaborative process.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
The interactions with our peers is the essential element for transforming isolated bits and pieces into a coherent understanding of what we are doing, how we are going to get the work done, and understanding what patterns in the data will mean. It was transformative!
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
Luisa is a master of searching for the image needed to clarify a concept while simultaneously providing the introductory context in which it needs to be understood. Your guidance always feels so authentic. You recognize our limitations, and openly talk about them in a way that makes it clear that you view them as a movable barrier that can be pushed to new places if we just keep putting in the work and ask our questions as they form.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
Getting to work with this group of passionate, curious, and bold individuals as we all experienced the processing of learning how to be a researcher was the best part of the NITARP summer learning experience. Integrating all the separate pieces of knowledge and skills that we developed over the last five months into a tool for forming a new understanding of what is in IC417 felt amazing.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
The summer meeting was the essential moment that transformed all of the separate pieces of our knowledge and skill building into an integrated and meaningful process for carrying out our research project. Seeing this all come together over these precious days together, even with the challenges and limitations of a Zoom environment, felt awesome. The final day of independent discussion without Luisa was a critical element in producing this transformation. We HAD to figure out our process. This is as authentic of an “assessment” as we could have regarding the week's progress.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] The most important quality [of an astronomer] has to be patience. I did astronomy work for four days and I found myself being frustrated quite often. But it takes time to learn from your mistakes and hence patience is an important quality for an astronomer, or any scientist for that matter.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] Before the experience with NITARP, I wasn’t really educated about the astronomy field, but I just found it amusing. Now after I know what kind of work they do, I am even more interested even if it can be a little confusing.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] Some important qualities to have as an astronomer is patience, ambition, and open-mindedness. Working with tedious data becomes frustrating certain times especially when there are instances you mess things up. With the creative process being so up and down, it’s imperative to be patient during hard times and work through it, even when the results aren’t what you were expecting. Furthermore, with being open-minded, it’s primarily aimed at collaborations and feedback since someone might have different opinions on your research or questions on why you didn’t explore something. With that it’s important to take everything into consideration and keep working.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[the best thing about the week was] Being amazed, again, by the contributions of our students. We teachers are constantly urged to have students work in groups, but that so often fails in real life. Here in NITARP it works – just get out of their way and let them amaze you. Having said that, the best thing was the experience of being a student, of being in a cross-generational community of learning and discovery.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student: The most surprising thing was] Probably just learning that I could actually DO stuff. I was expecting that I'd be lost the whole time and not do any actual work but it was pretty easy for me to pick up on everything.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] Important qualities of an astronomer include willingness to be a team player because it is important to collaborate with others as well as present your findings to other people, willpower because it is difficult to get past some humps and bumps in astronomy but it's always important to stay straight ahead, and most importantly, the ability to accept your stupidity, there is always going to be an "I am crap" phase but it's important for that to happen so that you can ask questions and grow from that phase.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] I feel like real astronomy is working with real data from the real world that no one has looked at or touched before. Throughout this entire process, I've felt like I have done real astronomy and have been making new, exciting discoveries that will contribute to humanity's understanding of the cosmos no matter how small that may be.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] I thought that astronomy was organized and well-ordered, but I have come to realize that it is all over the place which isn't at all a bad thing. It's a process of many open windows, many double checks, and many minor mistakes but it always seems to work out for the best.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] The most important and interesting thing I did was looking at CMDs and CCDs for each cluster of IC417. This mini-project really revealed to me that the NS and its BPI14 cluster are special when looking at their excesses in comparison to their cluster neighbors. This step essentially proved to me, scientifically, that we are digging for treasure in the right place, and that was a cool thing to see materialize in front of me.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] Allowing yourself to be confused and feel like you know nothing is an important quality to be an astronomer. Being patient and also being open to learning anything new that comes your way are also important qualities.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] This experience changed the way I thought about astronomy research because I did not think it was as digital as it is. I did not think it was going to be as much computer work.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] we are working on more in depth and hard things than we were before the work week. We are talking more and meeting more than we were before.
said at Summer "Visit" - 2020 - Spider Team
[student:] I think [this experience] changed my whole perspective on scientific research in general. People often tell you about how science is a lot of trial and error, but you never really experience that in a class setting where all your labs are pre-planned. This experience really shed a new light on that process and made the idea of doing new research less daunting.
said at AAS - 2020
[student: Now,] I feel inspired to work harder and to push myself farther not only in school but throughout my career as well. I also learned that there are many similarities between astronomy and electrical technology. Understanding the data transferred into applications I am learning in the electrical field. Interesting! The sky is no longer the limit.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] I learned so much and met so many interesting people. It was intense mentally, which I expected it would be, but definitely worth every second.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] This experience has changed my career plans by directing me in the direction of a research-based career. [...] This experience, especially the conference, has made extremely excited for college and has made me seriously consider graduate school.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] I will use my experience to show that anyone can be a scientist. It is not just for the smart kids. Anyone can try it. [... science] is not something to fear but something to explore and be curious about.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] This experience definitely changed my thoughts about astronomy and astronomers. I thought that it would be a bunch of old, white guys who were socially awkward. After getting to meet astronomers and work with some, I realized that was not the case. They are a diverse and extremely friendly group who are more than happy to help you learn.
said at AAS - 2020
I do not think I can properly put into words what it meant to me for you to take the chance on me. I appreciate everything I have been given and will pay it forward to my future students. What an amazing experience!
said at AAS - 2020
This experience will be the hardest, most draining experience that you will ever love.
said at AAS - 2020
I believe that no one can walk away from the NITARP experience unchanged. Everyone talks about the learning curve, and it is definitely steeper for some of us than others. I believe the “powers that be” need to know how this year-long astronomy boot camp not only builds discipline knowledge but also group learning dynamics. I have never been so proud to say that I have been part of an exceptional group, and in turn organization. I not only learned what it means to be a teacher leader, but assist in making teacher leaders.
said at AAS - 2020
I believe this experience will make me a better ambassador of my college and my fields (sciences and education). I have a renewed interest in working within all science disciplines, unafraid to meet the interests or questions of my students. The NITARP experience was the perfect opportunity at the perfect time. I hope to get involved with more research groups, beyond my campus.
said at AAS - 2020
This experience has increased my self-efficacy. I know now that I can do it. I know that sounds funny but I have a renewed sense of ability and drive. I think I had lulled myself into “good enough” and this experience has shown me what is possible.
said at AAS - 2020
My biggest takeaway is to actually be on the receiving end of constructivist education. The experience was frustrating, intimidating, and … extremely fulfilling. I have learned a lot of things through this experience. I will be more cognizant of helping students through their frustrations and being open about wanting to help them learn. I plan on integrating our research into my science and education classes. I purchased a FLIR and made an infrared lab using the device for my physics course. I will also be better able to explain more aspects of astronomy and careers associated with the field.
said at AAS - 2020
I also thought the science was extremely cut-throat and reclusive, when the exact opposite is true. People have to work together to accomplish large tasks, share new findings, and support future research. I was amazed at the diversity of personnel [...] and comradery in the field.
said at AAS - 2020
I did not realize how much I would enjoy the experience. I know this sounds weird but [...] “astronomy is my weakest science”. I wanted to be a supporter of all sciences and that strategy is difficult when you do not “see” yourself as being an astronomy researcher/ scientist. I believe I felt this way because I had never been immersed in a group of people so in love with the discipline. I was constantly making easy connections with biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. I walk away from this experience better able to help my students, and in turn their [future] students, understand how accessible the field is for anyone. There are literally countless ways that astronomy can relate to one’s life and future career path.
said at AAS - 2020
Picking the most interesting aspect of the NITARP experience is extremely difficult because there were so many. I knew that I was going to learn new and interesting things but I literally had no idea how many interesting aspects I would be exposed to.
said at AAS - 2020
This was an amazing experience that I will treasure for a very long time!
said at AAS - 2020
You cannot learn the process of science research passively. Being immersed into your own astronomical research with the NITARP program is the only way to learn how real scientific research is done.
said at AAS - 2020
I feel very privileged to have been a part of the NITARP experience as well as other opportunities I have had with NASA in education. This is one of the many benefits to the education field, the chance to work with professionals in other fields so that we can bring knowledge and experiences gained into our classrooms for students to see.
said at AAS - 2020
As an educator, at times it can feel like you are isolated or on your own. I knew that NITARP is a team but for once I felt like I was part of something bigger than just me. I know now the true meaning of teamwork especially as it relates to science research. I am very proud to be considered a part of [our] team. I knew that there would be teamwork but I did not anticipate how cohesively we would come together. This was truly a very rewarding experience.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] Not only do we learn educational topics with the science content but we also learn those 21st century skills of working with other people, and through this experience it is so much more than just working with peers it is working with people of all ages and from all over. It is learning how to navigate difficult new concepts and work in a professional way with people you have never met face to face. This experience gave us a glimpse into the world of NASA that people from my area don’t get the chance to see.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] I definitely will take more chances at doing “hard” things and things that challenge me. I think I was stuck doing what was comfortable and not really challenging myself but this showed me that I can do really complicated things that are “outside” my major.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] I also know that because I was learning alongside my professor it showed me as a student that it is okay for me not to have all of the answers and I think working through a new problem with my [own future] students can help them to see that “failing” and making mistakes is okay and encouraged because there were times that we didn’t know what the next step we needed to take was but we eventually found the way and we learned more doing that.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] through this past year I was able to see the impact of having people in professions that are “like” you. For me, this is the idea that there are women astronomers that aren’t necessarily the stereotypical science type, but women who are smart and powerful but also are in touch with their feminine side and still dress up and do “girly” things. I remember when our team first found out that we were working with a female astronomer we all freaked out and got so excited for the chance to work with that specific astronomer.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] This experience made me realize how many jobs are under the umbrella of astronomy – how many different things you can do and learn under that umbrella. You could have any number of skills or interests and still be able to work in astronomy.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] I think the most interesting thing was to see the number of females within the astronomy community as it feels as though women go underrepresented in many science fields. I did not anticipate as many women to be at IPAC or at AAS and I enjoyed seeing that.
said at AAS - 2020
[...] it is really hard to isolate one moment or cite one experience as the most interesting. In fact, what stands out to me is the cumulative experience. It is comparing my ignorance during the AAS Seattle meeting with my comprehension during the AAS Honolulu meeting. [...] I was a bit overwhelmed and a little unnerved about what I had gotten myself into. [...] during AAS Honolulu, I was amazed at how much more I was able to take in during the conference sessions. Not only that, but I was so pleased and proud and the performance of my students, [...] during the poster session for our science research. They were able to explain our project so coolly and completely. That they benefited so much from the experience is extremely gratifying to me as a teacher.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] NITARP didn’t necessarily change my career plans, but it definitely broadened them. I’ve pretty much always known I want to do something involving space. It’s just been what interests me for longer than I can remember. What NITARP, and specifically the AAS has shown me is there are way more options to think about than I thought. I still don’t know what I’ll be going into, but whatever it is, I’m sure I’ll end up being passionate about it.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] The experience will help me with moments where I feel over my head. Previous to NITARP, if there was a moment in class, I really just had no idea what was going on, I would give up, stop paying attention, and just vow to pick up the information from the start another time. I learned through our initial virtual meetings that just does not work very well. Efficient notetaking, even when I don’t really understand what’s being said is a skill I’ll take with me for a long time.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] I’ve always been interested in space, but I wasn’t ever sure of what I really wanted to do. When I was probably ten, I used to say I wanted to be an astronomer. As I grew older that idea sort of faded because I ended up connecting it things like ancient Greeks, and a science whose importance has faded. NITARP really showed me that there are a lot more avenues to astronomy that I had thought.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] In terms of my expectations, if we’re talking about the entire NITARP experience it blew them out of the water. Going into this program I didn’t realize anything remotely close to what I did was even on the table.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] I don't know for sure what I want to do as a career yet but I am hoping to major in physics or astronomy in college. When I went into the NITARP program I didn't know what I wanted to study but I really enjoyed this experience and I find our research very interesting and I am hoping to learn more about physics and astronomy in the future.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] I think this will change the way I take in information and take notes in the classroom. I know now that even if things go over my head immediately I can come back and understand them better if I put in time and effort. I also realized the importance of taking notes not only on what I am learning but also writing down any questions I have so that I can ask them later and improve my understanding.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] I didn't anticipate was that people would really want to interact with our poster. It was really cool how people would ask questions, make suggestions, and talk about their own research and how it related to ours.
said at AAS - 2020
I told my students that I had two big take-aways related to the classroom. The first was the realization that science is never really done. Even though we presented our work, there is still more extension work to be done. Also, I gained experience in learning from failure and authentic use of the scientific method. For example, most labs that we do in my class have pre-determined endings. However, in this experience, we there was not a predetermined ending. We got to make decisions along the way that led to authentic results.
said at AAS - 2020
I did not anticipate the confidence that I would gain through the experience. There was so much information overload at the first AAS that I was a little overwhelmed. But, I didn’t realize how much I’d learned over the year until I went to the year 2 AAS.
said at AAS - 2020
I was intimidated at the start of this project because I felt like many of the people on my team and people that I saw present at the AAS last year knew more than me. But, after the whole experience is now completed, I have learned that the area of astronomy is so vast that no one is an expert on everything. I learned to appreciate the skills/knowledge that I brought to the team as well as everything that I learned from my teammates.
said at AAS - 2020
It was great to experience working with students more as colleagues than students.
said at AAS - 2020
I would not have been able to do this on my own. It wouldn’t have even occurred to me to try! Being a part of this group provided the instruction, encouragement, and feedback necessary to get started, and to work through the challenges.
said at AAS - 2020
I want to continue our research! I no longer feel like there is an “us” and “them” between us astronomy educators and those astronomers, and I’d like it to continue. I want to continue the teaching that I have been doing, but I want to get more students involved in research.
said at AAS - 2020
I have a much better understanding of how to mine big data sets to discover or understand something. It has refined the way I think of science and astronomy, and how it is done. This growth will be evident in what I say/teach about the process of science and astronomy, and how I answer questions about them.
said at AAS - 2020
This experience reduced so much of the mystery about how astronomy research is done, and made it much more accessible. I know there are still so many ways that astronomy research happens that I don’t know, but this experience makes me feel like I’d be able to relate to those other methods, and envision being able to do the work.
said at AAS - 2020
We did not anticipate getting all of the way through our selection process and then find that a crucial step used invalid data! But it was very satisfying to step back, and figure out a process that would give us useful results in the end. It was a great way to experience for ourselves the fact that it is normal to encounter obstacles in research.
said at AAS - 2020
Students learn more from doing and by doing a real research project they learn more than any standardized test could ever hope to measure.
said at AAS - 2020
I am going to add more data analysis to my astronomy classes and math classes. It has increased my expectations of what students are capable of as well.
said at AAS - 2020
[student: The most interesting thing I learned was] The amount of work that astronomers put into research in relation to the small amount of time that they present it.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] I think that NITARP showed me that working with others is better than working alone, so I’ll think I’ll try my best to work with other others for my assignments. I say this because I usually try to work alone, but I learned so much from my NITARP team members this experience, and so maybe I’ll learn something from someone else at school.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] NITARP showed me that astronomy means more than looking up at the sky, and it also showed me that astronomers, and especially the ones at NITARP, are friendly and collaborative. Also, to add on, it showed me that astronomers are surprisingly sociable, and that astronomy requires communication skills considering they must present their research.
said at AAS - 2020
[student:] The most interesting thing I learned is the fact that the astronomy community, including the astronomers at NITARP, were very collaborative and certainly friendly. I usually just assumed astronomers kept to themselves and/or thought that they were too good to help a high school student like me understand their research. This welcoming community did not at all follow my expectations and showed me that the professional astronomy field, and hopefully other STEM fields, are friendly.
said at AAS - 2020
[The] intrinsic motivation that comes about when a student learns that struggling with a problem yields a result (btw, the NITARP idea that research sometimes leads nowhere (forgive the oversimplification) is an important lesson, but at the same time, students ARE successful with every step of the process. [...] how much of the Algebra 2 curriculum is embedded in astronomy, and how abstractly weird ideas like logs fall out as the most natural way to talk about things. [...] NITARP exposes kids to the reality of STEM employment… things like the normalcy of your families, the kinds of things STEM can do in a professional setting. Few kids have real world scientists as role models and hence have no basis for visualizing a future as a scientist. NITARP kids do.
said at AAS - 2020
[As a result of this experience,] In my engineering course, I’ve revised the labs to generate more data, and am building more Excel work into the projects. In Algebra, I’m finding more opportunities to use Excel, and in Geometry I’m incorporating astronomical concepts and experiences.
said at AAS - 2020
After attending the AAS I feel I will really emphasize how failure in science can be a very valuable tool.
said at AAS - 2020
What I’m excited about is building my skillset and credibility as an authentic astronomer in research.
said at AAS - 2020
[At the AAS,] Teachers and students experience real, dynamic science as it lives today, where there may be no answers, explanations that change with new data, and most importantly there is discourse between scientists so that they may learn from each other.
said at AAS - 2020
It so amazing how much can be learned about the cosmos around us from the color, location and intensity of light, gravity waves and neutrinos… the multimessenger universe is unfolding before our eyes. I am so jazzed to be given the opportunity to participate as a researcher in some small part of this great adventure.
said at AAS - 2020
The training in the classroom (and Varoujan’s method of teaching it to us) was invaluable. The individual work and telecons have been helpful for setting a baseline, but learning [...] and being all in one room together to get our misconceptions worked out has really increased my confidence in the work we are doing.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] The work we did was intense, and I would be lying if I said I did not get confused more times than I would like to admit. However, being a part of a group was very helpful and I felt like we were a pretty good team. We helped each other figure it out.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
[student:] I know from our discussions that an astronomer has to be creative. They have to think outside of the box to do work that has never been done before. I think they also need to be extremely patient. It takes a long time and a lot of hard [work] to do astronomy research and I constantly found myself impatient to move onto the next thing.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
[student:] While learning so much was definitely a huge part of this trip, I would say the best thing about the trip would be the teamwork. To get all of us in the same room to work on this research and bounce ideas off of each other was truly amazing. It was great to have a team that was dedicated to the same goal and we were all passionate about what we would do with this newfound knowledge and research when it is all said and done.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
[student:] I was surprised at how excited I got when we finally came up with our first list of new YSO candidates. There was this electricity in the air and everyone felt very excited and relieved. I was also surprised at how fast the days went. Time seemed to fly by when we were working together.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
Working together in the same location IRL is crucial for a bunch of reasons: personal dynamics develop more rapidly. It is easier to tell if people are on the same page. You can change the mode more rapidly and flexibly (change from big group to small and back, work on paper, change to whiteboard, share multiple screens at same time).
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
I think the best parts of our work sessions were moments in which most people were engaged in meaningful tasks that required them to problem-solve or make meaningful judgements.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
My favorite thing about this kind of work is the ways that different people demonstrate mastery at different moments in ways that you can’t predict ahead of time.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
I thought that the way the group handled increased independence during days three and four was both important and interesting. Important because it showed us that we didn’t need as much handholding as maybe some of us thought.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
[student:] To be an astronomer, you have to be intelligent (specifically in math and physics), hardworking and dedicated (because it takes a lot of time and you have to commit to actually get anything done), and they have to be creative. I think that was one thing that really stuck out to me that we talked about this week. Creativity can sometimes be seen as something that scientists don't use, but in reality, they are using it all the time. You have to be creative to come up with the solutions and ideas that scientists come up with every day.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
[student:] The least surprising thing that happened was that it was a lot of work. We were told going in that we were going to work the hardest we might have in all our lives. We did so much work and learned so many new things in such a short span of time.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
[student:] I think for me the most surprising thing I learned was that I was able to do and understand a lot of what we learned this past week. Going into the week I was really nervous that everything was going to go over my head, but it didn't, and that was pretty exciting.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
This week changed the way I think about astronomy quite a bit and that's sorta what I wanted out of the program when I applied. I'm used to teaching intro astronomy from a textbook and using a lot of simulations as lab activities, but rarely using real data (even in canned activities). My experience [...] a few years back gave me a taste of astronomy research. That is, I got the chance to see data being gathered [...] However, that was where the experience ended. I did not have the opportunity to see how the data was processed or turned eventually into a research paper. This NITARP experience has been a nice complement to my [past] experience and may be a stepping stone for me to do additional research in pursuit of an advanced degree.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
The least surprising was that there are really smart people working at Caltech. I thought that the visit from the other IPAC staff, Luisa's thoughtful guidance during the week, as well as Varoujan's JPL tour, showed this in spades.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
I cannot think of anything that would have improved this experience.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
I appreciate knowing that astronomers celebrate their “geekiness” and their families. I believe that point alone squelches many preconceived notions. Not only did it change how I understand astronomers but how others understand astronomers. The look on people’s faces when I talk about the Caltech astronomer and how *she* is guiding us through the research process, is extremely telling. I think it is easy to point the finger at others when they profile astronomers as “old white guys in lab coats” but I am afraid I may have also held that misinformed preconceived notion.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
The best thing about the trip was the ability to work with my NITARP group in person. Yes, it was a lot of work. Yes, the down time was minimal at best but we all learned from each other in a very (very) supportive, yet guided, learning environment. I know that I would not have understood the process or the product as well by working through conference calls.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
I am amazed that we all have an understanding of the entire process and its components. A lot of little pieces need to come together to make the proposal, project, and presentation make sense. The depth of individual knowledge of our participants surprised me. I was not surprised by my group members’ work ethic and cooperation.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
I find it amazing that a group of individuals, from across the nation, with a variety of different backgrounds can cooperatively produce a research project in one year. I learned the research was not only about being able to master [..] the discipline but actively engage in group-supporting soft skills. I learned more about star formation and SEDs than I ever thought possible.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
It hasn’t really changed the way I think about astronomy but it has given me a much larger appreciation for all the work that goes in to the research that astronomers do on a daily basis.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
Teamwork definitely helps to make complicated tasks a lot more manageable.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
[The best thing about the trip was] Meeting everyone on the team in person and working on astrophysics at Caltech! I have been looking forward to this week ever since I was accepted in the program. I can honestly say I learned astrophysics at Caltech with an outstanding astronomy research scientist. Not very many people can say that! Our team really came together as one and that made the whole process very enjoyable in my opinion.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
I knew that there would be a lot of work to do going in to this week so I guess that is what was least surprising for me. I have been looking forward to this for a long time and I absolutely loved learning the specific math and physics behind what we are doing in our project. It makes me want to take more classes in astrophysics!
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
Nothing really happened that I didn’t anticipate. I came in thinking it was going to be an intense busy week filled with learning astrophysics and the trip did not disappoint.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
The second most important and interesting thing was being able to work with EVERYONE in the group. The collaboration between the members of our team was awesome. It was very nice to be in the same room working together to figure things out. I think our team completed a lot of work this week but it really didn’t seem like work because we all came together as a cohesive group. I [..] do not think we could have accomplished so much in just a few short days with just zoom meetings and email.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - IDYL
[student:] I used to think astronomy was more about creating satellites and telescopes as an engineering challenge, but I now realize a lot of it is about analyzing data.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] Real astronomy is a lot of work. It takes a lot of effort to learn and know what you need to do. It also takes a lot of creativity. It amazes me that we were able to figure out not just how to do things, but what to even do next. I expected to have to figure things out, but it was really interesting to have to figure out what to figure out.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] I did this research project to kind of "dip my foot in the water" and see if it was a field I could consider going into. There was a specific moment on the third day, where I realized that we were in that room for like eight hours a day (longer than my school) and I was perfectly content doing it.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] The best part of the trip was just the full experience that it brought. Getting to sit in a room and feel like I was contributing something to humanity's knowledge was just so unique.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] Astronomy is such an interesting field, and the people that are interested in it are always devoted and incredibly kind.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] The thing that surprised me most was how clear the picture was afterwards. I went into this barely even understanding what we were trying to do, and now I'm feeling confident in my knowledge of almost everything we talked about. It was super satisfying to just have everything click into place.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] Astronomy isn’t a one-person job, it includes many people that will contribute their part to the project until it is complete.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] I honestly thought that “real astronomy” or “real research opportunity” meant fetching coffee or doing busy work for professionals. However, this thankfully turned out to be untrue. I really thought as if I were an integral part of the operation and the entire astronomy community because I was doing actual work in identifying and studying interesting stars with disks, dust, etc. I felt I was doing “real” integral work.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] The most surprising thing for me was the fact that NITARP is truly, to my knowledge, a great example of an actual research opportunity. I say this because with every other school-based trip I’ve done, there’s always been a strict itinerary that told us where we would learn, what we would learn, who we would learn with, etc. But, NITARP was different than those other trips in a way where I felt more independent which, again to my knowledge, is a perfect representation of a real research opportunity.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] This completely changed my view of astronomy and astronomers because I had this unrealistic idea that they just sat in an observatory all day looking at planets and stars and wrote down what they found, published it, and called it a day.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] I think over the week people got more comfortable with asking more questions to figure out what they were confused about, or just more comfortable to speak up about other things outside of the Caltech portion of the trip.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[student:] The best thing, in my opinion, about the trip would be going out of my comfort zone and meeting new people in a new place. I definitely have made lots of friends and have learned to expand my horizons and push myself to do things I might not want to do. That has helped me learn a lot about the world and people around me and has forced me to grow up a little bit.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
Astronomy has always been about aggregating and parsing massive tables of data. So in a way, teaching us to do astronomy with data is just as primal as, and far richer than, anything we teach as “astronomy” in K-12 school (earth science can include some basics, and so can physics).
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
Astronomy is imagination powered by math and inspired by the sky. I am surprised and delighted at the sheer volume of data available and all the opportunity hidden inside it.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
I believe [this] was my students’ first experience of true intellectual work. And they loved it. On returning home, it was the first thing one of them told their parents about, right there in the airport next to baggage claim. It was also a topic of self-initiated conversation I overheard the kids talking about among themselves. In other words, NITARP gave them their first "braingasm," their first experience of amazing pleasure that comes after hard thinking. An essential experience at the heart of the intrinsic motivation that will carry these kids through their studies and professional lives. I can’t thank you enough for this.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
We were all so different from each other, yet all so open to each other, all so open to making mistakes in front of each other, all so open to the messiness of true learning in front of each other and our kids. This was important and interesting.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
The most surprising thing [to me] was being left for a day to just work together and try to put everything we learned together in a reasonable way. It was very helpful, just surprising. Also that we used trigonometry!
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
We got a chance to share in astronomer’s sense of satisfaction as we problem solved and experienced success in choosing a path to follow in our investigation.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
We had so much fun looking for interesting ways to parse the data to look for interesting subsets of our data to investigate. You could actually feel the excitement in the room.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[astronomers need to be good at] Cooperation - Most scientists in the modern age do not work alone.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[...]it was great to see [the students] really dig in, ask questions, and show their passion for astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2019 - Dust Mights
[NITARP] was also one of the strongest experiences I have had in my 20+ years teaching. Your program is amazing and you are wondering. It is priceless. I know you invest so much into it; I wanted to share a bit of the impact you are having. Thanks for doing what you do so well.
said Milton Johnson
All of the students have moved on to college now, but each one ask me to be one of their recommenders for their college applications. In each letter I wrote, the NITARP experience was a big part of what I talked about. I really feel the program helped to inspire them into confident young adults. It was also one of the strongest experiences I have had in my 20+ years teaching. Your program is amazing and you are wondering. It is priceless. I know you invest so much into it; I wanted to share a bit of the impact you are having. Thanks for doing what you do so well.
said Milton Johnson
For me, the NITARP experience was a few years back, but the impact has continued. Of the 5 students that went to [the AAS] with me, 4 graduated this past spring. We began working on this project when most of them were 10th graders, so the bond we build over those 2 and a half years was very solid. I was sad to see them graduate and move on. But I am writing you to share the impact I feel the program had on us.
said Milton Johnson
Astronomers are a lot nicer than I thought they would be, and they’re much more willing to chat about their research than I expected.
said at AAS - 2019
It is programs like this that have kept me in the teaching profession, have taught me to be am more effective teacher, and should be replicated in all fields and at all levels in all schools. If they really want to increase student success and have our students ready for the workforce and college we have to be providing them – and more importantly their teachers – with the experience in the ‘real world’. Teacher prep programs are out of touch with reality and do not provide the needed exposure or training to help them help our students succeed. Students are worn down with testing and high-pressure curriculum heavy course work that doesn’t develop innovation, support curiosity, or inspire. We need to change the system for all at all levels with cooperation between educators and other fields – and start treating teachers as professionals equal to engineers, nurses, writers, biologists, business managers, etc. We need innovative programs like this to make real change in our educational system.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] I was not anticipating that so many people would be interested in what we - high school kids – did and that we were there [at AAS]. That was really cool
said at AAS - 2019
There is no limit to what teachers and students participating in NITARP can do! With the expertise of scientists, mentoring teachers, and the enthusiasm of students and teachers working as a team, NITARP provides an experience like no other program out there. The long-lasting impact goes far beyond the year long experience to increase quality and quantity of space related programs in the classroom and community.
said at AAS - 2019
NITARP has impacted my own development of and participation in professional learning experiences because I’ve seen first hand how important it is to be “in” the experience. You truly learn best by doing and NITARP provides that in a way most other programs I’ve participated in do not.
said at AAS - 2019
I have added a whole new dimension of astronomical research and support for my students working on individual projects and competitions that was missing. I’ve also added a plethora of new contacts, both educators and scientists, to my professional learning network. My confidence and ability to teach students more space related curriculum has also increased.
said at AAS - 2019
There is a huge difference between a quick professional development and a thorough professional learning experience and NITARP provides the latter.
said at AAS - 2019
I was never able to pursue any formal instruction in astronomy so it always seemed out of reach and astronomers seemed beyond my scope. This experience opened my eyes and alleviated a lot of the hesitancy I felt in pursuing something I’ve always enjoyed and been passionate about.
said at AAS - 2019
I did not anticipate learning so much that I feel I could direct students on further projects. I find that extremely exciting!
said at AAS - 2019
[the most interesting thing was] Taking something that seemed so beyond my realm of expertise and experience and making it a reality. When I began the project, I thought that this was going to be a year of just getting by and hoping that no one noticed I had no idea what I was doing, but it turned out I really got involved and learned.
said at AAS - 2019
I wondered how our work would be received during the poster session. It was encouraging to see how genuinely interested and supportive the astronomers that visited were.
said at AAS - 2019
Before NITARP, I didn’t really know how much I enjoyed doing research. I had done it before (in grad school and afterwards with RBSE), but it really hit home how enjoyable it was for me once I got involved with the NITARP program. I really like doing it and I plan on continuing with it.
said at AAS - 2019
The NITARP experience is one that has had a profound effect on me—it has changed the way I look at science, at teaching, and at a lot of other things connected to my job. I really cannot imagine not doing things like this in the future—it has changed my life in a lot of positive ways.
said at AAS - 2019
NITARP has made me really hungry for intense, in-depth experiences—I can no longer imagine doing the sort of basic PD sessions that many local school systems offer to their teachers.
said at AAS - 2019
[NITARP] has changed how I teach in that I am now utilizing online databases with my research students for those who are looking for astronomy projects to work on. I also require my research students to produce posters of their work and to use those posters for presentations at the regional science fair and when they give presentations at the local science center. My astronomy students also now use online materials for some of their lab assignments as well.
said at AAS - 2019
My thoughts about astronomy in general, and NITARP in particular, have changed throughout the [several years] with which I have been involved with NITARP. When I first started, I was only vaguely aware that astronomers used large archival databases with which to do their research—I was sort of the mind-set that most of them still collected their own data in some fashion, either with a telescope or some sort of orbiting observatory. I now know that that is definitely not the case. Also, I always felt that I had a good working knowledge of astronomy and how things were done—after my time in NITARP I know that that was not always true— my NITARP experience has expanded both my knowledge and my capabilities by a tremendous amount. I’m now able to undertake projects, both personally and with my students, that I would have been unable to do just a few years ago.
said at AAS - 2019
NITARP is going to be hard to top. It’s not just a day long or week long passive PD program where information is given to you but an authentic research experience. I don’t really know what else is out there like this but I’d like to find it and do it.
said at AAS - 2019
For astronomy, I underestimated the amount of data analysis and programming required compared to observation skills. It seems like introductory high school and college courses cover a good amount of content but not the relevant research skills.
said at AAS - 2019
Watching the kids from different schools interact was one of my favorite parts of this experience that I completely didn’t anticipate. The kids came from totally different worlds and they had a commonality (loving astronomy/ research, and being nerds) but otherwise their lives weren’t necessarily similar. This is a huge benefit of the NITARP program, and although not a stated program goal, I believe it has tremendous value.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] The whole NITARP experience changed my perspective and increased my passion for astronomy.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] My experience in NITARP has given me confidence to pursue subjects that I would have otherwise felt too intimidated to explore.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] This experience taught me to be more patient and accept that I won’t know everything right away. It has also showed me that making mistakes and not understanding something are essential parts of science.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] This program completely altered my perception of what astronomy is and what astronomers actually do. Sure, there is a lot of data analysis and paper writing, but seeing everyone come together at AAS showed me the passion these people have for their careers and it was a really cool thing to see.
said at AAS - 2019
I think a great outcome of this was simply seeing how well the kids could come together to address this problem. Additionally, I would stress the value in being able to communicate scientific ideas with people in other parts of the country. It was an amazing experience unlike anything else that I have experienced in my education so far. I teach in a small rural city so it is really nice to see how people in the larger districts addressed various social and academic issues. Since I focused my undergrad on education I didn't have much time doing authentic research, something that I felt I as definitely missing in my classes since I was not able to give them real life examples that I had on how research could be used.
said at AAS - 2019
This will be a tough professional development to beat. Not only did I make a great network with other educators, but it reinforced the importance of inquiry-based learning and the importance of there not always being an answer.
said at AAS - 2019
I am trying to make my astronomy class more discussion-based and trying to make it more inquiry-based. I was able to network with other teachers and got some ideas of how to move away from lecture. Although lecture has some usefulness I really want to try to be more inquiry driven.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] I think one of the most interesting things I did was having conversations with college students and their posters. The reality of the experience was more than I could have imagined, having the opportunity to have one to one conversations with people making substantial research in the field was more than what I expected.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] Don’t be afraid to ask a dumb question. Ask it 10 times if you must. It’s better to look like an idiot and get the answer you need than to go in blind. I would not have been able to do this by myself. Guidance helped me get back on track when I was completely lost. What kept me going was my passion for astrophysics.
said at AAS - 2019
I think that you can see a distinct difference between science teachers with a research background and science teachers who just went to school for teaching. Kids need to stop getting the worksheet recipe of a lab and taught critical thinking skills. Projects like this help teachers get that.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] [NITARP is] truly a once in a lifetime experience. The friendships and connects that I made throughout this program would have never happened without it. It truly opens students to new experiences and helps them figure out what they want to do later in life. Along with that, AAS was a massive learning experience for anyone with an interest in astronomy. It’s just at a level of knowledge that you can’t get while in high school without this opportunity.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] I now know that I want to continue to pursue astronomy, but as a hobby instead of a full career. The amount of time astronomers dedicate to their work is astounding and I don’t think that I could do that.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] I think one of the most interesting things I did was having conversations with college students and their posters. The reality of the experience was more than I could have imagined, having the opportunity to have one to one conversations with people making substantial research in the field was more than what I expected.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] [NITARP] has helped me see that the science isn’t just for a class or a science project but, can actually be used in real life. So this will help me focus more and find other ways to apply the things I learn.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] There is no way that I could have even imagined doing a project like this without the guidance that I had. Now, after the fact I believe that with some fluency in python that I could do our project in a mere fraction of the time that we spent collaboratively. The fact that others had to depend on me getting my work done was a big motivation. Another was my passion for learning, especially when I had the opportunity to apply it. I could not have learned or applied anything of this project without guidance, I would simply be wandering blindly.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] Initially, I wanted to pursue a career in either music education or performance as a part of the more classical community of music. The AAS conference changed that. I have never before in my life seen a more collaborative group than the AAS. The support I had while presenting my poster was unreal. This made me reflect on my pursuits in music. That community could not be any more critical or degrading than it already is. I want music in my life, but I never want to be a part of that community. This experience set me on a path, one that might one day lead me to the forefront of human knowledge hopefully for me to help push that boundary.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] I never knew what astronomers and their work is like. It is a work that I respect a lot. My view towards NITARP throughout the entire experience has only gotten increasingly better.
said at AAS - 2019
[student:] [...] plenary lecture on gravitational wave detection. I expected something completely different from what I learned and realized there. I had no clue how much of an effort over such a long time has gone into it. For some of them, it was their life’s work and they never got to even see the day that we had accomplished only a single detection. That realization is good and all, but the biggest thing that interested me was the way it got me thinking. It is an entirely new way to do astronomy. A new way to look at the universe. Who knows what this could bring? What other ways will we discover? Will I be a part of that? It sprung an endless wave of questions, and settled a completely unrealistic and unfounded fear of mine that science is approaching a ceiling.
said at AAS - 2019
Teachers will be better at providing students with authentic learning experiences if they are provided with them as well. Teachers love to learn, and inspiration from programs like NITARP can only add to their ability to inspire their students.
said at AAS - 2019
I gained a new respect for astronomers and the patience required to do work in that field. My job as a teacher resets every year and is in constant flux, whereas there are astronomers who may spend their entire life working toward one discovery. Then, they may not even still be alive when the discovery is officially made. They were just one step in the process. That kind of persistence is impressive.
said at AAS - 2019
It’s really something to get to sit there and hear scientists announce brand new discoveries, especially when they were announcing new exoplanets that had been found. The main thing that surprised me was just how vast the field of astronomy is, and that not everyone is an expert in everything. It made me feel a lot better about all the things I didn’t know. I was constantly writing down things to look up later, especially the meaning of various acronyms.
said at AAS - 2019
This is one of the deepest professional development programs I've encountered. It has the potential to not only enhance my teaching, and therefore impact my students/visitors, but also the major impact that it will have on any students who participate.
said at AAS - 2019
I can't believe how many amazingly smart people there are in this field. I was also very impressed by the undergrads and the research they were doing. And I was pleased to see continued progress in the diversity in the field.
said at AAS - 2019
I didn't really expect the poster sessions to be as crowded or as enthusiastic as they were. People were very excited to share what they were learning about and people were really excited to ask questions about it.
said at AAS - 2019
The NGSS writers knew we, as a country, needed to re-focus our science standards to include all science disciplines, specifically astronomy. In order to keep the momentum, we must support the pK-12 educators to entice and excite their students. It is experiences exactly like NITARP that fuels and spreads the love for astronomy
said at AAS - 2019
I have already brought back aspects of the AAS conference to my students by sharing photos, websites, and my summaries. Yes, understanding astronomy will definitely help me teach NGSS lesson planning and help [my student teachers] with cross-curricular writing.
said at AAS - 2019
I knew that, like any scientists or teachers, astronomers LOVE their profession. I have no idea why but I never thought there would be so many astronomers. A lot of people love astronomy and they do not resemble each other. I was presently surprised by the diversity in every aspect.
said at AAS - 2019
I thought I knew astronomy and quickly became aware that my depth of knowledge was a mere puddle compared to the Marianna trench.
said at AAS - 2019
What an amazing experience (head is still swimming).
said at AAS - 2019
To be able to be a part of actual scientific research is what science education is all about. From a teacher perspective how can we prepare the next round of scientists if we do not have first hand knowledge of what scientists do? With this opportunity, we can involve students in the research process and give them a better understanding of how scientific research is done -- thus preparing them for their own future discoveries.
said at AAS - 2019
I was very excited to learn what research we will be doing. All of the information about the program itself and what is expected of us was very good on Sunday. I do not think the reality of the experience has really hit me yet but I’m sure it will over the next several months. It just seems unreal that we will be using data from the Kepler and Spitzer telescopes and possibly Chandra as well to look into an area of star formation and try to discover new young stars! Truly amazing to be a part of this!
said at AAS - 2019
While [my scientist] knows way more than I do about the topic of YSOs, for the purpose of our team study, she will be looking to me (and our other team members) for new information. Rather than a teacher/student dynamic, a successful research project will require real collaboration and learning from each other. [...]it was a really cool moment.
said at AAS - 2019
From my experience in the [another] program, I already knew how smart astronomers are. What surprised me a bit was to see that being smart, even for a Ph.D. astronomer, is not a destination, but an ongoing journey.
said at AAS - 2019
The pursuit of science, the business of pushing back the boundary of knowledge by tiny bits, is a much messier, far more beautiful, intricate and rewarding process than the “What is Science” chapter at the beginning of every school book.
said at AAS - 2019
I did not anticipate how polished and impressive the posters and presentations were from last year’s cohort (Sunday afternoon, Monday evening and the individual poster presentations in the exhibit hall). Students and teachers were really well-versed on the astronomy as well as the data collection and processing. It really showed how much was learned in a relatively short time.
said at AAS - 2019
NITARP inspires and empowers relevant and rigorous STEM curricular creativity. Teachers learn to use the same assets and tools as scientist, gain experience with scientific research culture and come away with the ability to lead their students in a research opportunity.
said at AAS - 2019
[scientist not involved in NITARP team:] Seeing such a diverse group [of students ...], all of them really sharp - I told them, I am a physicist, not an astronomer, so they had to explain it to me... in one beat, they backed-up, tag-teamed me and explained the whole poster — that was awesome! Tells me the world is in good hands.
said at AAS - 2019
Real astronomy can be vague or messy and more often than not, an astronomer feels like they don't know the right answer. The answers are only as right as the astronomer believes (and triple checks) them to be. This was an important lesson to me.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - L1688
I was surprised at how much we were able to learn in such a short time and I was impressed with the focused learning stamina of my students (If only all students would work that hard all the time in class!)
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - L1688
I loved how my students and I struggled and learned together to complete calculations, SEDs, and photometry. It was a confidence builder for all of us.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - L1688
[student:] I think the best thing about the trip was getting to know the other students teachers and even some of the people at Caltech.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - L1688
[student:] The most surprising thing that I learned was finding out that this work is completely new and has never been done in this way before.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - L1688
I think I did more than I thought I could. As above, even after doing the prep expect a steep learning curve. Expect kids to get frustrated and help them or give them space to work through it.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - L1688
I CAN do the Math! Even after all the prep it's a steep learning curve.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - L1688
[student:] I didn't expect astronomy to have so much computing in it. It makes sense now, because it would be hard to talk to space telescopes and rovers without them.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
[student:] I think that the most important quality for an astronomer to have other than the obvious (intelligence, writes well, etc.) is perseverance. Because no matter how smart you are or how much research you have done, eventually you will get to the point where there is something that you simply just don't understand. However, being an astronomer means pushing through those difficulties and working at the problem until you have solved it, which is exactly what perseverance is.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
[student:] We were analyzing real data from Spitzer and drawing our own conclusions. This is exactly what I expected would be part of scientific research. The analysis and manipulation of raw data from the universe around us to make our own conclusions about how the universe works and what's in it. And to me, the fact that I am able to be involved in that process is beyond amazing.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
I feel like my kids developed a much deeper understanding of the subject material by having the discussions we did and practicing with the group. It was really cool to see how the kids all came and worked together on this project. I think that bonding experience will help make the research easier since we are more comfortable with each other, it will be easier to share ideas and speak up when something doesn't feel quite right.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
[Doing science is] both easier and harder than I expected. It’s easier in that, we used the same skills I teach my students around work hard, think carefully, document your work
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
“Real astronomy” is like detective work. It requires gathering the available evidence, integrating it, and following it where it leads.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
For teachers it can be hard to let yourself not know things in front of the kids but it is even harder to let yourself be wrong; accept that this is part of the experience.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
Our group is absolutely changed [by the summer visit], especially in terms of engagement from the kids who are now absolutely psyched and won’t stop texting me about wanting to do more research.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
Watching my own [students] struggle with material and rise to the occasion made me proud of them and reinforced why I do this job in the first place.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
[...] the community of teachers has been an unexpected and positive outcome of this program. I text the other physics teachers all the time to be like "hey, how do you teach this?" and then we chat about it. We also chat about our lives and things non NITARP/ teaching. Seeing these teachers in person was like a visit with my favorite science pen pals who live parallel lives in other states.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
[...] it was so much fun talking about science incessantly in a world where that isn't always socially appropriate.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
Getting to work with people who are genuinely interested in science research and want to talk about it as much as I do was fantastic.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
I think just watching the kids interact surprised me -- they had a lot in common but were also really different. I was surprised at how much they learned from each other.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
Going through the project and data in person was incredibly important. I thought I fully understood what we were doing but I understand so much more now after being there in person.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
There are many qualities that are important to an astronomer, but two of them are persistence and diligence. Sometimes, the apparent path to solving a problem turns out to lead somewhere else (or not lead anywhere at all). The astronomer has to be aware of this and know when to change course and try another approach—sometimes, this has to be done over and over again before the research problem starts to show results.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
It would have been really difficult to do this online. The group was able to get through a lot of material and get our workflow procedure worked out in only a week—it would have taken many weeks to have done this using some sort of online method.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
[student:] Cool research doesn’t always require incredibly complicated math/science.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
[student:] I feel like I have a better understanding of what astronomers actually do. I had previously been confused what astronomers actually do, but I now know that they are working all the time to follow interesting things and broaden our understanding of space. I also did not realize how much they work with a variety of different scientists when working on projects.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
[student:] The most interesting thing we did on the trip was visit JPL. I was amazed by how much was being done there and I felt like it really confirmed that I wanted to work at a place like that.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
[student:] When we first started working on learning the science behind our project, I felt doubtful of my own abilities and my previous knowledge. I was the only rising junior out of the students, and because I had never taken an astronomy course, or a math course that dealt with logarithms, I assumed that I wouldn’t be able to understand, and that I would be alone in this. However, I was supported by all participants, soon realizing that we were all in it together, and was able to gain an significant understanding of the material.
said at Summer Visit - 2018 - Cosmic DIRt
There was a connection for me, and I hope my students, between what at times can be very tedious number crunching and theoretical concepts to practical application of data towards discovery.
said Thomas Doyle
I feel like a popcorn kernel that has just burst open. I've grown so much at this meeting!
said Theresa Paulsen
This experience was life changing! It has changed the way I teach everything, not just astronomy.
said Olivia Kuper
Your ongoing mentorship and availability is unbelievably valuable to me and my kids; NITARP is like a new chapter in my professional life.
said Vincent Urbanowski
NITARP has transformed my life and the way I teach, so it's difficult to find anything that has NOT been influenced by this experience!
said Olivia Kuper
[student:] Before this experience I wasn’t planning on going to college right after high school. I didn’t know what I wanted to do so I didn’t want to spend thousands on college without complete confidence of my direction. But now I’ve decided on my major and I [...] feel I can credit that mostly to my experience with this program. Getting to see what a career in physics looks like, and hearing from professionals about their careers from college until the present was a great help to me
said at AAS - 2018
[student:] I knew I was going to study physics [in college] but I think I'm going to move to astrophysics in the future after this experience.
said at AAS - 2018
[student:] I thought that astronomers looked through telescopes. I was greatly proven wrong, and it was incredible to see how misguided I was.
said at AAS - 2018
Science teachers are a unique set of individuals. They need to be given time and opportunities to engage in cutting edge science for their own healthy educational growth. They desire [programs like NITARP].
said at AAS - 2018
The reality is that the US needs more programs like NITARP, and should consider ways to make it easier for organizers of these programs to renew and grow what works. These programs need to be supported financially to encourage more secondary teachers to join, and also help high school students consider futures in STEM fields.
said at AAS - 2018
Beyond my classroom, I see other teachers in the department and school realizing a greater potential regarding what can be done at the secondary level. Much of my activity has led to focused discussions in lieu of our weekly planned in-service time. More teachers are coming around to the idea of engaging students in more real-world science, and the need for our own participation in opportunities for educators to explore modeling and research opportunities.
said at AAS - 2018
I came to appreciate the astronomers at the conference more for their real-ness as genuine people rather than unreachable genius. I am inspired by the passion of the community.
said at AAS - 2018
Our district needs an astronomy course, and now I have some idea about how to make that happen.
said at AAS - 2018
Before becoming a NITARP teacher, I was considering applying to become a science coordinator so that I can have more influence on science education. Now that I am a NITARP alumnus, I am certain I want to be a science coordinator or an educator that teaches other teachers. I feel that because my understanding of the nature of science has been so greatly expanded that I could really help guide other teachers to understand science in a much deeper way.
said at AAS - 2018
The NITARP experience has already changed the way I work in my classroom. I try to provide actual data to my students to use whether we are studying Earth science, physics, or astronomy. I also have changed my lab exercises so that it requires students to develop their own strategies to solve a problem. I also have reworked many labs so there isn’t a finite, correct answer.
said at AAS - 2018
My perception of astronomy has changed from the idea that astronomy is just “one thing,” to understanding that astronomy is really a huge collection of “things.” Astronomy encompasses planetary science, star formation, solar system, astrobiology, and cosmology, just to name a few.
said at AAS - 2018
This experience has completely changed my perception of what astronomers do and what astronomy is. Astronomers work very hard at analyzing data and find multiple approaches to solve a problem. There isn’t a single way to do things, and often, data has to be reduced and manipulated multiple times. It requires exceptional perseverance and creativity.
said at AAS - 2018
[..]astronomers don’t spend any time looking through telescopes and most of them don’t even collect their own data—they use data collected by others and it is stored in enormous databases. They generally (probably always now) collaborate with others—there probably aren’t too many areas of current research that a person could do by him- or her- self—there is just too much data.
said at AAS - 2018
Most science teachers have never done real science – that is, authentic research into something that nobody else has studied before. Experiencing the thrill and challenge of doing real science is essential if we want our teachers to adequately and accurately portray what science is really like to our next generation. NITARP gives teachers this experience. Through NITARP, teachers improve their understanding of the scientific process, build relationships with professional scientists, and contribute to human understanding of some corner of the universe. It is an amazing program that should be expanded to include science teachers everywhere!
said at AAS - 2018
NITARP has reinforced and expanded my interests in astronomy. It has also given me the experience and confidence to pursue graduate study. I’ve been thinking about going back to graduate school for years…participating in this program helped me realize that I need to do it now! There is so much to learn!
said at AAS - 2018
In the context of my regular physics courses, I think I will try to incorporate more ‘current’ science into what we learn about. While essential, most of the physics I teach is hundreds of years old. Giving students insight to what is currently being researched could nudge them toward pursuing science after high school.
said at AAS - 2018
[student:] Students tend to confine themselves in the ‘classroom box’. Teachers tell kids what to do, they do it. And for the most part, young people are encouraged not to contend with fact or debate the teacher. But it is exactly this mindset which hinders learning.
said at AAS - 2018
[student:] Going to this conference gave me a much better understanding and prospective of the work astronomers do, and what it means to be an astronomer.
said at AAS - 2018
[NITARP helps] Teachers learn that they are not alone and isolated like we often feel being in our classrooms by ourselves the majority of our career and that we need experiences like this to help us grow and try new things. Teachers learn that they can be of use in the research community. We learn that you don’t have to live in the same town to be part of a team that can accomplish a project.
said at AAS - 2018
I hope to be adding more use of real data and databases in my classroom.
said at AAS - 2018
I plan on using this to try to foster more of an acceptance of Astronomy being a viable path for a career. My district tends to promote life science over the physical sciences. I want to use what I have learned to support more research into astronomy.
said at AAS - 2018
This experience has helped me to see Astronomers as people who are just like me, but have a different area of expertise. They are approachable for the most part and want to share their experiences and research.
said at AAS - 2018
NITARP is an invaluable experience. I am extremely fortunate to have participated.
said at AAS - 2018
The experience has shown me that astronomy research isn’t all about the pretty images we get to see, it can and I’m sure often does involve things that you never get to actually see.
said at AAS - 2018
Learning about the available databases that are out there and open to everyone to use is great to know as well. I look forward to working with them more.
said at AAS - 2018
I know now that I can develop effective data-based astronomy projects for my students.
said at AAS - 2018
I was very impressed with how supportive and congenial astronomers are, and I have much more confidence as a high school astronomy teacher as a result of this support.
said at AAS - 2018
The performance of the students at [the AAS] was well beyond what I expected them to be able to do.
said at AAS - 2018
I love the connections and sharing that happen between teachers, students, and mentors. This is the part that I believe makes a successful PD or E/PO project very successful – the interactions and networks that are formed between participants at all levels. It builds a working comfort level and common ground that helps drive and support further collaboration and communication.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
The face to face interaction and real time collaboration is important for the teachers and students as we are learning new information and techniques.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
I really think it is important the students see the astronomers and other people working at JPL and Caltech as people and that they see themselves participating in research in a real way. Unless they have been exposed to working scientists as part of their daily lives it seems that they have a different view as to what an astronomer is or should be – not even a full misconception as much as a missing conception. The time during the week and the talk by the visiting Caltech folks helps fill in that context.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
[student:] After this trip, I really do look at astronomy differently. Before I honestly did not think it was this complex and interesting. I know now that it takes a lot of time and knowledge to be a good astronomers.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
[student:] The least surprising was that the work was going to be hard, intense, and brutal. But I liked it very much anyway. I knew it would be hard but it is still rough when you have to think so hard and long in the middle of summer.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
[student:] I don't think "real astronomy" can be simply classified. I now know that astronomy covers an incredibly wide field of research, from finding active galactic nuclei to finding baby stars to sorting out the mysteries of the universe. "Real astronomy" can't be set in a box. I was semi-surprised that scientific research was so circular. In every science class I have been given a set of instructions and told to follow them. There were no instructions here, and it's so imperative to teach others that.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] I've always thought that astronomy involved looking through telescopes in some manner, and was almost completely blindsided when we spent all of our time in front of a computer. I was pleasantly surprised!!
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] I was confused a great deal during the process! I honestly think that it is EXTRAORDINARILY hard to NOT get confused/frustrated during this! With the help of my teammates, I did work through it in a timely manner. Honestly, I loved being confused. I knew that finding the answer to the question that plagued me would help farther along. I got more than enough support! I liked being able to ask questions, and, yes, I could definitely still use the support!
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] The best thing about this trip was the knowledge that we are looking at data untouched by other eyes. It gave me such a rush of adrenaline, knowing that our data hasn't ever been worked with!
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] I truly enjoyed working with a determined, like-minded team. It made all the difference for this trip.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] The most important thing I learned was how to accept that I didn't, and wouldn't, understand exactly what I was doing. This was an entirely new experience for me, as I have always been able to grasp some part of a concept I was learning. This was quickly undermined, as I had no idea what I was doing! One of the most interesting things I saw was the complexity of the data we were working with. I LOVED getting to see how the process of genuine science went!
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] Everything could not have been done online, since we were able to be together we could much more easily help one another and actually trust one another. The group became much closer after spending a week together and I feel like we became very good friends.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] In my personal opinion the best thing was being able to do actual science and not just something like I do in school.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] I think the most interesting thing we did was the photometry. I love being able to learn so much from just a few numbers and using some math.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student: Astronomers] do so much critical thinking and have to use their own individual judgement. I wouldn't have imagined that so many different astronomers could get differing answers and still all be technically correct.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] It would be infuriatingly difficult to try to learn how to do aperture photometry over the internet. It could be done, but it wouldn't be as fun or productive.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] The best part of the trip was working with a real research team and helping each other figure things out that we didn't even have the answers to. Another fantastic part was learning so much, so fast. I enjoyed the fast pace because it kept the work interesting.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] The most surprising thing I experienced was the technicality and tediousness of calculating and entering the data.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[Real astronomy is] Using physical evidence to construct models about the universe. Lots of computer screen time. A back and forth, non-linear process. One of the coolest things one can do with one’s time here on spaceship earth.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
Astronomy is rad. The way that astronomers use light to understand the universe is clever and math-y. The deepest truths about the universe are earned through patient, creative, sometimes tedious, skeptical scrutiny of data.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
I think it was really important for us to spend a substantial amount of time together, get to know one another, struggle with concepts together, and work toward a common goal. Online hangouts are a decent (and cheaper $ !) substitute, but can’t replace face to face interaction and problem solving. Also, physically being at a college campus or at JPL is a powerful experience for our students. I expected our group to feel more cohesive after the trip and I definitely think we left California as a stronger team.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
Best thing about the trip = Learning how to do astronomical analysis and participating in the process of authentic science. Nobody in the history of humanity has done exactly what we’re doing. That’s amazing.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
In order to be an astronomer (or any scientist) you have to be able to accept the fact that there are mistakes which must be worked through. An astronomer must have the stamina to work through things to solve problems. Also, astronomers must be highly creative in order to devise solutions to very unique problems.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
Real astronomy is looking at data, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions. Real astronomers collaborate with other astronomers to verify their findings. Everything we did on this trip was scientific research; looking at data, analyzing data using different tools, collaboration, and drawing conclusions.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
Astronomy is always depicted as a single person looking through a telescope. I was aware that modern astronomy is collecting and analyzing data, but I did not have a clear understanding of the massive amount of data available and the steps required to reduce it in order to make an analysis. I was also unaware that astronomy is very collaborative.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
The work we conducted at Caltech could not have been accomplished online. The benefits of all working in the same room were enormous. We could get/give help, ask questions to Luisa in person, and check our answers. There is no way I could have a thorough understanding of the SEDs, aperture photometry, or the color-color and color-magnitude diagrams without hearing the description from Luisa, working on it, asking questions, collaborating, and working some more. I believe we could have benefited from having one more day (or even half day) as a work day similar to the Thursday workday.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] I don’t think I could handle the work if it was done online. I think it was almost crucia, at least for me, to all be in the same room as we learned what we were doing and tried it for the first time.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] I was expecting the most amount of work I have ever done, and I was a little frightened I wouldn’t be able to keep up at all. The work proved to be intense, but not too much.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
Real astronomy is being part mathematician, part computer hacker, part communicator, and a lot detective - putting the pieces together. It is messy, with results that may not be clearly interpreted. It involves looking from multiple angles with every tool you can find, looking for patterns and learning from lessons learned looking at other objects. Real astronomy involves focusing on a part of the astronomical processes, counting on other astronomers to do the same, so that all of the pieces can be put together to tell an ever improving story.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
No, [this work] could not have been done online and had the same effect. Online has too many limitations. The amount of information was vast. Although, after the visit, the online will take on a new dimension. The trip activated us all in ways, (although we will be negotiating the startup of school for a few weeks), that if we can be patient, should result in higher motivation levels and a deeper sense of commitment by all involved. It was also good to learn the personalities of the students. We learned a lot in a short amount of time, and the students would never had been up to speed / gaps in knowledge, without the face-to-face time.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
As a teacher who loves doing projects with students, I was in a much different role this time. I have been taught to give quick help, activate students then move away as they engage. When I often want to complete the task and do it for them, that wasn’t what the students needed for growth. This time, I needed to stay engaged in the activity. This might seem subtle, but it was not for me. And usually, my personal projects are self-contrived.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
I really enjoyed the role of the artists and computer savvy in communicating the science. Astronomers have done a great job of improving the communication and education through various visual representations.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[...] this was a much different experience than taking a grad course, or doing a workshop on a campus. It reminded me of my undergrad physics courses (25+ years ago), where professors would often through big gems of knowledge a class, which you would take back to your dorm room and wrestle with throughout the week, although you were sure to get another packet of knowledge at the next lecture. I was able to get a glimpse into the experience of learning at an accelerated pace. It will help me this year as I make my revisions and consider what my students will experience as I lead classes this year, and also the rigor that must be maintained.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - CephC:LABS
[student:] The most surprising thing I learned was that astronomy involves lots of chemistry which wasn't obvious when you first think about astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
The work that we did could not have been done on line. The interaction as we discussed all facets of the project would have been difficult to coordinate on-line.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
Real astronomy is looking at an object over and over again until you are sure it is what you are looking for. It is making sure the source is reliable and not spending time on objects that don't have enough supporting information. It is using information from one mission to look for objects that need to be studied more with a subsequent mission. It is about trying to tell the story of the universe. I guess when I look back on it I would think there would be so many places to check and recheck and cross check the data.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
This experience has changed the way I think about astronomers and astronomy. I know I had an idea of the fact that astronomers used light of various wavelengths and didn't really use as much visible light. This has really brought that home to me and has opened my eyes to just how much data is out there yet to be examined.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
[student: Qualities for an astronomer are] Curiosity and persistence- curiosity is important because it drives research and learning and persistence is important because doing research may not initially yield what you are looking for, but it's important to persist.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
[student:] Being able to ask questions in person is also extremely helpful versus asking online.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
[This experience] made me more jealous of astronomers and what they do.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
I know that I learned a great deal more by being together with the team at Caltech than I could have remotely. The bonding that took place among our team could only have happened by being together.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
The understanding that the high school students reached concerning the science behind our project was much deeper than I expected.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
The energy, commitment, and teaching ability of the NITARP mentors is amazing. Luisa and Varoujan are the heart and soul of the experience and make NITARP such a great program. In addition, our team of educators has become very tight and we all are committed to working hard on our SIRXS-Deep project.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
[student:] I did not think that computers would be used as frequently as we used them in our research. I thought we would do a lot more of equation solving and things on paper rather than how much we used the computer.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
[student:] I did not anticipate was how fun it was, I was expecting something very serious.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
[student:] Astronomers should be patient, organized, and have a knack for patterns.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
[student:] The work we carried out at Caltech would be plain confusing to do on the internet, especially learning NASA terms and getting to understand our assignment. [...] Overall, I think meeting together in LA was worthwhile by a mile. We would not have been as engaged in our work without the LA trip.
said at Summer Visit - 2017 - SIRXS-DEEP
NITARP was one of the pivotal experiences on this journey that expanded my abilities from a teacher who could effectively engage students in studies of celestial motion, constellations, and scale models of the solar system to one who could manage deep dives into research. I would have never reached the understanding of the power of a trip to a professional meeting had I not had the structured support that NITARP provided. Today, I am blessed to have the position of my dreams as Director of Education Outreach at Yerkes Observatory where we are focusing on creating accessible astronomy and STEM and computing science experiences for learners of all abilities. Every night is a new sky.
said Kate Meredith
As a former physics and engineering teacher, I sought research opportunities for my students. Teaching at a rural high school left me with limited access to scientific journals and lab supplies. To provide better research experiences for my students, I sought collaborations with professors across the nation. While these experiences were fantastic, my students and I primarily collected and analyzed data. I wanted to jump into a research project that went from start to finish, with all of the iterations in between. NITARP afforded me that opportunity. As a partial result of NITARP, I left my high school teaching job to pursue a doctorate in curriculum and instruction. My research focused on getting authentic science and STEM experiences into the K12 classroom. In addition to the science education focus, I also took 29 graduate hours in astronomy. I am now an Assistant Professor of STEM Education at Wilkes University where I teach K12 preservice teachers from all disciplines, as well as teach specialized courses in science education. Incorporating authentic experiences throughout all disciplines is a hallmark of my classes. Additionally, I also provide professional development opportunities for inservice teachers on how to use astronomy as a vehicle to teach STEM and how to incorporate authentic scientific inquiry in the K12 classroom. Participating in NITARP really solidified my philosophy of K12 teaching. As many previous NITARP-ers have expressed, this was a life-changing PD.
said Debbie French
Thanks again for NITARP. My whole world is better for it.
said Vincent Urbanowski
[student:] I have always known that I wanted to go into astronomy or a surrounding field and this experience has only completed it. Before, I did not know the process that astronomers take, only the outcome, and now that I see all the devotion needed, it can only make me more determined to pursue this career.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I think that the level of independence we were given was very good along with support, we weren't given the answers, but instead the materials to find them.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] This program was obviously very rigorous, but did very much help to me outline the type of path I would continue to pursue. Being with people who devote so much time and energy into their projects really brought out my interest in astronomy further, but also a new level of respect for all the incredible work astronomers do. It doesn't compare to many other careers, dealing with incredible math and analysing such difficult data.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I feel like I’m able to [now] more effectively work for long periods of time, as that has usually been a bit of a challenge. This experience gave me practice in working for a long time and how to work through it.
said at AAS - 2017
The NITARP model of mentorship deserves to be replicated by other programs and agencies.
said at AAS - 2017
While it is widely reported that students entering STEM fields in college feel like they hit a brick wall when science and engineering courses shift from the typically conceptual level of high school to the quantitative modelling of college, NITARP students arrive on campus having already seen firsthand that “doing” science means doing math – and that as intricate and occasionally tedious as this may be, it makes sense. NITARP students learn in their bones that math and the tools of math comprise the most natural way to talk substantively about science. NITARP students are ready for science in college.
said at AAS - 2017
As for its impact on the next generation of American scientists, NITARP is the Johnny Appleseed of STEM.
said at AAS - 2017
Teachers are energized and inspired by the program[..] Working on real questions of Astronomy, and using quantitative tools to understand truly awesome phenomenae reminds us of what excited us as undergrads, back at the beginning of our professional journeys. And spending a week working side by side with our most motivated students reminds of the true joy of teaching, which is to share the wonder of this world with a new generation.
said at AAS - 2017
NITARP 1) improved my classroom teaching and 2) by expanding my understanding of astronomy, astronomical research and science in general, gave me so much more to work with as I continue to broaden my students’ experience of mathematics.
said at AAS - 2017
I plan to develop more problems of a statistical nature. Gross data from astronomy and other realms leads to insight; this is a side of scientific inquiry that I’d never really thought about before. If I’m going to be about modeling, I’m going to have to learn to be about statistics.
said at AAS - 2017
Because NITARP turns teachers and students into colleagues at the same academic level, I got to experience what it’s like to be a student struggling with exciting new material. This has increased my functional empathy with students. Specifically, (1) I am more aware of assumptions I’m making about student prior knowledge; (2) I take more time with each step; (3) I get confirmation from more students before moving on.
said at AAS - 2017
[..]one of the greatest joys of NITARP was the enthusiasm with which questions were encouraged, and the way you [..] answered them – always with respect, regardless of the level of the question; always taking time to fill in gaps, and always at the right depth (“as simple as possible but not simpler”). And so I asked a lot of questions and very much enjoyed the answers and discussions.
said at AAS - 2017
My understanding of both is much deeper and more nuanced; informed at this point by direct experience.
said at AAS - 2017
I hate to admit this, but I’d never done a poster session before. So making and presenting a poster was an enormous delight of learning for me.
said at AAS - 2017
The AAS conference was my first true science conference and everything I’d longed to be a part of since I started reading science and science fiction in junior high. From the first briefing with Luisa to the plenaries to the smaller sessions, I felt I was mainlining whatever drug it is that geeks get addicted to.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] NITARP gives students unbelievable confidence in their abilities; of course, in their abilities to do meaningful research and understand complex scientific topics, but also in their abilities to collaborate with adults and express their valuable opinions. I learned so much about interacting with other scientists and tackling seemingly-incomprehensible projects in front of me. Students also gain perspective from meeting other students all around the country who are similarly interested in astronomy and dedicated to research (not common in most schools).
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] If I had to tell Congress what people who experience this learn is to express their love for information and learning. There is a constant need of learning to understand the many mysteries to us. You develop this new feeling of always wanting to continue your understanding. You might understand the basics of something, but there is something more. No matter what field you are going into, you are able to take back a lot from this. Whether you want to go into math, physics, astronomy or even art, there is something in this program that will help you with that.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I did not expect the astronomy community to come together so well. Everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun, both young and old. They talked to each other with so much respect and experienced a lot of enjoyment while listening and explaining information.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] A year ago, I would never have dreamed of applying to an Ivy League college. Now, I’ve applied to three. A year ago, I was teetering between art and science. Now, I am looking ahead to a college major and eventual career in astrophysics with the utmost confidence. I am about to embark on a journey into a heavily male-dominated science field with some of the hardest mathematics courses in existence, but I am no longer afraid. I am simply impatient.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I plan to attend college and major in astrophysics. I hope to someday work for NASA or a private research facility. This experience gave me the confidence I needed to solidify these career goals, transforming my fear into impatience.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I learned one very important thing about astronomy. I’d always had this romanticised picture in my head of astronomers gazing through telescopes at the night sky and making revolutionary discoveries left and right. Thus, this trip was a bit of a wake up call for me; I now know that astronomy involves a lot more spreadsheet work and data analysis before any life-changing discoveries can be made.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I did not think I would impress anyone. I thought I would struggle through presentations and hopefully hold my own, but I never expected I would do any more than that. However, I ended up knowing the information better than I realized, and that really showed through when I presented. And people were impressed.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] Prior to this research experience, I’ve always felt as if the odds were stacked against me becoming an astrophysicist. I once doubted my mathematical aptitude, my ability to thrive in a male-dominated field, and my capacity to overcome the adversity of applying to prestigious universities while living in a rural community. However, through this program I’ve learned that I have the potential to be truly successful in the astronomical disciplines. It is imperative that these program remain accessible to all students in order to build a generation that is scientifically literate and prepared to take on even the most daunting global problems.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] This program has given me the courage to apply to numerous ivy league schools and pursue a major in astrophysics. My academic pursuits are far from over, but through my participation with NITARP I feel confident knowing that I have some background understanding of the types of astronomical research I will experience in college.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] This program gave me the confidence I needed to apply to schools for a major in astrophysics. I always doubted my mathematical capabilities, but I’ve realized that if I truly want to pursue research in astronomy I need to study astrophysics. It is my dream to work in public relations for observatories, universities, or NASA. I want to make science accessible and easy to understand for the general public, so I want to have a strong background in research and experience.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I’ve learned to be less critical of myself. I’ve realized that the actual learning process is much more valuable than always getting the correct answer. I’ve been less discouraged when I get confused because I know understand that it is good to be confused, and that even the greatest astronomers get confused by problems.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I was frustrated with being unable to check my answers with some outside source. But it was helpful to know that in astronomy there are no answers in the back of the book, and that’s what made our job so important.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I once thought that being an astronomer was an intangible career. I thought it was only reserved for the Stephen Hawkings and Neil Degrasse Tysons of the world. But what NITARP made me realize is that not only could “regular” people become astronomers, but that I could become an astronomer. Learning the process of conducting our research was surprisingly feasible and made me feel much more confident in my ability to become an astronomer.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I did not anticipate the work dynamic between the teachers and students. I anticipated to simply be a participant in the research progress while the teachers would relay the “actual” work to the students. I was pleasantly surprised, and in fact elated, that I was just as vital to the project as my teachers. I felt truly valued, and I am eternally grateful for the level of respect that I received. Although it was not anticipated, the interactions between students and mentors was my favorite part of the program.
said at AAS - 2017
The NITARP program has opened my eyes to a whole new world—it has had a enormous impact on what I do, how I do it, and what my students are exposed to. I really cannot imagine what I would be doing now if I had not gotten involved with this program—the difference that it has made in my life is truly amazing.
said at AAS - 2017
My NITARP experiences have changed how I work in the classroom—my research class is a direct outcome of my participation in the program. I also incorporate some of the methods of the NITARP program into this class—the students are required to produce posters, display them, and use them as part of a presentation that they give at the regional science fair and other venues.
said at AAS - 2017
I wish I’d been aware of this opportunity years ago.
said at AAS - 2017
In our research course at school, I am pushing to change some of the parts of it that need updating and that don’t really reflect the reality of scientific work. For instance, assembling a complete research proposal, which now seems so obvious, was not a requirement at school. I am also planning on providing students with opportunities to conduct research where they do not need to collect their own data. Why not? There’s so much already out there.
said at AAS - 2017
I was not aware of just how much archived data is available. That was stunning to me.
said at AAS - 2017
I really feel that NITARP is a model that needs to be replicated in some fashion for teachers (in any field, really) everywhere. How can teachers effectively teach STEM, particularly, in this new environment without really having done research themselves? Most STEM programs are good at introducing teachers to engineering. What we need now are programs, like NITARP, that get teachers involved in real science.
said at AAS - 2017
Thanks, again and again, for such a great opportunity and experience. I am serious - I really want to find a way to make this kind of thing more available. Teachers need this...badly. When I think about the challenges that I often had with my science teacher peers at my former school, it was because my way of looking at things was so different. NITARP explains why - science and research are the focus for me, rather than covering content. The skills this program provides are critical for student preparation and most teachers have not been given these. How can they then be expected to teach them?
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I thought that astronomers only looked at the stars and plotted them and their data. There is lots more information about a star in an image than I thought and lots more computers look through the telescopes than astronomers!
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] There are so many parts and places and people working on the same thing but in lots of different ways. I better understand why adults go to conferences and why they are important – so many ideas and people talking about their work.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] [this experience] did change the way I thought about astronomy and astronomers. There is a lot of time and effort put into the research the astronomers do. Astronomers also have to have pretty good social skills to be able to present their findings to other people.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] Presenting a poster around so many other hard working individuals really drove home that this was real work and not just some school project.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] After this experience I find astronomy more interesting and I see it as a bigger field than what i thought it was before.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I did not anticipate having to speak with and meet so many new people but that was fine. I did not expect to learn so much and get so interested at the actual AAS meeting.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] This overall experience has taught me be to be diligent and to not procrastinate with my work and homework, it has taught me to thoroughly answer everything and ask for help when I need it.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] Astronomy and astronomer work in ways that I didn’t know until this. I am pretty sure that I have changed how I think about all scientists now.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] My expectations were minimalistic to the reality of the convention as a whole, the convention towered my expectations and in a good way.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I would say that I learned how to do research, understand space and the formation of stars, how data from telescopes is used, how to be more confident, how to ask more questions, and how to work better in a team. I experienced the joy of discovering my passion, and I started on a path to my dream job.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] At the beginning of the program I wanted to be a medical examiner. Then throughout the year I learned more about astronomy and the processes that astronomers go through and I just want to do more of that. I still want to be a medical examiner, but astronomy, discovering exoplanets, whether or not they could potentially sustain life, how stars, planetary systems, galaxies are formed, that is what really sparks my curiosity. At the conference I got excited about everything there that I forgot to eat and even got up early. I basically ran on excitement because everything was so fun to learn about that, and I want to always feel like that.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I didn’t anticipate loving it all so much.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] Presenting the poster was also great because the people that I talked to had such great advice and ideas. One of the best things that I learned about was all the different places to learn astronomy. I got free magazines, and website names that are absolute gold mines of information and I’m really excited to explore those and learn from them. Learning about the formation of stars through the program and how astronomers take and interpret data was interesting to me. It helped me get a taste of astronomy and it’s what made me decide that I want to go into astronomy.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] Without NITARP I wouldn't have been able to learn to push myself when work becomes frustrating and it gave me a bigger aspiration to become an astronomer.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] My goal for my future career was to most likely become a doctor or biologist but now because of NITARP, I have been motivated to delve deeper and look for an area of astronomy to pursue.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] This experience showed me that there are even more fields of astronomy than I originally thought as well as how different they can be.
said at AAS - 2017
If it were possible to speak to congress (or others) about the impact NITARP has had on myself and my students, I would have to start with it being life changing. For myself the experience has been a needed confirmation that the traditional process of science education in primary and secondary education in ineffective and that there are far better methods. The first and foremost being to have students participate in real authentic research work and learn the needed knowledge in a context of its use and application. I have seen students that would never have considered science a favorite subject excel and push themselves harder because it is ‘real’. I have completely changed my teaching style to reflect this and include real research in all my classes. Student participate, motivations, and enthusiasm have increased across the board. For students I can point to several that have had a complete change in their future prospects and ambitions due to exposure to the NITARP program. Directly or indirectly, they have seen themselves as having a real attainable part of science or technology based career. For some this will push them to be the first in their family to attend college of any kind, for others the first to look at a career outside the trades, for others an encouraging push to continue their efforts and look at what will be. Programs like NITARP provide teachers and students opportunities that really get to the core of STEM education and what STEM should be. They should be supported and encouraged.
said at AAS - 2017
NITARP has changed how I teach and the focus of my classroom time. After this experience I have included more long term research work and scientist/student partnering into the classroom. I have reached out to local professionals to act as mentors for student work and to develop partnerships I hope can continue in the far future. I show students more use of technology and integrate more coding, use of databases, and online research tools to aid student work and support topic curriculum. I have felt I really need to find more ways to get more students the change to do work like this because of the incredibly high interest I have form the whole area.
said at AAS - 2017
I have always loved astronomy and have had great interactions with many great people in the field so my thoughts on them are just as positive as ever. I have thought and watched and think that as a whole the astronomy community has a great opportunity to catch the attention and interest of youth if they really continue to promote the great work they do with the public. The stars and planets are attention grabbing and there is always something great to share with all ability and skill levels.
said at AAS - 2017
I really enjoyed watching the ways that the older members of our team supported and interacted with the younger students. They really bonded together better than I expected given the range of ages and skills. I was also impressed by the number of people that came to talk with the students and really engaged with them in conversations about the science and process related to their poster and talked with them about their experience. Astronomy is a wonderfully supportive community.
said at AAS - 2017
This is an authentic scientific experience that provides students the opportunity to do real science, build professional relationships, practice 21st century skills, work with many different individuals and speak publicly about their work. It is everything a science program plans to teach students in a typical 4-year high school program, all in one experience.
said at AAS - 2017
I especially value the NITARP experience for putting me in the position of being a novice trying to master content that was over my head. I gained a much greater understanding of how some of my students must feel sitting in my or another’s class. It has helped me be a more empathetic educator while also helping me to better understand how to reach and motivate those students.
said at AAS - 2017
I was challenged to stay on top of my understanding and ask more questions than I’m used to asking. Usually things are pretty easy for me, but not this.
said at AAS - 2017
This experience will be hard to top. I may try to create a partnership with staff at a local university or community college to do more research projects. I also want to get better at programming. That is a valuable skill to share with students. NITARP helped me to see these opportunities.
said at AAS - 2017
Having real data to show students and being able to show them how/why math is used in ‘real life’ as well as being able to share the ongoing process of science to students (versus a 2 day lab) is invaluable to me.
said at AAS - 2017
I had expected that we would learn the material and processes, and then guide the students in a watered down version of the research, but am excited that we all are involved at a higher level in the investigation.
said at AAS - 2017
I was encouraged by the level of respect among astronomers – it was more than I could have imagined. They would listen to each others’ models with a level of support hanging in the air. It seemed like a community where most, if not everyone, had the same goal of better understanding.
said at AAS - 2017
I cannot imagine a better opportunity for students to use actual data and work with a professional astronomer. Regardless of what kind of science a student wishes to pursue in the future, working with REAL scientists and REAL data will give them experiences that will prepare them for college and beyond.
said at AAS - 2017
Before attending AAS, I didn’t realize astronomy was so “specialized.” I thought about astronomy in general terms, but didn’t realize how narrowly focused astronomy can be (stellar astronomy, cosmology, astrobiology, etc.).
said at AAS - 2017
I knew I would like attending AAS, but even though I didn’t understand all the information presented in the various talks, I really, really, liked listening to them.
said at AAS - 2017
I was expecting professional astronomers to be much more aloof, but everyone that a I engaged with was very open to the interaction and more than willing to talk and share their knowledge.
said at AAS - 2017
In a very short period of time, members of my research team became bonded, and I’m sure, a very close working unit.
said at AAS - 2017
NITARP should be a model for the type of education that our high school students should be able to experience, and the model that would most benefit them.
said at AAS - 2017
I have realized how many different things there are to study in the universe and the different roles that people in the community can take on. Astronomy research can be complex, involve multiple layers of investigation, and play out over long time scales.
said at AAS - 2017
I did not anticipate how friendly everyone was. I could go up to anybody, it seemed, and talk to them and they gave me their undivided attention.
said at AAS - 2017
I got to re-experience what it's like to be a student faced with a difficult challenge; the wondering whether or not to ask a question; the struggle to make sense of the work being done by others around me.. I think these experiences will make me a more empathetic and effective teacher.
said at AAS - 2017
The students often bring a new perspective to things that maybe we as teachers might not have any longer.
said at AAS - 2017
It was interesting to see [students] struggle with the same things I did. It truly humanized them, and I think it strengthened both my relationship with them and my respect for them.
said at AAS - 2017
NITARP felt different than previous research I conducted in that I felt what I was doing was actually something new and important.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I didn't expect that we would grow so close after connecting during just 5 days.
said at AAS - 2017
Coming through NITARP allowed me to realize that being passionate about science is a beautiful thing. I'm much more likely to be open to rambling on about space[...] NITARP reignited the "nerdy passion."
said at AAS - 2017
I think I'm talking about science a little differently, with more focus on the scientific process than just the topics.
said at AAS - 2017
[student:] I have sparked more scientific conversations with people in classes. I speak differently in these conversations because now I am more confident with what I talk about.
said at AAS - 2017
The process [of science] is focused but open to react and respond to learned outcomes -- very circular.
said at AAS - 2017
The scientific method cannot be narrowed down to 6 simple steps. The process is very much ingrained in trial and error and coming up with new solutions to problems.
said at AAS - 2017
The scientific method, more than anything, must be open and flexible.
said at AAS - 2017
I feel the NITARP experience will be a major influence for me here on out.
said Richard Sanchez
Thank you for a life changing experience.
said Garrison Hall
Our students, over the past few years since I participated in NITARP, have directly benefited from my being accepted into the program. You are a great asset and I appreciate all that you do!
said Lynn Powers
[student:] . Something that I did not know to be a part of scientific research was the team aspect of it. I expected it to be more solo than teamwork. I always thought that scientist did things all on their own and never worked with anyone.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] Yes. I really like [astronomy]. I had an idea of what [astronomers] did but, actually doing it made me realize how much i actually liked astronomy. And as for astronomers… I realized that there is a large team of people from various backgrounds that contributed in their own ways.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] I think seeing the images and comparing them to the SED graphs was surprising. I sort of tied everything we were learning together.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] I didn't anticipate the amount of work we were going to be doing and learning in that amount of time.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] I think that patience and dedication are important for an astronomer because astronomy is a long process. I think that being able to communicate and ask for help are also extremely important because astronomy includes a lot of people looking at the same thing and seeing different details that need to be shared.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] Real astronomy is a lot of numbers and a lot of work. I didn’t realize quite how interactive it was with the engineering, I thought they were more separated.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] I think it was way better that we did everything in person because we got to meet everybody and it was much easier to ask questions and learn from the questions of others. The group changed as we got to know each other and we all became friends.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] The most surprising thing to me was how relaxed it was. I was expecting a “cookbook” experience and instead we were given the tools and then figured it out ourselves. I really liked that and I think I understood everything better because of it.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] When the group of people came in and talked to us about how they got there I was pretty excited. It was really cool to see the different ways a person could practice astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] I think all astronomers must be curious, not afraid of work, hardworking, and must care about what they do.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] Until last year, I thought astronomy was confined to learning about our Solar System. I thought astronomers didn’t work in the day and stood at a telescope all night taking notes. After all, my only astronomy unit was in third grade, when we learned about the planets. After all of our research, work, and speakers, I understand that there are many branches of astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] I don’t think our work at Caltech would have been possible online. While in the room, we were able to ask questions, collaborate, and work in groups. We also got a chance to meet the rest of our team in person. All of this would be very difficult to do online.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] I think patience and determination are two of the most important qualities for an astronomer to have because in astronomy there is typically a wait time for certain data to be collected and observed. It also takes a lot of determination to be able to go through so many sheets of data that may or may not be what you're looking for.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] This experience most definitely changed the way that I think about astronomy. It allowed me to see that not all the data that is received is the most accurate due to the limitations of the instruments and many other objects in space.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
[student:] The most surprising thing that I learned and did not anticipate was the amount of diversity that was present. I would have never guessed that you didn’t need some sort of astronomical background to be a part of the astronomical community.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
The use of large data bases of information like IRSA are a great tool and I have come to understand that large databases are a more important source of astronomy and science research than I believed before or believe the general population understands. I like getting to understand how to use these tools.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
I do not think that the work done at Caltech as a team could be done online as effectively as it is in person. The work takes time with team members face to face as we learn and start the processes that make up the bulk of the work. I believe that that time together is very valuable.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
The most important thing I saw from the meeting was the growth in the students – not just in understanding the subject and science behind the project but in the levels of confidence and belief they were developing in their abilities and understanding of the real process of science.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
Overall, *all* of my experiences with real scientists, especially those who work in the field to collect data, contradict the simple model of the hypothesis-experiment-conclusion that textbooks taught me and (attempt) to teach students even to this day.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
I wasn’t sure exactly what else, besides looking through telescopes, astronomers really did. I see now that a lot of astronomy can be done without being near any instruments that collect the data!
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
The best thing about the trip was getting to spend time together working. I enjoyed watching the kids get to know each other and the other adults. I watched them grow in confidence and it made me feel very accomplished. Even though I was exhausted at the end of every day, it was well spent time and that face-to-face block of time was necessary for making sure my students and I understood everything.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
Astronomers need to be independently motivated (be able to work alone with a strong drive) and to also work well in teams (and not just with other scientists). They are problem solvers and love a good mystery. Also, they need to have the patience to stick with a project for years. And they should be able to juggle more than one project at once.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
‘Real’ astronomy is not the myth of staying up all night looking through a telescope. It is more so working with data to ask and solve questions. A lot of computer skill is needed.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
It was a real team spirit amongst all three schools. My students were really proud of the work they did and all they learned.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - LLAMMa
Real astronomy is done in data analysis. This is not what the public sees or imagines. I think that this is one of the great values of the program, particularly for students, but for teachers as well. Participating in research projects is always eye-opening and exciting, but it involves a great deal of hard work and creativity. This last aspect, creativity, is an area where scientists typically receive little credit, but it is where they truly excel. Science, including astronomy, seems like a stodgy and non-creative endeavor on the outside, particularly with the focus on STEM as separate from the arts, which are considered creative.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
Astronomy has some of the kindest and most passionate scientists around. They are great fun to work with.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
I don’t feel that this work could have been completed online. The teachers did come up with a procedure, but we abandoned it once we were all together and working because we could communicate more effectively in real-time. We could read one another’s body language and quickly play off of others’ ideas. We could also work on different sub-projects concurrently with others and thus get more work done in a shorter time period.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
Our team worked so well together. We came in as strangers, we left as friends, we worked collegially as scientists, and we all grew together, both teachers and students.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
There are lots of qualities that are important to an astronomer, but two that come to mind are persistence and diligence. Sometimes, the apparent path to solving a problem turns out to lead somewhere else (or not lead anywhere at all). The astronomer has to be aware of this and know when to change course and try another approach—sometimes, this has to be done over and over again before the research problem starts to show results.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
“Real astronomy” is trying to figure out what makes the universe tick—it involves lots of people, working in teams, reducing data and trying to figure out what it means. Sometimes the data comes from a large database and sometimes the astronomer collects it himself (or herself). Regardless of how the data was collected, that was the easy part—the real challenge is analyzing it and deciphering what it means.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
It would have been really difficult to do this online. The group was able to get through a lot of material in only a week—it would have taken many weeks to have done this using some sort of online method. We even discovered that one of our techniques was not going to give us enough sources and so we changed our procedure then and there—it would have taken much longer to have come to that conclusion and have reacted to it had we not been talking things over together as we went.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] This experience significantly changed the way I think of astronomers. Before going to Caltech and meeting Varoujan and Luisa, I believed astronomers needed to know everything and could not get anything wrong. However, after listening to many astronomers discuss their jobs, I learned that many times this is not the case. Astronomers often do not know the answers to some of their biggest questions and will sometimes think of theories that are incorrect. However, after realizing this, my respect for astronomers has only increased. Astronomers need to have the willpower to continue to try to solve a problem and the intelligence to discover what they do not know.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] The most surprising thing I learned is that astronomers need to be willing to feel stupid often.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] Don’t be afraid to ask an ungodly amount of questions. And don’t be afraid to be wrong. I certainly was at first—like, pretty much all the time—but when I finally stopped worrying about it so much, I found I had all this extra room in my brain that I could devote entirely to learning why I was wrong, and how to be less wrong (because no one is ever really right—that’s just not how astronomy works).
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] I think the two most important qualities in any astronomer are hard work and passion. Hard work is necessary in constantly building the knowledge base required to succeed, and passion is necessary in providing the intrinsic motivation required to succeed.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] I now understand that astronomers don’t send spacecrafts to Jupiter simply to blow the minds of children—that’s just a side effect of the greater purpose.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] A good deal of the information was difficult to process despite relearning it each day. However, it was extremely rewarding when I finally did begin to understand—which was another thing that surprised me. *I* understood college-level astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] Though I don’t like to admit it, I had certain expectations regarding the teachers and students on this trip. To be entirely honest, I was expecting them to be a bunch of socially awkward nerds. Therefore, I was quite surprised to find that everyone was actually very normal—funny, talkative, and knowledgeable on a wide range of topics spanning past simply astronomy. It was certainly refreshing, and it made me realize that I’d fallen victim to an unfortunate stereotype.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] I learned one very important thing about astronomy. I’d always had this romanticised picture in my head of astronomers gazing through telescopes at the night sky and making revolutionary discoveries left and right. Thus, this trip was a bit of a wake up call for me; I now know that astronomy involves a lot more spreadsheet work and data analysis before any life-changing discoveries can be made.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student: This experience] made me love the subject more than I ever thought I would have.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] Messing up is a huge part of being anything in the sciences. There might be times where you will get it the first time, but that only means you are lucky.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] Even though I had to redo my work over 10 times, this still strengthened my skills and provided me extreme happiness in my efforts. I did receive a lot of help from both the students and the teachers. I also provided this same amount of health back to team members. Everyone was a big help rather than just one person.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] We understand that our work will not always work out, but giving up or becoming completely frustrated won’t change anything.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] The most surprising part of this experience was how easily everyone connected with each other. We are all different, but we somehow were able to become good friends and team members in a short amount of time. This same connection happened between the students and the teachers. We did not view them as teachers, but rather friends that we can trust and exchange help with.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] This is the first time where I was able to be a part of a team where everyone had the same aspirations and motivations. There was no one who thought of themselves as the leader. Everyone looked at each other as equals and helped each other when it was needed.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
Truly, the value of this program is in the students, teachers and scientists working together as multi-level, multi-generational colleagues at Caltech. The content authority of a teacher is often strong, but the content authority of scientists is on a whole other level! And making a personal connection with a scientist raises the value of the student experience yet another magnitude.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
On a related and extremely important front, even if some of the kids don’t become scientists, they will understand that the best of adult work is fun.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[The best thing was] Making the human connections. From [the first night through the last], it was clear that we were on a human endeavor as much as a scientific one. I believe the kids came away understanding that science itself is a fundamentally human activity.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[This trip] inspired me. My colleagues and I are teachers. Just as you, scientists, are developing your portfolio and skills as teachers, we need to do a better job of also being scientists. [..] You have reached out to embrace teaching and given us the means to reach out and embrace science.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
I wasn’t expecting as many “well, let’s try this” side roads. I thought the process would be more linear, but this felt more authentic somehow. You don’t know the answer, and you don’t have a clear roadmap for finding the answer, but you have some background and can use that to start reaching towards an answer.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
I thought that science has a right or wrong answer. And it still does, the object is either an AGN or a YSO (probably). But given the limited data we have sometimes, we just don’t know and have to make a reasonable guess as to what the right answer is. It gives me a much better appreciation for astronomers who made “wrong” conclusions based on limited data.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
There were huge benefits to working together in person for a week! We got to know each other, which is key to working long distance, especially with a large and diverse group. And before the trip, the group wasn’t really a “group” yet. Now we’ve all worked side-by-side, had discussions, debates, taught each other and learned from each other. I have high hopes for our continued work this summer and fall.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
I don’t think what we did at CA could have been accomplished online. We needed to be able to point and write on a side board and look at each other’s work. Yes, these things can technically be done online, but the time lost to setting up or executing those simple tasks makes it prohibitive to actually being productive and having real whole group interactivity.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
The best part of the Caltech trip was learning to work together with people you have never met before. Students and adults as learners together; it was really cool to participate in.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[The most surprising thing I learned was that] Science can legitimately be somewhat subjective. When we were trying to classify objects, we had limited data to make that classification from. In some cases, it was difficult to say “it’s an AGN” or “it’s a YSO,” especially if we were looking at an SED with only two data points on it. I’d always thought of science as having a right or wrong and didn’t give much thought to non-numerical uncertainty.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] My experience at Caltech was incredible, and I wouldn’t change a single thing. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I met so many incredible people, and without this trip I don’t know if I would have had the courage to pursue astronomy as a career.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] This experience really normalized astronomers as people for me. I always felt that I was never smart enough to be an astronomer, and it was too out of reach for me. But it was so nice to see that everyone faced similar struggles as myself. This experiences helped solidify my goals of working in the field of astronomy, and made the dream seem much more feasible.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] [The] on-site work was the most beneficial to this project. Communication was so vital to articulate the steps of the process as well as constantly checking your work along the way to match numbers.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] The best thing about the trip was being able to be treated like a colleague rather than a student.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] I most most surprised by my own capabilities at working on the project. Going into the week, I was worried about not being able to keep up with the workload and being unable to process the information. I was honestly shocked to see that the students as well as the mentors worked at a similar pace, asked the same kind of questions, and were learning alongside of each other, rather than the students just relaying everything done by our mentors.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] The most important thing that I learned during my time at Caltech was definitely the importance of collaboration during large scale projects. I previously thought that scientific research was incredibly daunting and fiercely independent. But I learned how vital teamwork and a strong mentor is in the field of science is.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] You can’t be afraid to mess up- after all, with most research, you’re essentially paving your own new path, and that in itself is pretty amazing. I hadn’t realized how much of a collaborative effort research could really be.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] Seeing people be so passionate about learning something they love and that interests them really inspired me and let me understand why so many people have chosen to pursue astronomy. Plus, I learned that most astronomers are secretly very dorky (the good kind, I promise ☺) and will gladly talk with you about anything “nerdy” (i.e. Star Wars, Doctor Who, etc.)
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] The work carried out over the trip most definitely couldn’t have been done with the same effectiveness had it been done online. Having that face to face contact, learning alongside of your fellow researchers, being able to compare work then and there, and being able to ask questions as they come is something that you just can’t quite replicate over the Internet or a telephone.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] The best part of the trip was the people who made it into something so special. I don’t think I’ve ever quite met a group of people like that who I just completely clicked with like that. Being able to explore California, learn and expand my knowledge of space, hash out a ton of numbers over Microsoft Excel, and make memories to last with people who were complete strangers two weeks before was an opportunity that most don’t get to have, and I’m very fortunate to have been able to do. It was truly spectacular. Also, being able to interact and work with like-minded nerds was awesome. It was definitely refreshing to be put into a setting where everyone in the room cared.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] I was least surprised at the amount of trial and error and patience that was required as we began to delve into our data. It’s most definitely not a quick process!
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] Coming together from all over the nation having the opportunity to collaborate on something greater than ourselves was amazing. I didn’t anticipate becoming so family-like with everyone so quickly. We meshed so well and I’m so thankful I was able to meet those people.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] Although some of it was difficult to understand at times, being able to connect the dots and begin to paint a clear picture of what is happening was very important.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student: What qualities do you think are important to be an astronomer?] I think an ability to collaborate with others by sharing your own ideas clearly and being resourceful with others' time and skills is essential. I also think creativity in order to think past unexpected obstacles is important, as well as an ability to make connections (in order to interpret data or draw conclusions). Finally, lots of patience and persistence!
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student: This experience changed the way I thought about astronomy and astronomers because] I've interned with astronomers before and thought that the norm was a small workplace of 10-20 people all doing research at about the same level. Here, I got to see the varied specializations people had in just this one building -- different types of engineers, people organizing the data, managing the data, professors, etc. in addition to astronomers mainly doing research. I didn't know anything about how research was done (in terms of proposals and funding and etc.) before this trip. I really, really liked having the astronomers come in to talk about their lives and their jobs. They were candid and personal, which resulted in a very refreshing and in-depth talk!
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] I think this will be a common answer, but meeting with the rest of the team was an amazing experience that I know made us more open to sharing ideas with each other, enthusiastic about the work we're doing, and willing to put in effort to learn about/advance the project. The kind of collaboration possible with all of us in one room together was much better than anything online. It allowed us to fire out ideas easily, try different paths out at once, and work quickly.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] It was eye-opening and inspiring to realize that there are kids who love science and astronomy all across the country.
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
[student:] I was surprised about how our procedure veered off from its original course[...]
said at Summer Visit - 2016 - HIPS AGN
I can't begin to tell you what a wonderful experience this week was for me and my students. The skills and knowledge we all picked up were great.
said Vincent Urbanowski
I can't begin to tell you what a wonderful experience this week was for me and my students. The skills and knowledge we all picked up were great. But I wanted to say an especial thanks for the way you made us all feel so welcome in your tribe. It was transformative for our kids to interact with you, to hear your stories and to join you in the work.
said Vincent Urbanowski
Thank you so much for coordinating what is a transformative experience for all involved!
said Kelly Kilts
NITARP is an outstanding opportunity for teacher professional development through participation in authentic astronomy research. If you are a science or math teacher, I would encourage you to apply. It was the best professional development program I have been involved with in my 30+ years of teaching.
said John Gibbs
[student:] Our teacher gave us the basic rules, and just let us go. In the beginning, we had no idea where to start. We were supposed to pick a topic of research and I remember being so used to teachers telling me every single thing I had to accomplish and every thing I wasn’t supposed to do or try. This project taught me that you will never get a checklist in a scientific career. There are no answers yet, and it’s up to you to figure them out. This is why I have trouble with the way students are taught in school. It’s easy to get an A when you have everything you’re supposed to do as a checklist, but there is no learning in that. You can’t fail at something that’s already done for you.
said at AAS - 2015
What makes NITARP extraordinary is the level of commitment: both the program's commitment to teachers, and the commitment required from teachers. Teachers commit to a year of hard work, study, risk taking, and intellectual growth. In return, NITARP commits to teachers the most precious resource possible: attentive and supportive mentorship from astronomers at one of the world's premiere research institutions. For me and my students the results have been transformative.
said David Strasburger
NITARP is without a doubt one of the two most valuable pieces of professional development work I have done in 25 years of teaching, and by far the most rewarding content-related work. I think that what you are doing is really unusual and valuable.
said David Strasburger
Scientific research is a team process which takes time, creativity and grit to develop. Current classrooms and education models do not reflect this or prepare students to have those skills.
said at AAS - 2016
The NITARP experience inspires students to participate in research and inspires teachers to find a place in their work (either in a club, the classroom, or new programs) for authentic research. For me, personally, this year of working along with students to learn about black holes has shaped my pedagogical view that real research should be the basis for all science courses.
said Lee Pruett
The NITARP experience inspires students to participate in research and inspires teachers to find a place in their work (either in a club, the classroom, or new programs) for authentic research. For me, personally, this year of working along with students to learn about black holes has shaped my pedagogical view that real research should be the basis for all science courses.
said at AAS - 2016
I have already rewritten several labs to include data analysis with Excel. I have also started mentoring an astronomy club at school.
said at AAS - 2016
[This experience] solidified for me how kind and curious astronomers are. I think that going in to an experience like this as a K-12 educator, I expected to feel a little bit like an outsider, but that was never my experience. I found that all of the people I talked to at our poster were warm and genuine and just enjoyed hearing about our experiences and thoughts.
said at AAS - 2016
[new teacher:] I have never seen the scientific research endeavor start to play out in front of me before. I think I can already, at least a little, better represent what it looks like to share scientific work.
said at AAS - 2016
Astronomers are a more varied bunch than I’d thought, in a good way.
said at AAS - 2016
I loved seeing the progress of science as it unfolded. New results were shared, discussed, questioned, and next steps were stated that could be worked on the next week in some cases. It was amazing to see “science builds on itself” for myself. I was not expecting to have that opportunity.
said at AAS - 2016
NITARP is the best professional development (PD) program I have participated in and I have participated in many PD programs.
said John Gibbs
NITARP is the best professional development (PD) program I have participated in and I have participated in many PD programs.
said at AAS - 2016
The big thing for me was that [the astronomers] were happy to talk to me! I guess I assumed there would be more social distance, and was happy to be largely wrong about that.
said at AAS - 2016
While the direct impact [of NITARP] may be limited, in terms of numbers, the depth and complexity of what is learned by teachers and students in this program will make them leaders in their fields [..] A program like NITARP is essential in making a broader impact as teachers and students with such depth of understanding can better pass that experience on to their peers as ambassadors than any top-down professional development ever could.
said at AAS - 2016
Programs such as NITARP keep good teachers in the classroom teaching and leading our next generation of scientists. Good science teachers need to be challenged, inspired, and motivated by the science they fell in love with as a student themselves. This happens when they are able to participate and engage in current, active, real experiences such as this. [... ]These programs make good teachers better, improve the quality of education they can deliver, and keep those highly trained, effective people in the classroom doing what they do best.
said at AAS - 2016
It’s addictive—this is not like any other program that you have ever been through, where you participate for a while and then finish up and then it’s just something that you did once. I have found that I don’t want to stop[...] A certain percentage of us, at least, can’t put this down once we are exposed to it.
said Thomas Rutherford
It’s addictive—this is not like any other program that you have ever been through, where you participate for a while and then finish up and then it’s just something that you did once. I have found that I don’t want to stop[...] A certain percentage of us, at least, can’t put this down once we are exposed to it.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] To be able to say that I was involved in something so real is a bit surreal. I’m finding it hard to articulate what the experience was like, eye-opening, humbling, overwhelming, nothing quite fits. It’s changed me in a way I can’t really describe. Heart-opening. That would be the closest I could get to convey this feeling of just openness. Being open to new information, to new ideas, to new people, to new experiences, to myself. This unplaceable excitement for something that’s not really tangible. This was the most profound experience of my life.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] It’s very rare that high school students actually get the chance to experience something this real in science class. All the labs have predetermined right answers, which is great for teaching content, but real science doesn’t have a “right” answer, it’s about finding new answers, challenging the old answers. Science isn’t about being “right” it’s more about “what if?” and “I wonder”. It’s new to not have to worry if you have the “right” answer.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] I used to think astronomy included looking through telescopes and gathering data each time, but this project showed me that a lot of astronomy is just using existing data. Also I realized there’s a lot more graphing in astronomy than I expected.
said at AAS - 2016
[student: This program] teaches us teamwork and about the the specific astronomy subject at hand. It also gives us an excellent environment to practice and perfect the skills we learned through the process. It creates a great applied education for the people who are good with hands on learning.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] I didn’t expect for other astronomers to be so interested in our poster and the things we were doing. I feel like they were as surprised as we were that we could present such work.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] [This experience] made me want to try astrophysics as a career
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] In school we sorely lack both exposures to authentic research and exploration opportunities -- this is a bit of both.
said at AAS - 2016
[student: Astronomy] is much more [about] teamwork [than I thought.]
said at AAS - 2016
It is an eye opening and life changing experience for the participants.
said at AAS - 2016
Since starting with NITARP, my Astronomy Research Course has grown by leaps and bounds. Much of this has to do with conversation I have and connections I make at the AAS each year.
said at AAS - 2016
In my astronomy classes, I am [now] much more likely to refer to current research in my discussions in class. In addition, I routinely use astronomy archives in my astronomy research class -- examples include, Catalina Sky Survey, SIMBAD, ADS, NED, and VSX. I am aware of the power of these archives because of NITARP.
said at AAS - 2016
Lots of different kinds of people go into astronomy!
said at AAS - 2016
It is an eye opening and life changing experience for the participants.
said Caroline Odden
Since starting with NITARP, my Astronomy Research Course has grown by leaps and bounds. Much of this has to do with conversation I have and connections I make at the AAS each year.
said Caroline Odden
NITARP is the most intense and satisfying professional development programs I have participated in.
said Robert Palmer
NITARP has set a high standard for any professional development experience.
said Robert Palmer
This experience has reinforced to me the importance of learning science by doing science.
said Robert Palmer
This experience really made me realize how broad a career field Astronomy really is.
said Robert Palmer
I was nearly moved to tears watching the students share our research at the poster session.
said Robert Palmer
I have been in education for 4 decades and this one program has given me more confidence in teaching space science than any college training I ever did.
said Garrison Hall
This experience has completely changed my once shallow view of astronomy and astronomers.
said Garrison Hall
The most interesting thing was the total experience of working with such amazing professional astronomers doing real science. I really did not know what to expect. The experience did exceed, in a positive way, all my imaginations.
said Garrison Hall
Watching the students present the research we had been working on the last year was absolutely the best part of the experience for me. They made me so proud
said Richard Sanchez
NITARP is the most intense and satisfying professional development programs I have participated in. It forced me to feet the frustrations my students feel when they are trying to learn new material.
said at AAS - 2016
NITARP has set a high standard for any professional development experience.
said at AAS - 2016
My NITARP experience reinforced my desire to build on my current classroom experiences and research how effective authentic research experiences are at the high school level, and especially with English Language Learners and other underserved groups.
said at AAS - 2016
This experience has reinforced to me the importance of learning science by doing science. I have slowly been altering my curricula to provide students with more authentic research experience.
said at AAS - 2016
This experience really made me realize how broad a career field Astronomy really is. That is true of all the branches of science, but I just never really experiences it first hand until now. The students also commented on how surprising it was to converse with researches from other fields of astronomy and teach them the astronomy we were doing.
said at AAS - 2016
The other unanticipated occurrence for me was the empty feeling of being done with the NITARP experience but having a strong desire to continue working on our project. We had put so much time into it and now there is a large void in my life, especially Monday evenings when we had our telecon.
said at AAS - 2016
I was nearly moved to tears watching the students share our research at the poster session. I was expecting them to act more like disinterested teenagers but they certainly did not. Their enthusiasm was infectious. I wish I had videotaped the entire poster session to share with all my other students.
said at AAS - 2016
The idea that I had a responsibility to the group helped keep me going.
said at AAS - 2016
[Now,] I actively search for ways to give my students actual research experience and try to have it so they are working collaboratively with students outside their school. While this is not for all students[...] I offer to anyone who wants to take it on. Currently I have 3 different projects in the works. [...] I now seek out other teachers and opportunities outside of my own school (as well as within).
said at AAS - 2016
[This experience changed the way I thought about astronomers] Quite a bit. I was not exactly sure what astronomers did. What I mean is how they worked. I thought they all knew about stars and the formations they formed in the night sky. Not so. Turns out they know generalizations about most stuff but quite a bit about their area of expertise. It was interesting to ask an astronomer questions that was not in their field and have them answer, “well that is not an area I know much about…here is what I think…but it would be best if you go ask ….. that is their area.”
said at AAS - 2016
Watching the students present the research we had been working on the last year was absolutely the best part of the experience for me. They made me so proud. [..] they charged straight ahead. Answering questions and holding their own with these professionals. They knew their limitations and when they reach them they admitted it and did not try and fake their way through.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] This program has made me want to be the smartest I can be and never stop learning. I want to be be knowledgable about everything (an impossible task) and this experience has taught me to self educate and never stop looking for an answer and a new question.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] When we do experiments or labs [in school], I look at our data collection and results very different[ly]. It has made the rest of my schooling seem insignificant in retrospect, just because so much of it is copying word for word out of a textbook.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] . Astronomy was always looking at constellations and going to the moon before I joined NITARP. It's been eye-opening.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] I didn’t realize how much math and computation went behind the analysis.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] I think the AAS meeting seems really fun and makes the idea of doing research as a job more exciting. I like how much networking astronomers get to do at these meetings, and it was great to get a chance to experience this while still in high school.
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] Now I realize that school is so easy compared to what we did!
said at AAS - 2016
[student:] Yes, I believe that astronomers have to really love their work to do it. I now know that there is so much more to astronomy than what I thought before. It is quite amazing.
said at AAS - 2016
Thank you so very much for this opportunity to improve my teaching and my professionalism. Through this NITARP experience, I will be able to communicate to my students a mindset that can never be learned from books or uninspired teachers.
said at AAS - 2016
I have been in education for 4 decades and this one program has given me more confidence in teaching space science than any college training I ever did.
said at AAS - 2016
I have always done hands-on science in my classroom. I see that only scratches the surface of students’ experiences. I want to create a more adventurous experience by having them work with real data and doing some real research projects.
said at AAS - 2016
The most interesting thing was the total experience of working with such amazing professional astronomers doing real science. I really did not know what to expect. The experience did exceed, in a positive way, all my imaginations.
said at AAS - 2016
I wanted to thank you for such a wonderful experience. I am not sure if I could ever say this enough. It will definitely be a time in my life/career I will not ever forget.
said Richard Sanchez
I had a very eye-opening experience today during our first day of school. I am teaching an AP Physics 2 (second semester college physics) with a small group of seniors. The students I took with me during the NITARP experience (Shailyn, Matt, and Ethan) are all in the class, along with a few other highly advanced students.
I decided to do a Page Keeley science probe activity with them. The activity asks the students to agree with one of the four following students about how scientists do their work:
Antoine: "I think scientists just try out different things until something works."
Tamara: "I think there is a definite set of steps all scientists follow called the scientific method."
Marcos: "I think scientists use different methods depending on their question."
Avery: "I think scientists use different methods but they all involve doing experiments."
Most of the students in the class chose Tamara due to the scientific method. HOWEVER, all three NITARP kids chose Marcos... which is the *best* response, and they were the only ones to do so.
Quotes from students' responses:
Matt said "In the case of astronomy, the scientific method does not always work.... Most astronomy is done using observations."
Shailyn said "While they push the scientific method down our throats throughout our public education, it's not exactly how things are always done... I have faced variances on the scientific method [even between teachers], so I would assume variances exist among the scientific community."
Ethan said "... Tamara is almost correct, but questions cannot all be answered in a cookie-cutter fashion... Marcos is correct because differing methods can be used to accomplish similar goals."
THAT'S THE IMPACT OF NITARP!!!!
KEEP DOING REAL SCIENCE!! Kids learn!
said Estefania (Stef) Larsen
[student:] When I was younger, I always imagined astronomy as looking through telescopes and counting stars. I now realized that this is definitely not "real astronomy." Real astronomy is theory and observation, or coming up with explanations for things in our universe and then analyzing data to prove or disprove those theories. Like Dr. Gorjian said, there are no answers in the back of the book.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] This experience definitely changed my preexisting views of astronomy. Beforehand, I never really thought about how many different things you could do in the field, and after participating in this program, I learned a lot about some possible career paths.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] When I ran into problems, working together allowed me to talk through the issue, and others proposed solutions that I had never thought of-- I think it is great to hear insight from other people.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] I never really considered pursuing a career in astronomy or astrophysics beforehand, but after doing real scientific work with the subject matter, hearing speakers from this field, and touring facilities like JPL, astronomy and astrophysics has suddenly become so much more intriguing to me. It was great to have this "real-world" scientific experience.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] The most surprising thing for me on this trip was learning about how multi-faceted the field of astronomy is. I had never realized that there were so many different paths you could follow in this area. It was especially cool to hear from all of the speakers that were brought in because, although they all work in the same field, they all had such different careers and areas of focus and research.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[Real astronomy is] Lots of numbers and lots of math. I figures there would be calculations but not so much.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
Astronomy is pretty much all about the math so you better be good at it.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] I think the most interesting thing we did was the tour of JPL. My dad has still not stopped pestering me for every last detail.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] I don’t think you could do what we did online [alone.] I think having the help of the other group members is essential to being able to learn and process the data or information. When I was going through the data and I did not understand something, I would ask Brittney or Mr. Gibbs for help or anyone for that matter because if I did not understand something then someone else might have.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] A sense of patience and endurance is what I think is important for astronomy. There are so many theories to test and most of them won’t be right but you just have to persevere through until you get good results.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student: Real astronomers] have to be willing to feel stupid or dumb at times. This program really showed us that you're going to mess up and that its okay. Sometimes your data will be wrong or you worked a problem wrong. It is going to be okay. You can't always expect the right answer on the first try.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] this trip has showed me that you may not know where you want to go or what type of science it'll be okay as long as you are doing something you love. It has completely changed my perspective on astronomy and astronomers as a whole.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] Some of the graphs and charts confused me at some point, but I was eventually able to work through it once it was explained to me. The support system that we had as a whole was amazing. If I got confused at any point someone would help me. Mostly the teachers helped with the information as a whole, but many students helped with my problems with excel.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] the benefits of actually working together with the group greatly outweigh the financial and logistical hassle. When we were all together, we got to know and understand each other, which in turn improved our ability to work cohesively as a group, which in turn betters our project.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] The most surprising thing to me was how well we all got along and could work together from the very beginning of the project, I very much enjoyed meeting everyone on the team.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] The most interesting thing that I learned was just how many different jobs there are in the field of astronomy and how they all can work together or separately on different projects.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] I thought working together at Caltech enabled us to become more comfortable with one another and we were able to work together and share ideas and collaborate which made our time and our work more meaningful. We could communicate about which combinations worked or didn’t work or tips about excel. After the visit, I think the group bonded quite a bit and now we’re a much more cohesive team than before the trip.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] I was not surprised that the data wasn’t perfect on the first plot we made, and that it takes many more tries and many combinations if you want to find something that you can use to support your hypothesis.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student: Real astronomy is] Not being afraid to mess up and writing every step you do.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] This experience has totally opened my eyes to all the different jobs actually in astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[student:] It was easier working together [in person] because we could divide the work and compare. The group grew really close.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
One of the big benefits was how quickly our depth of understanding increased just by being able to talk to each other and work together. Personally, I would not have been able to think as deeply as I did without the in person interaction and conversations over lunch.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
The visit seemed absolutely crucial to me because the time we spend in person is about ten times as productive and meaningful as the time spent on telecons and over e-mail. There is something about being in a room together that really pushed out understanding and work forward tremendously.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
It was important to work on the data together, as a large team—we were able to pair with new partners and better understand the questions we had.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
The most important part of the program for me was the reiteration of the science behind our research. We wrote a proposal and thought that we understood the science and then were amazed every day that there was some nuance to the science that we hadn’t caught yet.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
Astronomers need to be curious and persistent. Persistence might involve anything from seeking funding sources to awaiting new technologies that could provide the data you need.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
Real astronomy goes beyond pretty pictures, which are only representative images. I was not expecting to do photometry but am sure glad we did. That is a tool I will be employing in my classes to give students a deeper understanding of what the data means and where it comes from.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
[Astronomy] includes people with a broad background of experience, interests, skills, and degrees.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
Another moment of frustration involved several hours of calculations based on misinterpretation of data and formulas. It was a wonderfully humbling learning experience for all of us involved. The student especially seemed to appreciate seeing their teachers hit the dead end and have to do an about face.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
It would have been impossible for me to develop the depth of understanding I achieved about our project through telecons. I came to Caltech thinking I possessed a thorough understanding of our project, but quickly realized it had much more depth. We still have much analysis to do that I could not have done without direct supervision. I am much more confident now after having worked side by side with the LADDT crew. Correlating the filters and redshits is still at the edge of my conceptual field, but it is coming into focus thanks to the direct contact I experienced at Caltech.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
The best part of the trip besides watching the students interact with each other would have to be participating in actual research. Making analysis mistakes, regrouping and getting back to work. I really enjoyed the authenticity of the experience.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
I was most surprised by the technical depth of our project. I thought I had a good understanding coming in to the June workshop, but I was just at the surface. We were literally drawn deeper into the black holes! I also have greatly increased my skills with Excel.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
The most interesting part of my experience was how well our student teams bonded to successfully work, and play, together. It was amazing and an important display of cooperative learning. They did not hesitate to help each other as well as the teachers.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
Team build, team build, team build. The work is so much more successful and enjoyable if you build the trust.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
To truly make this a successful collaborative effort between all of the teachers and all of the students and to get the commitment to the project it is vital that everyone meet in the same place and work together on site.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - LADDT
I now have scientific street cred with my students!
said Adam Keeton
I am grateful for NITARP and appreciative for all those that put in the long hours so the program can be as successful as it is. I had heard about the program at a workshop in 2012 and decided to apply since I heard what a great program it is. My experiences have gone way beyond my expectations. Thanks [..] for giving teachers and students the opportunities you do!
said Lynn Powers
[student:] An astronomer must never stop asking questions.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] Real astronomy is hard. It’s a little bit of guessing, a lot of research and a whole lot of teamwork. [...] I knew that coming to Pasadena would mean that I would have amazing opportunities that I probably won’t get ever again, but I definitely wasn’t prepared for the amount of life changing science I would get handed.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] The best thing about this trip was when Luisa was presenting a slide show to us and said, “Remember. There is no answer in the back of the book. This has never been done before. So do it right.” It really opened my eyes as to the immense amount of responsibility and trust was being put on us high school kids. I’m barely halfway through my educational career and there has never been a time where someone, somewhere, didn’t have a cheat sheet or answer code. It’s completely humbling and uplifting to have to do your own work, with the knowledge that you are in a building where people do it every day and love it.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] I am going back home with so much knowledge and important research to complete, and it just excites me to continue along our path.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
Astronomy research often involves using public astronomy archives, and sometimes it only involves using archives. Success in astronomy is not just a result of brilliance (though brilliance doesn’t hurt). Success also requires quite a bit of persistence.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
I was impressed by the many different paths that a career in astronomy can take, from engineering to PR jobs to theoretical science.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
The students always impress me. This year they exceeded expectations in their ability to make their computers to what they needed them to do. I was surprised by how efficiently the group attacked the various tasks in the research process. I feel very good about where we are and I am optimistic that we’ll follow through with some nice results.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
Thank you for a very wonderful and deeply rewarding experience.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
This experience certainly has changed my thoughts about astronomy and astronomers. I really did not know what they did except teach college classes. I enjoyed seeing the less formal and family friendly atmosphere at Spitzer. This experience will be shared with my students for some time.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[Astronomers need to] be patient, thorough, mathematical as well has have a good understanding of most different types of science as astronomy seems to be related to all branches. You also need to be able to communicate effectively.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
I believe most astronomers spend most of their time working with data and not with telescopes themselves [...] I have not experienced working with real data on real ongoing research before. I think the experience gave me a better understanding of what be a scientist is actually about. Especially when I asked if something I had done was correct or not and the answer given was they did not know based on the fact that I was the one determining that and I had to back up what I had done.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
Several of my students have started rethinking their educational paths/choices (thinking more towards something relating to their experiences from this summer.)
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] I think real astronomy is going through all the research you may have had in the archives or new data you got, and taking it and learning from it. Still with the scientific research I am surprised how much the scientist really trusts us with it, and how she lets us work hands on with true scientific research.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] This has for sure changed what I thought about astronomy, especially engineering. I respect what they do a lot more because none of it is easy. And I learned that you can’t have astronomy without the engineers to help them get them where they want to go.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] The most surprising part to me was how much this project is truly ours. Our scientist has us do all our own work and trusts our abilities in doing so. We sit, struggle, but then we figure it out, with only assistance when really needed, and that our scientist isn't doing all the work for us. We make the charts and look over the research and we find the answers. So I guess I am surprised by how much we do in this projects, and that it isn’t the scientist doing all the work.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] I saw that you have to be patient with the sometimes tedious work you have to carry out and when things go wrong, but you also have to be creative to solve your problems and come up with ways to be efficient.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] JPL was so cool and the history behind it was fascinating, as well as getting to see models of telescopes, satellites, and the Mars Curiosity. It was very inspiring to see other scientists’ work and how science applies to real life, which has reinforced my decision to study science (most likely physics) in university, which will be very soon.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] I got to deal with the frustrations of being wrong and trying to figure things out, but I also saw the creative solutions people come up with to solve these problems. I also learned how important it is to code and that fluency in at least one relevant computer language is very important.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] I thought that research would be isolating and that it wasn’t something I could see myself being interested in for long periods of time, but if I were able to work in a team like this one, I think I could imagine doing research later in life.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] This experience definitely changed the way I thought about astronomy. I used to think of astronomy as a pretty limited field, but now I see that there are so many ways to connect my love for space and astronomy with engineering, spacecrafts, computer science and even writing. Before this experience I thought that the day to day routine of an astronomer was something I was not too interested in, but seeing the variety in jobs that astronomers can have completely changed my outlook.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] The most important/interesting thing I learned was that engineering is more creative than I ever thought. I learned how to do actual research, which was super useful, but going to the JPL and seeing the products of science and engineering together opened my mind to the possibility of being an engineer.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] The best thing about this trip was getting out in the real world. I feel like I have such an advantage over my classmates now because I have done this. I know what I can do and that will just make growing up so much easier/more exciting by having an idea of what I can do.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] This for sure changed the way I think about astronomy because I knew there was a lot of work involved but I didn’t think there would be so much time on one topic or aspect at a time. It took us almost a whole week just to examine the SED’s. So I can’t imagine what the whole process must be. We are still going to be examining when we get back to our homes.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] Granted none of this is easy, but I think it has made me a stronger learner as well.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] It was good to have a lot of extra brains working at the same time with different strengths and weaknesses; I felt that we were able to move along as fast as we did because of that.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[student:] I am also glad to say that whole reason why we are doing this makes more sense to me as a student. Before I knew what we were searching for but even then I didn’t realize how big of a deal it really was.
said at Summer Visit - 2015 - IC417
[from one of Ms. Piper's students, 4 years after NITARP:] I felt like I should tell you about my current trajectory because without you and our work with NITARP, I don't know where I'd be headed right now!
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
[student:] There was a high school event at AAS, I think it was for local high school students who were interested in astronomy. We were planning to go to it but then we found out it was really kid stuff. It was for people on the outside, and we realized that we’re on the inside now, even though we only know a tiny bit.
said at AAS - 2015
NITARP is a phenomenal opportunity. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in terms of professional development. It’s fun working with teams from across the county.
said John Gibbs
A program like this keeps me connected with my passion and provides the opportunity to share it with students who might someday pursue STEM careers and make amazing contributions.
said at AAS - 2015
Opportunities like NITARP help both teachers and students to really understand what authentic scientific research is all about. I have been teaching for 29 years. Programs like NITARP keep my teaching fresh.
said at AAS - 2015
NITARP has greatly changed the way I view my astronomy course. Since I have participated in NITARP my astronomy course has become much more focused on the “how do we know what we know about stars” and my students spend quite a bit of time in class analyzing spectra, doing photometry and estimating distances through the use of real data. While the “real” research opportunity through NITARP is left as an after school club activity, all of my students have benefited from my involvement in NITARP.
said John Gibbs
NITARP has greatly changed the way I view my astronomy course. Since I have participated in NITARP, my astronomy course has become much more focused on the “how do we know what we know about stars” and my students spend quite a bit of time in class analyzing spectra, doing photometry and estimating distances through the use of real data. While the “real” research opportunity through NITARP is left as an after school club activity, all of my students have benefited from my involvement in NITARP.
said at AAS - 2015
The big change in my view of astronomy and astronomers was the vast quantity of accessible archived data that is available. I had never thought about that prior to NITARP.
said at AAS - 2015
For highly motivated teachers and students, NITARP allows us to the experience science in action and be part of the community that we would otherwise not be a part of. Teachers can learn a lot of from scientists, and visa versa. NITARP opens doors for students who would otherwise not have the opportunity to do science research or attend a AAS, particularly due to their finances. NITARP brings science directly into the hands of teachers and students, and demonstrates how science is an active, collaborative, and evolving effort.
said at AAS - 2015
No district-led professional development can compare.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] This experience alone has caused me to seriously consider majoring in astrophysics or physics in college and going into the field of astronomy. It has given me more of an incentive to work harder in my calculus and physics classes at school.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I plan to now major in astronomy before going to law school, so that I can do science based law. Someone at the conference suggested this to me when I mentioned that I really love law, and they told me that since space travel is an upcoming field that I should look into that.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I was worried that they would be boring old man scientists when in reality they were people from all different back grounds talking passionately about what they love.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] It is impossible to choose what the most interesting thing was. And yes, it exceeded my expectations.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I knew that astronomers were cool, but I never knew they could be THAT cool!
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] Students learn so much, it's crazy. NITARP opens up a whole world of experiences and opportunities that are really invaluable.
said at AAS - 2015
[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.
said at AAS - 2015
My students saw a community of people who truly love what they do and are willing to explain it. They made many contacts and saw what science is all about – sharing discoveries and collaboration. Most importantly, they discovered that they can do this themselves, that they can belong to this community as well. Now they know they can become scientists and engineers themselves and not be afraid to follow their dreams and passions. Even if they don’t plan on being astronomers, at least now they know they can be successful in any science or engineering career. And for those that do plan on becoming astronomers (including one of my students), they made valuable contacts for internships, undergrad and graduate schools, scholarships, etc.
said at AAS - 2015
My students told me, as we were debriefing on Thursday before boarding the plane home, that on the first day of the conference they felt a bit intimidated to be among so many highly intelligent people. But they soon discovered that astronomers are real people – they are passionate, friendly, and happy to talk about their work. By the second day they had no fear of approaching anyone and talking about their work – even my 8th grade student was actively talking to people at their posters and booths by the last day, so much so we had a hard time pulling her away to take a picture.
said at AAS - 2015
[Through NITARP, I've made contacts such that even though my NITARP year is ending], I feel I am just beginning what will be a great adventure.
said at AAS - 2015
In the past, I had never tried to use raw astronomical data (such as .fits files at various wavelengths) for stars or open clusters because I didn’t know how to analyze it or where to find it. Now that I know both, I have already begun to create and test lesson plans that teach my students how to do such things as create representative color images from IR data, chart SEDs, or even do photometry or more advanced analyses. Now my students can do real science, and hopefully take the next step of getting our own telescope and camera and taking our own photos at chosen wavelengths, reducing the images, and analyzing the results.
said at AAS - 2015
I already had a pretty good idea of how astronomers do science, but NITARP helped me see more exactly how data is collected, processed, and analyzed. It helped me also see that I can do astronomy myself, and can make a contribution beyond my own classroom. Not only can I analyze astronomical data to find scientifically useful results, but I can publish my work as a poster and be part of this community. I did not feel like a stranger or usurper or even out of place – it felt like I belonged.
said David Black
I already had a pretty good idea of how astronomers do science, but NITARP helped me see more exactly how data is collected, processed, and analyzed. It helped me also see that I can do astronomy myself, and can make a contribution beyond my own classroom. Not only can I analyze astronomical data to find scientifically useful results, but I can publish my work as a poster and be part of this community. I did not feel like a stranger or usurper or even out of place – it felt like I belonged.
said at AAS - 2015
[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.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I found at the conference that I was more interested in how the telescopes were built than the actual data-taking, which confirmed my interest in engineering. Therefore, although I do not plan on becoming an astronomer, this project definitely enhanced my desire to pursue the sciences/engineering/research in college.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] All of the astronomers that I met were a lot friendlier than I anticipated.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I would [tell Congress] that students cannot have a more privileged opportunity. I have heard the possibility of this program shutting down, and it breaks my heart. It breaks my heart to think that others might not have the opportunities I’ve had, that others might not know what astronomy feels like, what TRUE science feels like. They may never get that hand that pulls them through the door and into that magical world of curiosity, of discovery, of innovation and revolution. 6 letters that changed my life. I would assert that Congress do everything in its power to divert more money to education focused specifically on astounding projects like this one.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I learned about new resources that I didn’t even know existed. Almost like finding a new continent, vast and ready to be explored. The scientist helped us get familiar with what the buttons did and how to understand what the buttons did, but we were the ones who decided which buttons to press, and we ended up being excellent and ambitious button-pressers.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I remember telling my teacher how jealous I was that others got to do this for a living.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I did not anticipate the heavy use of computer software in astronomy. As a programmer-in-training, I love working with computers. After learning the power of data and plots in astronomy, I must say that it is the career that I have been waiting for so far.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] The most interesting thing was the AAS Conference as a whole. In my life, I have never felt so satisfied, never been around so many bursting and brilliant minds. As a young boy with a passion for learning (and a newfound passion for astronomy), that trip has seriously impacted my life in ways I never would have imagined.
said at AAS - 2015
[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.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] This program made me realize that I genuinely love scientific research.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I’ve seen people coming from different schools and realized that many times the school they come from doesn’t really matter. It’s the passion that comes from inside that really makes a person successful.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] [NITARP is] going to change my outlook on the presentations I might give to a class. I now understand that presenting research is just as important as the research itself.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I didn’t anticipate being surrounded by other smart high schoolers. I was pleasantly surprised to meet the other students and converse with them about topics we were passionate about.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, but my experience with NITARP has definitely made something in science a possibility. I definitely will participate in research in college now because I really enjoyed my time with NITARP.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] [I would tell Congress that:] This is a once in a lifetime experience for everyone, whether they are interested in a career in astronomy or not. The skills and discipline this program teaches not only enforces goals but gives students and teachers the rare opportunity to make an authentic and significant accomplishment in the real world. Participating in the real world is something that students and the United States' education system REALLY needs. As a student, I know first hand the frustrations of feeling like slaves to a letter grade and to an education system that tries to help us succeed but mostly succeeds in suffocating us. A lot of us feel like we are stuck in the world of school, homework, and deadlines, which isolates us and makes us lose sight of our long-term life goals, besides earning a letter grade that tries to define who you are and what you can accomplish. What students really need is the opportunity to look outside the cages of school and realize that all this education is necessary for us to grow elsewhere.
said at AAS - 2015
[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.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I realized the importance of group collaboration. You can never really do all of this alone, especially in scientific research.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] Everyone always practiced the attitude of "It's okay to ask questions, be stupid, and be wrong," and this really kept everyone unified and energized.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I started this project knowing absolutely nothing about astronomy. My idea of an astronomer was a man (or woman) in a spacesuit prancing on the moon. I was completely unaware of the breadth of astronomy as I have never taken a class and have never been exposed to anything close to astronomy (haven't even taken a physics class before). I now realize that astronomers are one of the most friendliest, smartest, collaborative bunch of people, and that they don't have to be covered in white bubbly suits to be called astronomers.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I really was surprised at the vastness and variety of everything presented at the conference. I had no idea what the AAS conference would be like since I've never attended a convention event like this one, and was shocked to realize how progressive and advanced astronomy was. It's amazing to realize that the knowledge presented at the conference was just the surface of the knowledge really possessed by the brightest minds in astronomy.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I’ve always planned to study some sort of science, though I’ve never been sure what kind. This experience has made me more comfortable with the idea of pursuing a field like astronomy, which I hope to major in and potentially even go into as a career. But I also became aware that there are many other fields, from engineering to computer science, that intersect with astronomy and it made me interested in pursuing those in the future as well.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I always knew I was interested in science, but I was always hesitant to say I’d like to pursue it as a career since I simply didn’t know enough about it.[...] the experience was unexpectedly fun and much more exciting and rewarding than I originally anticipated. At the AAS conference, meeting not only professional astronomers but engineers, scientific journalists, and other students made me realize how much astronomy covered and the different types of paths available. Overall, NITARP has made me realize that astronomy is something I definitely want to pursue in my future.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I didn’t anticipate how friendly professional astronomers would be to high school students. They were really open and excited to share their work and genuinely interested in what we were doing. I definitely didn’t expect the range of projects that they covered and it piqued my interest in many topics and in pursuing astronomy as a profession.
said at AAS - 2015
Through NITARP, teachers and students become ambassadors for authentic science. We can now tell other colleagues and family what real science is like and how important it is to continue the mission of learning more about our universe.
said at AAS - 2015
Do what your scientist asks you to do, but don’t be afraid to make your own suggestions if you have ideas about what to do next. This is a collaborative process. The scientists are very smart and knowledgeable, but they are not the only ones with answers and they value your opinion. Don’t be afraid to go above and beyond.
said at AAS - 2015
High school students are hungry for authentic research experiences, and both high school teachers and students benefit immensely from having contact with a professional astronomer. This may seem inefficient (because it costs a lot of money to connect individuals with professionals), but it can change lives, and there are wonderful ripple effects.
said Caroline Odden
High school students are hungry for authentic research experiences, and both high school teachers and students benefit immensely from having contact with a professional astronomer. This may seem inefficient (because it costs a lot of money to connect individuals with professionals), but it can change lives, and there are wonderful ripple effects.
said at AAS - 2015
For some reason, introductory astronomy textbooks tend not to focus much on SEDs or color-color plots. However, these tools have cropped up in each of my NITARP projects. I imagine this is not a coincidence! I’d like to find a way to introduce these two key concepts in my introductory astronomy course.
said at AAS - 2015
In both of my NITARP experiences, we have run into major difficulties that triggered a complete reworking of the project. At this point, I think I would expect things not to go as planned on a given science project. This is not a bad thing -- it is just the way things tend to go. We did reach a nice result in both cases, but there were some bumps along the way.
said at AAS - 2015
I was very impressed by the students in this context, particularly during the summer meeting at Caltech. In many ways, they were more ready to handle the technical challenges that we faced.
said at AAS - 2015
After having taught fiercely in our public schools for almost 20 years, I can tell you that programs like NITARP are the ONLY programs I have ever heard of that help people understand what science actually. You want to invest in the future of the US?...Help programs like NITARP to spread the word; no one else seems to know what it is.
said at AAS - 2015
As a result of NITARP I will have a firm commitment to include some component of active, original, ongoing research in my teaching every year.
said at AAS - 2015
My ideas about astronomy has changed significantly, thanks to NITARP. Quite simply, I didn't understand the role of archival data in modern astronomical research. Previously, I considered it an intellectual exercise, work suitable for a reference librarian, but not real research. I now know it to comprise the future of astronomy, and the very picture of MOST of tomorrow's scientific research.
said Todd Burke
My ideas about astronomy has changed significantly, thanks to NITARP. Quite simply, I didn't understand the role of archival data in modern astronomical research. Previously, I considered it an intellectual exercise, work suitable for a reference librarian, but not real research. I now know it to comprise the future of astronomy, and the very picture of MOST of tomorrow's scientific research.
said at AAS - 2015
I was surprised that I was capable of understanding most topics I encountered. I attribute this to people's willingness to start from the beginning and to explain things at a beginning level. The result was I eventually felt perfectly comfortable asking absolutely anyone to explain his or her research. That took several such conversations, but the experience has been very empowering.
said at AAS - 2015
One of the most surprising aspects of this process has been to discover just welcoming everyone has been. MOST of the astronomers with whom we interacted have been incredibly gracious and generous
said at AAS - 2015
I have to tell you what an amazing experience this year has been. The BEST subject-area professional development experience I've had in 25 years BY FAR.
said David Strasburger
I have to tell you what an amazing experience this year has been. The BEST subject-area professional development experience I've had in 25 years BY FAR, and one of the most intellectually stimulating experiences I've had in years. I lie awake at night thinking about data. The students I'm bringing to Seattle are just eating this up -- it has been huge for them too.
said David Strasburger
[student:] I am unsure of what I want to do with my future, but this experience has solidified the fact that I want to do something with science.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] This was the first time I really learned what it is like to have to work through problems.
said at AAS - 2015
[This is going to change my classroom because] Definitely [I have] more empathy for kids who tend to be quiet and not ask questions. I’ll also collaborate more with fellow teachers.
said at AAS - 2015
I really thought astronomers knew everything about the night sky and never realized there were several specializations within the content.
said at AAS - 2015
I realized I hate being in the student role and having that clueless feeling. But I definitely will take this back to the classroom and have more empathy for kids who tend not to ask questions.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I did not anticipate to have to deal with a lot of software issues over summer. However, it is the unpredictability of the project that makes it so exciting. I decided to take AP computer science this year and learn to code.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] My favorite part of NITARP was to get an insight into the process of real research, where the results are not known and the procedure to be determined by us.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] Be prepared for unexpected setbacks and changes to the project, for this is how real science works.
said at AAS - 2015
[student:] I now better understand that there are many, many professional astronomers over a variety of specific fields. (The scale of the AAS convention really demonstrated this.)
said at AAS - 2015
[student]: I did not anticipate the overall goal of the project to change. However, I now know this is to be expected in a real research project.
said at AAS - 2015
Seeing the NITARP posters and talking with the NITARP teachers and students made me realize that 1) it is a very intense program and 2) there will be support there to help you.
said at AAS - 2015
It surprises me how ‘approachable’ everyone was; I assumed since I don’t have a PhD that I would be talked down to but that didn’t happen at all.
said at AAS - 2015
Coming to the conference was very beneficial because it is re-inspiring to get out of the classroom and back with the scientific community. It makes the job of teaching seem even more important and makes me want to go back and enthusiastically involve my students (who are all girls) in research and unique learning
opportunities.
said at AAS - 2015
This experience changed my thinking about astronomy a great deal. I am now seeing [astronomy] as a large umbrella that covers many specialties.
said at AAS - 2015
The first day I was confused and really started worrying about my ability to comprehend the science I was going to need to know. What helped was spending the next couple of days visiting with the students. I realized I was going to be involved in a lot of work but as long as I stuck with it I would eventually grasp the concepts that seemed out of reach. The students spent time explaining as long as I was willing to ask.
said at AAS - 2015
[What did I learn about] Astronomers… well let’s just say the personalities of the Big Bang crew can be found throughout. I was shocked when I heard one astronomer present something and the next start off by saying everything you just heard, I am about to debunk.
said at AAS - 2015
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.
said at AAS - 2015
As a result of my student Cody's work with NITARP, Cody is now working with Chris Crawford who developed a meteor counting system for NASA that was used on a plane in 1999. Cody and Chris are making an app for counting meteors that will take users' GPS position and uses that to do spatial analysis on the data.
said Holly Bensel
Most astronomy activities I’ve seen in workshops or online involve analyzing canned data where the results are already known. This might help teach students the process, but real astronomy (or any science) needs to analyze new data or existing data in ways not done before. The process is messy, the data confused or cloudy, the results uncertain, and sometimes you find out nothing you hoped to find. That’s real science. It’s using authentic, raw data to answer questions and draw conclusions. It can be frustrating but it’s also exhilarating. This visit was as I thought it would be – using tools to look at large amounts of data, trying to sort out what it all means, and not always getting what we’d hoped. The conclusion of my students was that they could actually do this sort of work successfully and be real scientists. It de-mystified the process, and I think improved their attitudes toward science research.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
One student [...] has told me she now is interested in engineering as a career and all are interested in pursuing their own astronomy research for science fair competitions. I have several new students who have come to our school specifically because of this project and the chance to do some real astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
Theoretically the work could have been done online, but the students really needed the hands-on help and explanations, as they had never been exposed to those units or the deep details of importing and working with data in Excel. They also needed the feeling of community, of meeting other students with similar interests from other schools, and the sense of identity and recognition the summer visit gave them. If they had done this only online, it would not have had the same degree of impact or motivation for them. [...] Working directly with scientists at the Spitzer Science Center gives them a chance to know what real scientific research is like. They are all very excited for the AAS trip, which will give them even more exposure to real science and scientists.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[My students] are all very excited to go to AAS, and what they learned at Caltech has become part of themselves. One student, now in my chemistry class, when we were talking about metric units, mentioned there was a unit called a Jansky. The other students went “Huh?”
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
The excitement about the trip has translated into my having an excellent group of students in my fall astronomy class who are excited about applying what we learned this summer. Four of them have expressed interest in the one available spot on the team.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student:] Qualities important for an astronomer: You must be able to communicate with people in order to get things done, you need to be able to focus, you need to be good at math (yes you do), and you need to be able to analyze things and solve problems. When things go wrong, you gotta be a good sport.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student: Real astronomy is] Making charts, sifting through data... that is what they really do! (Although I didn’t know it would be this hardcore... I’m beat!) And snacks, snacks are always a part of scientific research!
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student:] This definitely changed the way I think about astronomy and astronomers. I pity them! LOGARITHMS.... Just (half) kidding, what I mean is that I found out that there is a LOT more to astronomy than meets the eye! (More than the dramatic documentaries and stunning 3D graphics to go with them.)
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student:] Real astronomy is the study of the universe. We did a lot of computer work and this didn’t match up with my expectation of scientific research. This type of research is very technical and I realized how the use of computers is invaluable.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] Yes, I was under the impression that astronomy wasn’t a difficult scientific field to study and that astronomy deals mainly with planets. But now, I can see that there is so much more to astronomy than just planets. There are a lot of unknowns and to study astronomy you need a strong and talented brain. You also need patience, focus, and passion for it.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[..] I’m familiar with tackling problems, creating potential solutions, testing them, and re-iterating the process. Research is sort of the opposite in that implementing a solution is not the goal, but rather to learn things we didn’t know before. This polarity between engineering and science was never clearer than during this entire project. This lack of planning or organization in the research process made me somewhat uncomfortable.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
One of the powerful elements to our successes was collaboration. While I have experienced this before and anticipated that it would be a key component of our work, I loved discovering that our students were often in the lead, helping the teachers and astronomers to solve problems.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
I already understood, intellectually, that modern astronomy can involve computers more than it does telescopes. Public archives, however, are new to me. I think I could never fully appreciate that cutting-edge research could be fully accomplished simply by downloading public files from the internet without having fully participated in the whole process. Now I appreciate the depth and enormity of the Spitzer archives. This resource truly democratizes astronomical research!
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
For me, the most important aspect of our trip was not only nailing down the details of our project, but being invited to participate in all of those decisions.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] Before this trip, I thought that astronomers looked through telescopes much more than I thought.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
One of the things that NITARP changed in regards to how I viewed astronomy and astronomers is the use of archived data. Prior to NITARP I always thought of astronomers using data they had collected.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
I am surprised with where our analysis has brought us thus far. I know the results are going a very different direction than expected, but I think that's awesome and it's a cool feeling knowing we have already begun to find results that potentially debunk former ones—not bad for a few students and teachers!
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
I am surprised with where our analysis has brought us thus far. I know the results are going a very different direction than expected, but I think that's awesome and it's a cool feeling knowing we have already begun to find results that potentially debunk former ones—not bad for a few students and teachers!
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
Qualities of an astronomer: DILIGENCE! Patience, meticulousness, creativity, patience, knowledgeable, motivation, patience…
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[The best thing was] Seeing kids WORK! And getting confused. I liked working together with students to accomplish the tasks.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student:] Real astronomy is really numerical. It’s not looking through a telescope all the time, but I can’t really define “real astronomy.” It’s just kinda studying the sky. I expected to look at pictures of the sky and numbers, which we did. I didn’t think we’d be doing so many maths, just because I didn’t.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student: this experience] It wasn't what I expected, that's for sure. I always thought it would be less math and graphs. It's not a bad thing, it just wasn't really what I expected.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student:] The sheer complexity of what we were doing was surprising to me. Yet, the steps were pretty simple. I just couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I was actually making headway in science.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student:] One quality you need [to be an astronomer] is you need to know the numbers/stuff. Also, you must be perseverant. There will be lots of dead-ends where you cannot explain something, and you will need a different approach to discover something new.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student:] I never realized that a lot of astronomy is looking through data collected by previous missions. I also learned that astronomy is pure science, and involves lots of theorizing.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student:] One of the best things about the trip was really getting to look through the data and make the graphs, so that the results of our study were visually apparent. It was like the ‘Aha!’ moment.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student:] Perseverance, patience, and creativity are all important to be an astronomer. And of course, it’s helpful if you are smart and good at math and science.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student: Being in person at Caltech was important because] It also helped to have someone explain why we were doing each step and its significance for our overall project. It was also nice to have someone there to check your work and troubleshoot with you if something looks off.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
[student:] I was surprised to learn that we didn’t have the results we thought we were going to have. I also wasn’t expecting to do so much Excel work, but I was glad we did because it was a great opportunity to learn.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - HG-WELS
We also came across some problems in our data base as we worked and had to stop, problem solve, and keep going. And collaborating. Without that piece, this project would be almost impossible to do alone.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[the best thing about the trip was] Working with teachers and students. [Another teacher] and I actually shared curriculum for astronomy and bounced ideas off one another. The collaborating is priceless.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] Although I knew coming into the program that there would be other schools working with us, I did not expect friendships to be formed from our collaboration, and was pleasantly surprised when they were.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] I think qualities that are most important to for an astronomer to have are determination, focus, willfulness, and perseverance.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] I was somewhat surprised that the catalogue was publicly archived. I think it is an amazing opportunity for non-astronomers to do some "real" science, or simply learn new skills.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
Our group included students, teachers, and a scientist, and we were all engaged in a common goal. As a teacher, the classroom experience so often involves telling the students what to do and then having them do it. It is refreshing to have a chance to work with the students on a project that isn't predetermined.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
Being at Caltech also changed my relationship with my students, and in a way that I had hoped for. The limits of my expertise were much more obvious to them. This meant that they had to find other ways to answer questions than reflexively turning to me. We developed more of a sense of being peers in terms of our work together on the project.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
The ability to collaborate is crucial. This is something I have been hoping to work on in myself and with my students, and I think it was a huge part of the experience.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
One happy surprise was the element of serendipity in moving the project forward. I did not anticipate that one of the two post-docs who were sitting in to observe (for education, not science) would suggest that we use software that would change the way we managed our data.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] The best part [of the trip] was seeing how the project changed so much over just a few days. Although our end goal was the same, our process to reach that goal was changed in those few days. From things as simple as just finding new ways to cut down the source count from the SEIP to things as radical as finding a brand new program online to sort the data, the project was constantly evolving.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] I did not expect how much improvisation had to be done. I knew that there would be many issues in dealing with the data we had, and we did not have solutions to all those problems before hand, but I did not expect just how many caveats had to be worked out.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] Usually, in class, teachers have all the answers and just tell you, but with this project, the teachers didn’t always have the answers. Sometimes, students explained things to the teachers. It was interesting to work with teachers as equals.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] It was exciting that we didn’t have all answers right away (even now, we don’t have answers), so we had to figure stuff out and be logical. It was interesting to meet and work with some really smart people!
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] Real astronomy requires a lot of time looking at data on computers and less time looking through telescopes.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] Attention to detail is a quality that every scientist has.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] Astronomy is not just a mechanical way of doing things. It also involves culture and personality. Learning these is only possible by meeting another astronomer.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] It surprised me that so much astronomical data was available to the public. I was even more surprised by the fact that this was not just a little data, but it was so much that one would not be able to go through it all in a whole lifetime.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] One thing that stood out to me is the how complicated diagrams and graphs can get.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] I think, above all, astronomers must be patient and willing to keep trying.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] I enjoyed discovering the areas in which I feel confident with my knowledge and those in which I have a weak foundation.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] The most valuable lesson I took from the NITARP summer visit was how to successfully collaborate with a large group of people.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
[student:] I think that curiosity is a important characteristic for a astronomer.
said at Summer Visit - 2014 - SIRXS
Today [June 2014] I was musing about how NITARP took me to my first AAS in 2012. This summer I went on my own, had a great time connecting with established friends and meeting new ones, and even presented my own poster. I'd say that's some pretty good progress! Thanks for all that you do for us teachers!
said Caroline Odden
My students now see themselves as capable of more than they had before but more importantly see themselves has having a future in the world they saw through the program. Attending the AAS is an important culmination of the experience that ties the importance of science research together and offers an important glimpse into a world of possibilities for students.
said at AAS - 2014
My students now see themselves as capable of more than they had before but more importantly see themselves has having a future in the world they saw through the program. Attending the AAS is an important culmination of the experience that ties the importance of science research together and offers an important glimpse into a world of possibilities for students.
said Laura Orr
I was again reminded of how eye-opening a conference like this can be to a high school student with limited experience outside their home area. For them, the sessions presented were a view into a world they really didn’t know even existed. They were quick to recognize and admit that they largely knew nothing about what was presented in the sessions – but they were just as quick to talk about the fact that they were interested, curious, and wanted to figure out more. The poster sessions also provide opportunity for them to see themselves as potentially having a place among those attending and presenting. They were able to find people that they could talk to about the things the heard about in the talks and learn more. When they presented their own work it was amazing to see how much their confidence and abilities grew.
said Laura Orr
I was again reminded of how eye-opening a conference like this can be to a high school student with limited experience outside their home area. For them, the sessions presented were a view into a world they really didn’t know even existed. They were quick to recognize and admit that they largely knew nothing about what was presented in the sessions – but they were just as quick to talk about the fact that they were interested, curious, and wanted to figure out more. The poster sessions also provide opportunity for them to see themselves as potentially having a place among those attending and presenting. They were able to find people that they could talk to about the things the heard about in the talks and learn more. When they presented their own work it was amazing to see how much their confidence and abilities grew.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] This experience changed the way I thought about astronomy. Originally, I honestly thought it was pointless. I mean what could have been so important looking up at the stars? I realized how terribly wrong I was when I started going to the many different talks. What I found out is that we need astronomy. Astronomy, from what I have gathered, can tell us about the past of the universe, and predictions on the future. We have created tools that can literally see and reconstruct what the past sky looked like as well as project what the future of our solar system will become! Astronomy is an amazing field, and we have only unlocked a very small portion of what the universe is like. Given time we might one day understand what is really going on out there.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] This project – all of it – has also changed the way that I see the classroom and what it can be. It has changed the way I see classwork and work that I see as ‘hard’. I also see that I have a more open mind now and bigger view of the world and what I can do.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] astronomers .. are normal people who have chosen a career that interests them, but they are also interested in telling jokes, learning about things they don’t know, have hobbies, and other things that are just like everyone else. I am not sure what I thought they would be like instead, but I was surprised anyway.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] I realized how much more is involved with astronomy than just telescopes and night skies.
said at AAS - 2014
I found [astronomers] to be approachable, willing to talk with mere mortals such as myself, and more than happy to explain their work. Everyone I talked with at poster sessions and elsewhere was enthusiastic and excited about their discoveries. It was the kind of community of learners that I try to model in my classroom, and it will be the most important thing I take back from the conference to share with my students – that astronomers are regular people who are happy to share what they know. The second most important thing is that they can do this, too (and will be doing this) and there are no barriers to their becoming professional astronomers if they want to.
said David Black
I found [astronomers] to be approachable, willing to talk with mere mortals such as myself, and more than happy to explain their work. Everyone I talked with at poster sessions and elsewhere was enthusiastic and excited about their discoveries. It was the kind of community of learners that I try to model in my classroom, and it will be the most important thing I take back from the conference to share with my students – that astronomers are regular people who are happy to share what they know. The second most important thing is that they can do this, too (and will be doing this) and there are no barriers to their becoming professional astronomers if they want to.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] ...this experience has caused me to extend my knowledge outside the classroom; and I am currently working on an independent study in computer programming/computer science that, from what I’ve seen and heard from NITARP and the AAS, I know will benefit me in the future.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] I have a new appreciation for all the hard work that goes into every single project out there, and I have a new fascination with just how vast this field is.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] I really enjoyed talking to everyone at the AAS and having this common interest in astronomy. The coolest part of this was the fact that no matter how young or inexperienced you are, you are still treated with so much respect and enthusiasm, because everyone knows how much work goes into these projects. It was amazing to experience this side of science.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] Seeing the same people giving the talks coming into the cold to see stars made me realize that they were incredibly passionate about their work, not only as a scientific subject but as a personal mission. For me as a student, it helped me realize that it's more important to pursue a subject because you want to do it than to do so for the sake of pursuing a subject, and it will have a definite influence on my academic decisions.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] The most interesting thing I learned that conventions are at least as social as they are scientific events.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] Thank you so much for the extraordinary opportunity that this program offered me. I truly enjoyed the entire experience and am exhilarated to say that I participated in real research. The opportunity was incredible and one that I will treasure forever.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] My favorite part of the AAS conference was the posters. It was so interesting and exciting being able to connect at a more personal level with the astronomers. [..] All the presenters were very friendly and eager to share their information, which was all so fascinating!
said at AAS - 2014
Through this whole process I’ve learned that astronomy research is about connections. Who you meet, what they do, and how each has a part in a greater picture. Sharing information, connections and discussions.
said Lynn Powers
Through this whole process I’ve learned that astronomy research is about connections. Who you meet, what they do, and how each has a part in a greater picture. Sharing information, connections and discussions.
said at AAS - 2014
[student! :] This experience has changed the way I work in the classroom in that I am applying simple scientific practices to the way I study and do homework, collaborating with others to ensure I have a full understanding of the whole picture.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] I didn't expect so many astronomers to be so excited and interested in the research we had performed and our involvement in the sciences at a high school age. It was so exhilarating and inspiring to receive such a positive response, as well as advice, from people at the heart of the field.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] The most important thing I learned at the AAS was how close knit and accepting the astronomical society truly is. I think often the sciences are made out to be highly exclusive, in that you must be a genius in order to make any meaningful discoveries, and that there is a lot of deeply entrenched competition between scientists. But, experiencing the AAS conference has shown me that not only do people from around the country collaborate with one another to perform research, they also have a wonderful alacrity to explain their findings to everyone[...]
said at AAS - 2014
We were also lucky to have two astronomers who were very knowledgeable who disagreed on many aspects of our work. Students can't get this kind of authentic learning experience in a typical classroom setting. Listening to both sides of the discussion and then being able to explain our work based on those thoughts was a thought-provoking experience for our students.
said at AAS - 2014
To end the trip, I had the opportunity to speak at the "State of the Universe" Congressional Briefing. I was proud to have the opportunity to represent so many educators and public outreach professionals as I spoke about the impact that their tireless work has on educators, students and the public.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
I felt a higher level of interest this year from visitors to our posters than in the past. At our education poster, many graduate students and astronomers really wanted to know how we had used Python programming with high school students and what our stumbling blocks had been. At our science poster, several other researchers listened to our work and then went on to describe similar work that they were currently working on that was showing similar results. This was again a definite "out of the classroom" experience, sharing work delving in to new areas of research with graduate students and astronomers.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
We were also lucky to have two astronomers who were very knowledgeable who disagreed on many aspects of our work. Students can't get this kind of authentic learning experience in a typical classroom setting. Listening to both sides of the discussion and then being able to explain our work based on those thoughts was a thought-provoking experience for our students.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
I have a new view on doing research. I now understand the need for solid science programs at all levels as a foundation for future scientists, not just astronomers. This experience has made me reflect on my pedagogy and motivates me to continue to strive to improve my techniques.
said Carol Ivers
The idea that exposing teachers to authentic experiences doing real research has a positive trickle-down effect on science education as a whole I think is very well-founded. I know that as I grow in both my content understanding and my experiences with current research, I am better able to expose my students to experiences in which they (1) gain higher levels of data literacy, (2) gain a greater understanding of what astronomers actually do and how they conduct their research, and (3) learn about new science being done in astronomy.
said Melissa Booker
NITARP was a great experience for both myself and my students.
said Melissa Booker
It was very satisfying to be able to converse with the grad students about their science and actually understand what they were talking about.
said Melissa Booker
It was very satisfying to be able to converse with the grad students about their science and actually understand what they were talking about. I felt proud when several of them remarked that they were surprised to learn that the research was undertaken by teachers and their high school students. They were surprised I was a teacher and that my students were “only in high school.” I guess we challenged several of their preconceptions about what teachers can accomplish.
said Melissa Booker
The idea that exposing teachers to authentic experiences doing real research has a positive trickle-down effect on science education as a whole I think is very well-founded. I know that as I grow in both my content understanding and my experiences with current research, I am better able to expose my students to experiences in which they (1) gain higher levels of data literacy, (2) gain a greater understanding of what astronomers actually do and how they conduct their research, and (3) learn about new science being done in astronomy.
said at AAS - 2014
NITARP was a great experience for both myself and my students.
said at AAS - 2014
What amazed me was how ingenious astronomers were with using data to its fullest and finding patterns in data that one set of astronomers see as unwanted “noise” in their data. One astronomer's noise as another astronomer’s treasure!
said at AAS - 2014
It was very satisfying to be able to converse with the grad students about their science and actually understand what they were talking about. I felt proud when several of them remarked that they were surprised to learn that the research was undertaken by teachers and their high school students. They were surprised I was a teacher and that my students were “only in high school.” I guess we challenged several of their preconceptions about what teachers can accomplish.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] Coming into the program, I had the stereotypical thought that only stars can be studied in astronomy. To my surprise, there are many different objects and phenomena that can be looked and more and more precisely now with new technology coming out.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] Going into the convention center, I was a bit overwhelmed and intimidated by all the astronomers and astrophysicists that were there. To my surprise, I found that everyone was very inviting and inquisitive about his or her research, and mine.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] Probably the most interesting that that happened for me was that barrier between high school science and "real world" research was broken for me.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] The thing I liked most about the program was the fact that high school students were given the opportunity to participate in significant research. [..] The fact that no one knew the answer was extremely exciting. I never enjoyed the regurgitation of information that high school provides us. I understand that it is necessary to learn the basics and the only way to learn that is to solve problems that have already been solved. But this program has given me the exclusive opportunity to experience in simple terms: real life. Thank you and I hope the program continues to provide remarkable experiences.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] After going to AAS, I was more inclined to involve myself in astronomy in the future.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] I had not realized that there are numerous fields within astronomy pertaining not only to science and engineering, but history and art.
said at AAS - 2014
A few different people asked if we were going to publish our results which I thought was a pretty big compliment -- and I mentioned it to our scientist.
said at AAS - 2014
[student: This experience] opened my eyes and showed me that there is SO much more to astronomy than I had previously thought.
said at AAS - 2014
My students now view research as done by ordinary people, who enjoy looking for unknown patterns and abnormalities in data, yet also enjoy “coaster flipping” in the restaurant and crack jokes when the working environment gets tense, just to lighten the mood and help us remember that exploration is fun!
said at AAS - 2014
I found a wonderful book on The Mathematics of Astronomy. It is fairly simple in concept, and as I leafed through it, I realized I am doing A LOT of what is in that book … just not maybe intentionally mentioning the math part as much. So I am purchasing one of these and will rethink some of what I teach next year, and perhaps incorporate some new areas of math into my science classes.
said at AAS - 2014
It seems to me that programs like NITARP and other engaging education programs need to be studied/analyzed and results used to drive new programs, both in high school and college. We can’t depend on student interest only to supply the next generation of astronomers. We need to be actively engaged in that task. I am surprised that so few astronomers see the urgency of the need.
said at AAS - 2014
I have been a teacher for 38 years, and have been in probably 18-20 special programs over that time to improve myself as a science teacher. The NITARP program ranks as one of the three best programs I have been in over that period of time. It helped make astronomy “doable” … learning to use the Kepler databases and some of the instruments, like periodograms, phase binning, etc., stretched us as teachers/student, yet helped us to realize we can do true scientific research. I personally thought our project was engaging to our students and myself, and wasn’t just another “cookbook exercise.”
said at AAS - 2014
NITARP has made me realize that most science teachers don't really immerse students in real science. Too often we (myself included) do 'labs' that have an answer and fit in a class period, and though NITARP has made me want to deviate from this, I'm still not exactly sure how yet. All I know is my students don't ask as many questions as they could be and should be and I need to work on it.
said Danielle Miller
The most interesting thing about NITARP was sharing the experience with as many people as I could! [...] NITARP, however always gets way more questions and interest than any other professional development or things I talk about. [..] I really think that NITARP surprises people because it's obvious how much work teachers do and that teachers are on the same level as scientists.
said Danielle Miller
My students now view research as done by ordinary people, who enjoy looking for unknown patterns and abnormalities in data, yet also enjoy “coaster flipping” in the restaurant and crack jokes when the working environment gets tense, just to lighten the mood and help us remember that exploration is fun!
said Fred Donelson
I have been a teacher for 38 years, and have been in probably 18-20 special programs over that time to improve myself as a science teacher. The NITARP program ranks as one of the three best programs I have been in over that period of time.
said Fred Donelson
I have been a teacher for 38 years, and have been in probably 18-20 special programs over that time to improve myself as a science teacher. The NITARP program ranks as one of the three best programs I have been in over that period of time. It helped make astronomy “doable” … learning to use the Kepler databases and some of the instruments, like periodograms, phase binning, etc., stretched us as teachers/student, yet helped us to realize we can do true scientific research. I personally thought our project was engaging to our students and myself, and wasn’t just another “cookbook exercise.”
said Fred Donelson
It seems to me that programs like NITARP and other engaging education programs need to be studied/analyzed and results used to drive new programs, both in high school and college. We can’t depend on student interest only to supply the next generation of astronomers. We need to be actively engaged in that task. I am surprised that so few astronomers see the urgency of the need.
said Fred Donelson
I found a wonderful book on The Mathematics of Astronomy. It is fairly simple in concept, and as I leafed through it, I realized I am doing A LOT of what is in that book … just not maybe intentionally mentioning the math part as much. So I am purchasing one of these and will rethink some of what I teach next year, and perhaps incorporate some new areas of math into my science classes.
said Fred Donelson
[student:] This experience has shown me many of the applicable qualities that subjects such as calculus and physics hold.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] Overall, I learned that astronomy is much more of an organized community than I otherwise imagined.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] I went to the public policy session that had a panel of people from the government. †I was surprised to learn that the people who act as advisors and such for science policy in the Congress actually have strong backgrounds (PhD/experience) in science.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] This experience really opened my eyes to how research in a field really works, and that the most important part of learning (getting involved) does not happen in the classroom.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] I did not anticipate meeting so many people from around the country and around the world, but it was really cool!
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] Thank you all for running the NITARP program! It was one of the best experiences of my life!
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] This experience has made me a more efficient worker and it also made me realize that not all, in fact most scientific research does not come out in success.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] This experience totally changed my view of astronomy and my view of the people who are a part of it. Initially, I thought that astronomy was filled with emotionless scientists who stare at their computers all day. I found that this was not the case at all and I met some of
the most interesting people through this program [..]
said at AAS - 2014
I definitely felt more at ease at this conference than last years. [..] I was visiting with all kinds of people, retired Yale professor, grad student from Sicily, etc and not feeling out of place. It was great. I could approach others at the conference with more confidence which changes how I view professional astronomers. I think I could ask for advice on future projects more easily and confidently. I found it a very supportive environment.
said Holly Bensel
I definitely felt more at ease at this conference than last years. [..] I was visiting with all kinds of people, retired Yale professor, grad student from Sicily, etc and not feeling out of place. It was great. I could approach others at the conference with more confidence which changes how I view professional astronomers. I think I could ask for advice on future projects more easily and confidently. I found it a very supportive environment.
said at AAS - 2014
[at the AAS,] I went to a talk on how university clubs were struggling with the same issues that I have at the high school level. Students are busy so even though they are interested there are time constraints and many times club meetings are the first things to drop when other time demands get in the way. I came out of it feeling like I am not alone or that I am not doing something wrong when students tell me they can’t make the meetings. Sometimes I thought I should be doing something different to keep students motivated. Apparently, clubs all over the US are struggling with this and it was nice to hear their stories and ideas.
said Holly Bensel
It was great to see the finished projects the NITARP teachers and students worked on. We made a few new friends and valuable connections with other scientists.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] All in all, NITARP really was an amazing experience. The coolest part to me was that I was doing REAL science--we didn't know what sort of answers we were going to get. The chance to do real, original research is irreplaceable. Coming in to NITARP, I had next to none astronomy background. NITARP opened my eyes up to the astronomy field, and I definitely want to take college courses now.
said at AAS - 2014
My skills and knowledge as a science teacher have grown exponentially in the last year.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] One of the main things I gained personally is an understanding of the demand for computer scientists in astronomy. I have planned for several years to study computer science after high school, but I had no direction after college. However, seeing the need for software engineers has led me to strongly consider work in the field of astronomy.
said at AAS - 2014
My skills and knowledge as a science teacher have grown exponentially in the last year.
said Theresa Paulsen
[student:] Going to this really made me turn towards Astronomy more when thinking about plans for my future. It’s definitely really interesting and space is so...fascinating. I always liked it when I was little but I always had it set in my mind that becoming something like an astronomer was extremely difficult and nearly impossible...but coming to the AAS meeting has really made me consider trying for it.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] While I knew that the whole convention was going to be full of people, I didn’t expect it to be so ridiculously full. Nor did I expect to see so many people from areas all across the globe. American Astronomical Society kinda just makes you think “United States”.
said at AAS - 2014
I am exceedingly grateful for the NITARP program. I know that without this experience I would not have been exposed to so many interesting topics and research ideas.
said at AAS - 2014
My students did such a great job, too presenting. As they get older, I am certain they will realize the value of this experience. I think talking to people who are passionate about what they do is the best way to motivate students to seek challenging professions will that provide purpose and passion in their lives.
said at AAS - 2014
I was much more comfortable approaching people presenting their posters. Last year I felt like I was in way over my head. This year I felt like I fit in just fine, I knew so much more and had the confidence to speak freely about what I didn’t understand. I realized that no one understands all of it, but becoming an expert at one thing gives you the confidence and motivation to learn more.
said at AAS - 2014
I am exceedingly grateful for the NITARP program. I know that without this experience I would not have been exposed to so many interesting topics and research ideas. I now have a list of things I want to learn that will take me at least 5 years to accomplish. In that time, I know that I have numerous people behind me ready to help as I tackle DS9, python, APT with my students. We will be downloading images and photometry from the NASAs archives for many years. I look forward to sharing what I have learned with other teachers so that they may do the same.
said Theresa Paulsen
I was much more comfortable approaching people presenting their posters. Last year I felt like I was in way over my head. This year I felt like I fit in just fine, I knew so much more and had the confidence to speak freely about what I didn’t understand. I realized that no one understands all of it, but becoming an expert at one thing gives you the confidence and motivation to learn more.
said Theresa Paulsen
I will definitely be using the skills and the knowledge that I acquired in the NITARP program in the future for my own and for my future students’ research.
said at AAS - 2014
The students were also great to work with—not only mine, but those of the other teachers as well. They were a great bunch of kids to hang out with. It was really great getting to work alongside them instead of in the usual student-teacher sort of relationship—I’ll miss them, too.
said at AAS - 2014
I also found that I really enjoy the camaraderie that exists between me and the other teachers in my group—we fit together really well and enjoy one another’s company very much. I found that these teachers from other parts of the country were just like me in a lot of ways.
said at AAS - 2014
I think that my NITARP experience is one of the best things that I have ever done in my life, both as an educator and as an individual. I have found that I really like doing research and plan to continue that in the future both with my students and as an individual.
said at AAS - 2014
My life has changed in some way because of my participation in this program. My wife, my children, and my co-workers have all remarked at how I am different now. I don’t know whether it was the program, the people that I worked with, or some combination of the two, but whatever it was something about it changed me. I know that “life-changing experience” was not one of the outcomes that you hoped for when you planned the program, but it is what happened with me. Thank you very much for allowing me to participate— this has been one of the best years of my life.
said Thomas Rutherford
I will definitely be using the skills and the knowledge that I acquired in the NITARP program in the future for my own and for my future students’ research.
said Thomas Rutherford
The students were also great to work with—not only mine, but those of the other teachers as well. They were a great bunch of kids to hang out with. It was really great getting to work alongside them instead of in the usual student-teacher sort of relationship—I’ll miss them, too.
said Thomas Rutherford
I also found that I really enjoy the camaraderie that exists between me and the other teachers in my group—we fit together really well and enjoy one another’s company very much. I found that these teachers from other parts of the country were just like me in a lot of ways. I am somewhat sad in that since we are now alumni, there is a chance that I will never see them again because we live so far from one another, but I really hope that is not the case. We do have plans to continue the project together, but we don’t know for sure where that will lead.
said Thomas Rutherford
I think that my NITARP experience is one of the best things that I have ever done in my life, both as an educator and as an individual. I have found that I really like doing research and plan to continue that in the future both with my students and as an individual.
said Thomas Rutherford
[student:] This experience made me realize that astronomy is a lot more complicated than what we think. I am so happy I got to have this experience at such a young age because not that many people have gotten a chance to do anything like this in their lives.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] One thing that shocked me was that not that many people asked us about the project when we were presenting. I expected everything to be more taxing and it turned out to be just exciting and fun.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] Overall this was an amazing experience. The astronomers we worked with were amazing and I was so excited. I wish it would never end.
said at AAS - 2014
[student: This experience] has also given me a lot more experience of working with people I don’t know and increased my presentation skills.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] this experience changed how I viewed astronomy. I always looked at astronomy big picture, but realize now that much of astronomy is numerical data analyzing.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] The room was filled with a collaborative attitude, and it was very interesting to simply observe.
said at AAS - 2014
This is going to change my classroom by incorporating an astronomy club in which we will be continuing the research that I started, generating an outreach program and educating the community about astronomy.
said Nicole Granucci
[..]this experience for the students was golden. Having the chance to share this opportunity for learning with my students is by far the best thing that came out of the project.
said Nicole Granucci
Working with teachers and astronomers across the country was great for my personal knowledge. Working across times zones was another fun, but interesting challenge. Learning how to work with completely new people, being in a new place, learning new material, all of these experiences help shape me better as a person.
said Nicole Granucci
Overall, this experience was one of the best experiences educationally, personally and professionally. It was great to be part of a project and it forced me to learn, very quickly. I liked how I didn’t know everything about my project to begin with. It made me become a better learner because I was asking the questions for understanding the content. In the end, I was in charge of my learning and I learned so much because of it.
said Nicole Granucci
This is going to change my classroom by incorporating an astronomy club in which we will be continuing the research that I started, generating an outreach program and educating the community about astronomy.
said at AAS - 2014
[..] this experience for the students was golden. Having the chance to share this opportunity for learning with my students is by far the best thing that came out of the project.
said at AAS - 2014
Working with teachers and astronomers across the country was great for my personal knowledge. Working across times zones was another fun, but interesting challenge. Learning how to work with completely new people, being in a new place, learning new material, all of these experiences help shape me better as a person.
said at AAS - 2014
Overall, this experience was one of the best experiences educationally, personally and professionally. It was great to be part of a project and it forced me to learn, very quickly. I liked how I didn’t know everything about my project to begin with. It made me become a better learner because I was asking the questions for understanding the content. In the end, I was in charge of my learning and I learned so much because of it.
said at AAS - 2014
It has been a pleasure working in the program and with the other educators and students.
said at AAS - 2014
It has been a pleasure working in the program and with the other educators and students.
said John Blackwell
[student:] NITARP definitely changed the way I thought about astronomy for the better. I thought before that it was more about literally looking through telescopes, so was often surprised when people thought it would be a field I should follow. I was pleased to learn throughout this experience that the field is in fact a very mathematical and calculating field with a fascinating theories being built on constantly. The field is a truly a community, strongly linked. The understanding of the field that I gained through this program has opened a new field of study to my eyes as a career path in my future.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] one thing that surprised me: the interest the people took in out research and us as students. Going in to the presentation, I was expecting to be ignored a majority of the time during our shift, but I was pleased when we actually talked to people a majority of the time. It was touching to me that people took the time out of their day to listen to us and give us tips as to how we could improve in the future in this research and as students.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] I had never realized just how large of an impact and interest this field has on the public from the side of those who are involved in the actual astronomy.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] After seeing professional astronomers present and give lectures, I do believe that astronomers are some of the smartest people around but I also believe they are also some of the most curious because almost every single person at the AAS meeting discovered something new that the world has never known before.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] The most interesting thing was the AAS conference. There were so many interesting people and so much new information that you can't help but become lost in it.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] The experience was great and any opportunity to do primary research is always going to be interesting and you’ll always learn something new.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] This experience changed my views not just about astronomy, but science in general because it showed me just how much little things interact with each other and form a big picture understanding. This will change the way I look at almost all my subjects, as now I will start thinking from the get-go where everything fits in the goal I am trying to achieve, whether it be economics or physics.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] The most interesting thing that I learned was that there is just so much research going on and on such small things, but it all is used as stepping stones to bigger and better things.
said at AAS - 2014
I really enjoyed meeting members of the other NITARP teams and comparing their experience to mine. Everyone’s experience was different, but there seemed to be an overwhelming consensus that NITARP was the most significant, educational, and enjoyable professional development experience they have ever had. I could not agree more.
said Michael Murphy
I really enjoyed meeting members of the other NITARP teams and comparing their experience to mine. Everyone’s experience was different, but there seemed to be an overwhelming consensus that NITARP was the most significant, educational, and enjoyable professional development experience they have ever had. I could not agree more.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] At the conference, I learned astronomers were much more approachable than I had expected. I anticipated them to be cold and condensing [condescending] towards me since I am only in high school, yet everyone I interacted with was friendly and welcoming. I really enjoyed the experience because [..] I really think it opened my eyes to the “adult” world. The entire program helped [me] to grow as a person and come to learn more about myself and what I want to do as an occupation. I am very fortunate for this opportunity and I hope everyone continues to learn and grow from this incredible experience.
said at AAS - 2014
This year I spent more time walking around and reading posters. I felt less intimidated to talk to those who spent time in front of their poster as well.
said at AAS - 2014
[At the Jan 2014 AAS,] This year, I spent more time walking around and reading posters. I felt less intimidated to talk to those who spent time in front of their poster as well.
said Robert Marshall
It was delight to watch the students explain the poster – usually followed by shock as the person listening noticed they were middle and high school students! Here is to the next generation – they are amazing.
said at AAS - 2014
We took a group of students to the AAS State of the Universe address at the Capitol. It was a wonderful experience for them to talk to so many people. But most of all, the two AAS presidents took the time to talk with the students about their work. I cannot thank them enough for their sincerity and caring.
said at AAS - 2014
I came to NITARP hoping to learn how students visualize astronomy. In grappling through my own learning process I re-discovered learning to learn a totally new subject – for its joys and frustrations. But more so, I found a new way of teaching visually and the tools to begin programming what I hope will be lessons that help open more doors to students who might not get a subject on the first pass, but will be awesome at it with a few supports.
said at AAS - 2014
[at the AAS:] It has been a long time since I sat in a giant lecture hall and wanted to jump up and down…The presentation by Dr. Alyssa Goodman, Linking Visualization Understanding in Astronomy, was exactly what I have been looking for in my teaching. I cannot wait to put it all to use.
said at AAS - 2014
My greatest concern about astronomy is that there are those that get it on the first pass --- and others who need different explanations, but will get it in another perspective. Finding a way to make different learners feel welcome and offering them multiple modes of learning might bring many amazing new students to the field or at least help many people understand the amazing work being done and why we need to continue to explore.
said Wendi Laurence
It was delight to watch the students explain the poster – usually followed by shock as the person listening noticed they were middle and high school students! Here is to the next generation – they are amazing.
said Wendi Laurence
[at the AAS:] It has been a long time since I sat in a giant lecture hall and wanted to jump up and down…The presentation by Dr. Alyssa Goodman, Linking Visualization Understanding in Astronomy, was exactly what I have been looking for in my teaching. I cannot wait to put it all to use.
said Wendi Laurence
I came to NITARP hoping to learn how students visualize astronomy. In grappling through my own learning process I re-discovered learning to learn a totally new subject – for its joys and frustrations. But more so, I found a new way of teaching visually and the tools to begin programming what I hope will be lessons that help open more doors to students who might not get a subject on the first pass, but will be awesome at it with a few supports.
said Wendi Laurence
[student:] I left [the AAS] wanting to look at the next BRC and want to keep learning astronomy.
said at AAS - 2014
Thanks again for this amazing opportunity. I really hope it can continues even in light of the difficult financial times. It would be a terrible loss if it went away because it feels a very specific niche that is not met by any other program I have seen.
said at AAS - 2014
Thanks again for this amazing opportunity. I really hope it can continues even in light of the difficult financial times. It would be a terrible loss if it went away because it feels a very specific niche that is not met by any other program I have seen.
said John Gibbs
[...] this was my fourth AAS and lot of what I was doing was catching up with people I knew from before, although I did feel like I was pulled in many different directions: old team, new team and students.
said John Gibbs
[student:] The experience was one that I could not possibly ever forget.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] After having the opportunity to work alongside a professional astronomer on a real research project, I feel like I look at the science fields in a completely different way now. I realize that the universe is messy and confusing and research is really comprised of very educated guesses. This experience has helped me ask questions about the weird data instead of just dismissing it.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] The conference was a really great way to get a feel for what is happening in astronomy right now and what the questions for the future are. Everywhere I went I heard about the origins of the universe, dark matter, and dark energy which leads me to believe that these fields are going to become really exciting when I start doing professional research. This conference really got me excited about what the future in astronomy research holds and how I can become a part of it.
said at AAS - 2014
[student:] I didn't expect the days to feel so jam packed. I found it difficult to make time for meals and I still was only able to attend about half of the talks I wanted to see.
said at AAS - 2014
[After going to an AAS town hall:] I am glad my paycheck does not derive from NSF funding.
said at AAS - 2014
Being at AAS was overwhelming, but enormously informative. [..] the best thing about the event was simply seeing how business is done. Some questioners at talks are part of informed discourse, some are competitive, some are off the wall, and some have an axe to grind. But mostly what came through powerfully -- and really changed my image of the field -- is how intensely collaborative the work is for the most part. I had never been to a poster session at an academic conference before. When I’ve seen high school poster sessions they seemed contrived to me. Now I understand what they are trying to model.
said David Strasburger
Being at AAS was overwhelming, but enormously informative. [..] the best thing about the event was simply seeing how business is done. Some questioners at talks are part of informed discourse, some are competitive, some are off the wall, and some have an axe to grind. But mostly what came through powerfully -- and really changed my image of the field -- is how intensely collaborative the work is for the most part. I had never been to a poster session at an academic conference before. When I’ve seen high school poster sessions they seemed contrived to me. Now I understand what they are trying to model.
said at AAS - 2014
This is my third AAS. I understand so much more than I did the first time, but I STILL HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN! This is a fantastic professional development opportunity, and generates so many ideas each time I come.
said at AAS - 2014
This is my third AAS. I understand so much more than I did the first time, but I STILL HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN! This is a fantastic professional development opportunity, and generates so many ideas each time I come.
said Caroline Odden
I love learning about the myriad ways astronomers figure out how to make lemonade out of lemons. It almost seems like cheating sometimes, but it isn't. Astronomers are just so crafty when it comes to figuring out how to make the best use of the data they have.
said at AAS - 2014
I love learning about the myriad ways astronomers figure out how to make lemonade out of lemons. It almost seems like cheating sometimes, but it isn't. Astronomers are just so crafty when it comes to figuring out how to make the best use of the data they have.
said Caroline Odden
When I returned home, I shared some of the quotes and images I collected while at AAS with my students. I mentioned the fact that even researchers get confused and stuck sometimes (I cited examples from sitting in talks and walking around the poster sessions), as do teachers. I think I always worried that admitting to students that science isn’t set in stone, and that scientists don’t know all the answers (and therefore neither do I) would shake their confidence in me; instead, I think I’ve been failing to empower my students to be able to sort through, struggle through, and find answers on their own.
said Elin Deeb Wilson
I’m excited to tell my students about this research and share my experiences from the [AAS] last week.
said at AAS - 2014
Having scientists explain their research and bringing it down to my level was very interesting and I learned so much!
said at AAS - 2014
I’m excited to tell my students about this research and share my experiences from the [AAS] last week.
said Linda Childs
Having scientists explain their research and bringing it down to my level was very interesting and I learned so much!
said Linda Childs
I already have more energy in the classroom and feel the need to pinch myself constantly.
said Todd Burke
Big changes for me: I am already much more committed to having my top students conduct high end research. I am more committed to having ALL my students ASK and ANSWER their own questions more often. I wonder how I can package this experience to share with other teachers.
said at AAS - 2014
Big changes for me: I am already much more committed to having my top students conduct high end research. I am more committed to having ALL my students ASK and ANSWER their own questions more often. I wonder how I can package this experience to share with other teachers.
said Todd Burke
[At the AAS,] All the talks I attended were truly interesting. It is pleasure to have others teach me!
said Todd Burke
All the talks I attended were truly interesting. It is pleasure to have others teach me!
said at AAS - 2014
I think the best part about the trip and NITARP as a whole is the chance to do authentic research and learn the methods and techniques used to tease as much information out of the data as possible. It still amazes me (and this is what I try to instill in the students in my astronomy classes) that we can learn so much from a tiny point of light if we are just clever enough to know how to look at it.
said John Gibbs
I just wanted to let you know that this 38 year veteran teacher believes [NITARP] is one of the greatest types of professional development I have ever done, and MANY students will benefit from your hard work here in Central Ohio for years to come. Thanks so much for all your efforts, especially this year!
said Fred Donelson
I am currently doing my unit in my Space Tech class on stellar evolution, and I have added about 2 more weeks of info/labs to this from all I have learned this year via my NITARP experience. Although I knew the basics before, and have taught them for about 18 years, I feel like I'm teaching a whole new unit and can not only go deeper with my kids, but do it with much more passion.
said Fred Donelson
But for me as a teacher, I am going to use this data base and some of what we did to do a better job of teaching stellar evolution ... especially as it relates to hydrogen core, hydrogen shell, and helium core burners. We will try to do some similar things in class that we did this summer ... how to use a light curve, how to use a periodogram to find periods, etc. This will help bring some practicality to astronomical theory.
said Fred Donelson
You and this program (NITARP) have been truly remarkable and has already changed my life forever. I'm just waiting to see what happens next.
said Robert Marshall
As a mentor teacher it was really valuable for me to have the opportunity to go through the process again. It is such a packed four days. I remember getting back home last time trying to go back and review and relearn much of what we did. This time I feel like I have a much better grasp of what we are doing and where we are going with the work. There are still things that I need to spend more time with to understand them more fully, but I definitely feel much better about the material this time around.
said John Gibbs
I think the best part about the trip and NITARP as a whole is the chance to do authentic research and learn the methods and techniques used to tease as much information out of the data as possible. It still amazes me (and this is what I try to instill in the students in my astronomy classes) that we can learn so much from a tiny point of light if we are just cleaver enough to know how to look at it.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
For students, I think they need to understand that the project is ultimately ad investigation into something brand new – there is not right or wrong, clear end point, or place to check your work. They also need to remember that this is real research – not a basic lab or pull out session – there is real work that lasts longer than 55 min at a stretch and takes dedicated brain effort. Also not to be upset if wrong from time to time – it is all part of the process and a great learning opportunity.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
Teachers need to maybe be reminded that it is OK if they don’t have any idea what they are doing at times – and that they are not expected to be experts in the field. They do need to be able to admit when they are confused, be open to feed back from other team members, and have time to commit to the study.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[This trip] did have a big impact on what my students thought – it was very eye-opening for them to see that astronomers were not stuck in front of a telescope all night, have high computer skills but can also not understand all of what a particular program does or how, and are ‘normal’. Great for them.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[Three best things about this trip:] Learning a new skill and the great gains in understanding and knowledge about the subject. Watching the students from a wide variety of locations and background come together and form friendships, working relationships, and build support for the project and each other. Getting the opportunity to work on a project such as this with other educators from various disciplines and backgrounds come together to form friendships, working relationships, and build support for the project and each other.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
I have learned that a student’s age or grade level can never be used to judge their ability to grasp the complex if they are only give the right time and instruction. They showed me that again on this trip.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
I saw kids rise to a challenge and meet it – they learned a lot from the process, each other, and the experience – in ways they could not get in a regular classroom setting at home.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] The best thing about the trip was meeting people from across the country and from different walks of life. I also thoroughly enjoyed being able to apply my knowledge of astronomy, mathematics, and computers.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student: This experience] made me realize that the astronomy shows I love to watch are way, way, way simplified. Real astronomy requires a deeper understanding of math and many other sciences as well as a ton of persistence. It also made me realize that most astronomers don't spend all of their nights looking through a telescope. A lot of astronomers receive data from a telescope and then spend months analyzing that data.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] I felt like I came out of the trip with a ton of skills related to our project, but it also provided me with a greater curiosity about manipulating my computer and assorted programs. I realized that I knew nothing about computers beyond how to write essays on one and surf blogs. However, after this experience I became more curious about programming.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] I was surprised that there were no clean, concrete answers. A lot of the time we had to look at information and make decisions and assumptions based on the data and our previous knowledge. No one was going to tell us that a star we were looking at was definitely a YSO. Science in the real world is more subjective and that is a lot different from how we learn in a school science lab. Things are messy and unclear because we're still trying to figure things out. There are anomalies that we can't explain yet, but that's why we keep researching, examining, and inquiring.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] By understanding the information that SEDs were providing, I was able to draw conclusions about stars and say whether or not they could possibly be a YSO candidate and that's a pretty cool skill!
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] I was surprised by the wonderful people on the team who had flown in from different places around the country. I did not anticipate being part of such a large group but it as a pleasant surprise.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
I was pleasantly surprised at the mature behavior and intellectual level of the student participants. They have taken the work seriously, enjoyed the out of work time activities and gained an incredible new network of resources for their future career endeavors. The students make excellent partners for learning and are highly able to acquire new skills. When partnered with more careful and experienced researchers, they can move through large data sets with ease, and accuracy. They are more easily frustrated by errors and do not have training in trouble shooting and meta-cognition that can let them solve more problems alone.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student: Advice for others: ] be ready to work! This was an amazing experience, but is not for the faint of heart or those looking for a “summer camp” experience. That being said; do not pass up on this. I had an amazing time, learned a lot, and had fun.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] A lot of data analysis was something I expected coming into this trip. However, I don’t believe I expected so much of the data to be so quantitative. This stems from my preconceived notions of astronomy having more to do with the real time viewing of the sky. The other thing I don’t think I expected was using a tool so common as excel to process “real” data. This is because it is so commonplace. It is interesting to see a tool you have been familiar with from a young age used at such a high level, doing things with you didn’t know it was capable of.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] I feel like I knew very little about what astronomers do on a day-to-day basis beforehand. Being able to see just a little of what [our mentor] does and is able to do was inspiring. [..] her passion made me want to be a part of what she was doing. After this experience, my interest in astronomy has become more serious.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] Being able to work with professional astronomers on real data is a unique and inspiring opportunity that I feel privileged to participate in. Another important aspect to me was being able to meet other students from different states who had similar interests.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] We used excel more, and for more, than I thought.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student: This experience changed the way I thought about astronomy.] Very much so – I figured out it is a competitive field, it really is fun, it is very different than the science we do in school (in a good way).
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
This week at Caltech was the greatest opportunity of my career. It was an experience that was humbling and at the same time gave me confidence. I cannot thank the NITARP program enough for the professional development, the professional relationships I've grown, and the inspiration. Thank you NITARP! Please keep this educational program going.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
Real astronomy is very exciting! I was not expecting to have to solve problems in excel the way we did. We were asked to answer simple questions or develop simple graphs at times but in order to get correct results (as far as we can tell) our team had to parse our skills and play with logic. I remember creating my first SED: I became so excited I could not sit down anymore. Another teacher was so thrilled they raised their hands and yelled in excitement. It was the first time we had results; it was a thrill.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
Again, NITARP never fails to positively surprise me by changing my perception of astronomy and the scientific process in general. I have been blown away with the amount of work that, for our respective project, goes into reducing a tiny patch on the sky. There is so much to know and not enough time to learn everything - I understand what PhD really means and how astronomy explains the Universe.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
I plan on continuing to share the project at [my institution[ in several forms. I will be able to explain how scientists get information from astronomical images and how we look at our data to determine we are discovering YSOs. I will share these processes with students in workshops, with public audiences and with colleagues.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
I was pleasantly shocked by the engagement between all educators and all students. The students, all between the ages of 15 and 17, were engaging not only with the teacher they came with but with all the teachers. They were open to learning new things from educators who they were unfamiliar and at the same time assisting one another and every teacher just the same. Throughout the week everyone ran into problems that needed to be solved. Sometimes it was our veteran mentor who came to the rescue. More often than not it was a student who could educate everyone.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] I thought that scientific research would be complex and complicated, but this exceeds that to a whole new level.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student:] I have had a challenge and I want to continue with the challenge and find new stars.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
[student: The most surprising thing] is that I am learning to use these complex tools and programs.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - C-CWEL
I was pleasantly surprised at the mature behavior and intellectual level of the student participants. They have taken the work seriously, enjoyed the out of work time activities and gained an incredible new network of resources for their future career endeavors. The students make excellent partners for learning and are highly able to acquire new skills. When partnered with more careful and experienced researchers, they can move through large data sets with ease, and accuracy. They are more easily frustrated by errors and do not have training in trouble shooting and meta-cognition that can let them solve more problems alone.
said Christi Whitworth
Teachers need to maybe be reminded that it is OK if they don’t have any idea what they are doing at times – and that they are not expected to be experts in the field. They do need to be able to admit when they are confused, be open to feed back from other team members, and have time to commit to the study. For students I think they need to understand that the project is ultimately ad investigation into something brand new – there is not right or wrong, clear end point, or place to check your work. They also need to remember that this is real research – not a basic lab or pull out session – there is real work that lasts longer than 55 min at a stretch and takes dedicated brain effort. Also not to be upset if wrong from time to time – it is all part of the process and a great learning opportunity.
said Laura Orr
[This trip] did have a big impact on what my students thought – it was very eye-opening for them to see that astronomers were not stuck in front of a telescope all night, have high computer skills but can also not understand all of what a particular program does or how, and are ‘normal’. Great for them.
said Laura Orr
I saw kids rise to a challenge and meet it – they learned a lot from the process, each other, and the experience – in ways they could not get in a regular classroom setting at home.
said Laura Orr
I have learned that a student’s age or grade level can never be used to judge their ability to grasp the complex if they are only give the right time and instruction. They showed me that again on this trip.
said Laura Orr
[Three best things about this trip:] Learning a new skill and the great gains in understanding and knowledge about the subject. Watching the students from a wide variety of locations and background come together and form friendships, working relationships, and build support for the project and each other. Getting the opportunity to work on a project such as this with other educators from various disciplines and backgrounds come together to form friendships, working relationships, and build support for the project and each other.
said Laura Orr
This week at Caltech was the greatest opportunity of my career. It was an experience that was humbling and at the same time gave me confidence. I cannot thank the NITARP program enough for the professional development, the professional relationships I've grown, and the inspiration. Thank you NITARP! Please keep this educational program going.
said Robert Marshall
Real astronomy is very exciting! I was not expecting to have to solve problems in excel the way we did. We were asked to answer simple questions or develop simple graphs at times but in order to get correct results (as far as we can tell) our team had to parse our skills and play with logic. I remember creating my first SED: I became so excited I could not sit down anymore. Another teacher was so thrilled they raised their hands and yelled in excitement. It was the first time we had results; it was a thrill.
said Robert Marshall
Again, NITARP never fails to positively surprise me by changing my perception of astronomy and the scientific process in general. I have been blown away with the amount of work that, for our respective project, goes into reducing a tiny patch on the sky. There is so much to know and not enough time to learn everything - I understand what PhD really means and how astronomy explains the Universe.
said Robert Marshall
I was pleasantly shocked by the engagement between all educators and all students. The students, all between the ages of 15 and 17, were engaging not only with the teacher they came with but with all the teachers. They were open to learning new things from educators who they were unfamiliar and at the same time assisting one another and every teacher just the same. Throughout the week everyone ran into problems that needed to be solved. Sometimes it was our veteran mentor who came to the rescue. More often than not it was a student who could educate everyone.
said Robert Marshall
[student:] Yes, this did change my thoughts about astronomers! I never expected astronomers to be lively, funny, and talkative, while maintaining a mind of a genius!
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] The best thing about the trip was being able to learn from and work along side real astronomers.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
The process of gathering and analyzing data was very important to help show my kids what real research is like. And since our data didn't come out nice and neat like some labs do, it really helped push my kids to think outside the box.
said Fred Donelson
Dave, Steve, and Sally really helped us feel comfortable and understand our basic tasks and we had a blast while learning. I can’t wait to work regularly with them, as well as with Holly and Danielle.
said Fred Donelson
But for me as a teacher, I am going to use this data base and some of what we did to do a better job of teaching stellar evolution ... especially as it relates to hydrogen core, hydrogen shell, and helium
core burners. We will try to do some similar things in class that we did this summer ... how to use a light curve, how to use a periodogram to find periods, etc. This will help bring some practicality to astronomical theory.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
I think my kids were surprised at how much fun [our astronomers] were. I think they had a stereotype of astronomer that definitely didn't match reality! :)
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
The process of gathering and analyzing data was very important to help show my kids what real research is like. And since our data didn't come out nice and neat like some labs do, it really helped push my kids to think outside the box.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
I will say that I think part of every good astronomy (or any science) research project is asking a question you don't know the answer to, and I hope that as a teacher I can bring that back to my class. Along with asking questions, both collaboration and organization are important parts of working together for science.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
I think most people carry misconceptions of scientists as a whole... but I also think most people don't even personally know an astronomer or scientist. The fact that I know and have worked with scientists is going to be helpful to share with students.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[The best thing about the trip was} Doing real science. I can't say enough how much I value the opportunity NITARP has given me to be part of real astronomy research for the first time in my career. Bringing back the knowledge, the feeling of not knowing, the drive to continue to find an answer and the skills that I needed to work in a group will be so helpful to me and my students.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
The most important thing I learned was that it's ok sometimes to not know the answer. As teachers, many times we become so consumed by having the right answer for students. Meanwhile, our students are so consumed by finding the right answer that they miss the learning. This week showed me that no matter how much work you do (in graph, periodogram, histogram, phased curve, or whatever form) you may still not come to the conclusion you thought you would... and that's ok!
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] I thought we would get to actually observe stars through a telescope, [...] I also did not expect so much time to be spend on the computer.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] Astronomers (and scientists in general) often don't find the results they want. In fact, we found almost no correlation between most of the elements we used (the star's amplitude, radius, surface gravity, etc). But finding no correlation is just as important as finding a correlation because it opens a window to new questions, such as -- why was there no correlation?
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] My mental image of an astronomer before this trip was just a person in the woods with telescope looking at planets in viewing parties. After, I learned how they're actually pretty funny people who get to work in amazing observatories worldwide and see things that no one else gets to see first. I also didn't really think astronomy was a big part of science, but seeing how everything was interrelated at JPL and Mt. Wilson and just looking around the Caltech campus made me realize how central it actually is. I want to be an engineer, and this just made me want to be the kind of
engineer that makes space robots to research planets and stars.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] The best part was the time spent in the room researching. I actually enjoyed listening to people talk and use mathematical/scientific terms as if they were casual parts of everyday conversation. It was really fun after a lifetime of students grumbling "I'll never need this in real life, why are we learning this?".
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] [Astronomers] were much more personable and helpful than I imagined they might be. I also never before thought about how close astronomy and astrophysics were related.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] During my NITARP experience, I really saw science come to life. As a student, I was always being told to do all of these math problems and learn how to do all of this stuff that seemed so
irrelevant to me.. but when I came here and worked with [..] two AMAZING astronomers, they helped me see what all of that stuff is really for. [..] Finally all of those graphs I learned about years ago in math class were put to good use. Without histograms and scatter plots, our research could not have been as successful. I will also never forget the moment that Steve told us we had to calculate the mass of all of these stars that we were looking at..we could not just Google the answer like I am so used to doing...we had to actually sit down and calculate the masses. Then he taught us about Kepler's laws and how to use Kepler's third law to use the star's surface gravity and radius to calculate its mass. It looked like something my physics teacher would have given me to solve earlier in the year, but instead of being on a homework assignment, it was actually relevant and necessary. I guess taking what I've learned as a student in the classroom (even though it all seems kind of tedious and unnecessary to learn sometimes) and applying it in the real world--not as a school project, but to be doing real research--is the best thing about the trip.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] I also observed that [our astronomers] did not always know the answers..sometimes they were as lost in what the data was saying and where our research was going as the rest of us. Scientists don't always know the answers...I think the most impactful thing that I heard was "When scientists know what they're doing, they need to stop. When engineers don't know what they're
doing, they need to stop."
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] The importance of using significant digits in calculations was finally explained to me in a way that made it seem relevant and important.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] I didn't know that there was going to be so much math in astronomy!
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[The most important thing I learned was that] Data on archival websites may be derived in different ways and therefore may be contradictory. It is important to compare, but also to know how the numbers were obtained to determine which are more relevant to your needs.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] This trip got me even more excited about astronomy, and made me realize that the approaches to solve a problem/analyze data are similar everywhere.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[student:] The most surprising thing was that I gained a renewed interest in space-stuff!
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - They Might Be Giants
[The most important thing I learned was that] Data on archival websites may be derived in different ways and therefore may be contradictory. It is important to compare, but also to know how the numbers were obtained to determine which are more relevant to your needs.
said Sally Seebode
I will say that I think part of every good astronomy (or any science) research project is asking a question you don't know the answer to, and I hope that as a teacher I can bring that back to my class. Along with asking questions, both collaboration and organization are important parts of working together for science.
said Danielle Miller
I think most people carry misconceptions of scientists as a whole... but I also think most people don't even personally know an astronomer or scientist. The fact that I know and have worked with scientists is going to be helpful to share with students.
said Danielle Miller
[The best thing about the trip was} Doing real science. I can't say enough how much I value the opportunity NITARP has given me to be part of real astronomy research for the first time in my career. Bringing back the knowledge, the feeling of not knowing, the drive to continue to find an answer and the skills that I needed to work in a group will be so helpful to me and my students.
said Danielle Miller
The most important thing I learned was that it's ok sometimes to not know the answer. As teachers, many times we become so consumed by having the right answer for students. Meanwhile, our students are so consumed by finding the right answer that they miss the learning. This week showed me that no matter how much work you do (in graph, periodogram, histogram, phased curve, or whatever form) you may still not come to the conclusion you thought you would... and that's ok!
said Danielle Miller
So many of us science teachers do labs where the end is known (which is sometimes necessary to make sure they fit in a class period and that the students understand the concept we're trying to learn) but that's not really science.
said Danielle Miller
[student:] It seems that many people believe that astronomers are either extremely geeky people who live with their noses buried deep in their computers and whiteboards or people who chart stars by looking through telescopes all night. In reality, they are people who are very smart, love their jobs, and are extremely excited to share their work with others. I did expect to be working with computers (particularly Excel), but I was grateful for the history of our project and the ability to learn more about our project before diving straight into the more complicated aspects. For example, plotting all the data we were given was much harder and took longer than I had formerly expected.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[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.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[student:] you never really hear about everything involved in being an astronomer and I feel like after being here for a week I have a better understanding of the subject astronomy in general and careers in it as well.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[student:] There was much more work with numerical data than I had thought there was in scientific research. The use of computers was expected although the use of Excel was a surprise.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[student:] I have found that astronomy is much more than peering through telescopes. Astronomers analyze data collected from various instruments and observatories to either prove a theory or to make new ways to explain the universe.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[student:] I have a deeper appreciation and understanding of astronomy and the astronomers because of this project. I have also found that I find astronomy incredibly interesting and fascinating. If I didn’t have the opportunity to go on this trip then I never would have found out that I am really interested in astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[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.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[student:] Every single activity was surprising and interesting to me. I’ve never had experiences like these before so all of it was new to me.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[student:] It was a great experience working with that kind of astronomical data.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
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.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
I also learned that modern astronomy research is often conducted using vast databases of archived data collected years previously. When my past students did astronomy research projects, they used data that they themselves collected[..]. After working at Caltech with the group, though, I have come to realize that what my students have been doing previously were small projects compared to our AGN study—they were really just glorified lab activities. I have been giving a lot of thought to this since I returned home and am planning major changes in the sort of projects that my research students will be working on in the future.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
I knew that astronomers conducted most of their research with computers accessing data from distant telescopes and spacecraft, but I didn’t realize how much of it is available to the general public and how readily available it is to amateur astronomers and other interested folks.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
I discovered that astronomers are just regular people that don’t know everything. They make mistakes just like the rest of us. They are just passionate about what they do and are rewarded for that passion with admiration (but not necessarily money) from the general public. They have cool jobs in awesome places, but most do not get rich from their pursuit of knowledge. Access to data and astronomical images is easy. It is coming up with great questions that makes an astronomer great.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
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.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
I was least surprised to see how well the students got along with each other. I was fully expecting them to enjoy meeting other students similarly afflicted with a love for science. In small schools it can be difficult for strong minds to stretch their wings without being “clipped” by the rest of the student body. Programs like this allow students to build support networks that encourage them to more vigorously pursue their interests.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
The NITARP program reaches far beyond the inspired individual teacher or student with whom they work directly.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
I was most surprised at how well my students took to the work. Prior to the trip, they worked to understand the project proposal and researched the instruments, but they seemed a bit detached from it at home. Once here, though, they engaged much more intensely, asked more questions, and really wanted to do a great job. Without prompting they all took out there computers and continued making graphs with our data set at the airport while waiting for our flight home.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
The most important thing I learned is that doing astronomical research is easily doable by anyone, anywhere who is inspired to do so. You don’t need to have your own telescope or even to go to an observatory. You can access archival images, photometry, and other data for just about any question you might have regarding not only galaxies, but so much more. Tools are being created and refined by NASA and its outreach programs all the time that allow students and regular citizens to participate in authentic research. The sky is no longer the limit! I will be able to engage my students in our own projects like this. Our only limit will be our ability to come up with questions.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
"Real astronomy" is diving into the unknown. Asking a question that does not have an answer yet and trying to solve it. That's what we did. We are trying something completely new and I love how I don't know what were going to get. That is real science. We can do labs, but often times, they are done with expected answers. [This experience wasn't that at all.]
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[Before this,] I had two visions of astronomy: telescopes and massive equations/data tables. This trip really emphasized that its not just telescopes and equations, but tangible data and analytical
skills. It was really rewarding for my high school students and I to analyze this real data. It was also very interesting to learn that the data is public and anyone can use the data to learn science.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[The best thing was] Working with everyone. It was a great experience to work with the whole team from around the country in conjunction with the astronomer. The team working, collaboration and excitement was contagious and motivating. We had such an amazing experience working together. This has truly been on of the most amazing trips simply because we had an amazing group of students, teachers and astronomer to work with.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
I was surprised at how open the analysis was. I expect to be told what to find, however, we didn't know what we were going to find. I found that very cool.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
Doing research just generates more questions rather than resolving them!
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[The best thing was] Reviewing the project and doing the actual number crunching and data analysis. I found that the best and most part of the NITARP experience. It was rewarding to do the data analysis and to discuss it with one another.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[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?
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - CM4Sy
[Before this project,] I had two vision of astronomy: telescopes and massive equations/data tables. This trip really emphasized that it's not just telescopes and equations, but tangible data and analytical skills. It was really rewarding for my high school students and I to analyze this real data. It was also very interesting to learn that the data is public and anyone can use the data to learn science.
said Nicole Granucci
[The best thing about the Summer trip was] Working with everyone. It was a great experience to work with the whole team from around the country in conjunction with the astronomer. The team working, collaboration and excitement was contagious and motivating. We had such an amazing experience working together. This has truly been on of the most amazing trips simply because we had an amazing group of students, teachers and astronomer to work with.
said Nicole Granucci
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?
said John Blackwell
I discovered that astronomers are just regular people that don’t know everything. They make mistakes just like the rest of us. They are just passionate about what they do and are rewarded for that passion with admiration (but not necessarily money) from the general public. They have cool jobs in awesome places, but most do not get rich from their pursuit of knowledge. Access to data and astronomical images is easy. It is coming up with great questions that makes an astronomer great.
said Theresa Paulsen
I was least surprised to see how well the students got along with each other. I was fully expecting them to enjoy meeting other students similarly afflicted with a love for science. In small schools it can be difficult for strong minds to stretch their wings without being “clipped” by the rest of the student body. Programs like this allow students to build support networks that encourage them to more vigorously pursue their interests.
said Theresa Paulsen
I was most surprised at how well my students took to the work. Prior to the trip, they worked to understand the project proposal and researched the instruments, but they seemed a bit detached from it at home. Once here, though, they engaged much more intensely, asked more questions, and really wanted to do a great job. Without prompting they all took out there computers and continued making graphs with our data set at the airport while waiting for our flight home.
said Theresa Paulsen
The most important thing I learned is that doing astronomical research is easily doable by anyone, anywhere who is inspired to do so. You don’t need to have your own telescope or even to go to an observatory. You can access archival images, photometry, and other data for just about any question you might have regarding not only galaxies, but so much more. Tools are being created and refined by NASA and its outreach programs all the time that allow students and regular citizens to participate in authentic research. The sky is no longer the limit! I will be able to engage my students in our own projects like this. Our only limit will be our ability to come up with questions.
said Theresa Paulsen
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.
said Thomas Rutherford
I also learned that modern astronomy research is often conducted using vast databases of archived data collected years previously. When my past students did astronomy research projects, they used data that they themselves collected[..]. After working at Caltech with the group, though, I have come to realize that what my students have been doing previously were small projects compared to our AGN study—they were really just glorified lab activities. I have been giving a lot of thought to this since I returned home and am planning major changes in the sort of projects that my research students will be working on in the future.
said Thomas Rutherford
I was also surprised [after the summer visit] not to be more tired. Don't get me wrong, I certainly took a five hour nap on Saturday after coming home on the red-eye from LA, but overall the week left me invigorated rather than exhausted.
said Melissa Booker
I was surprised [during the summer visit] with the speed with which my students increased their proficiency with the tools we are using -- especially Python programming! My students acted very independently and hardly ever needed me to suggest something for them to do next; many times they were already anticipating the next tasks and trying to figure out how to do it!
said Melissa Booker
I was also surprised not to be more tired. Don't get me wrong, I certainly took a five hour nap on Saturday after coming home on the red-eye from LA, but overall the week left me invigorated rather than exhausted.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
Because we are learning programming, it will take more time to write script to do the analysis but it will be easier to change that script and apply it to different situations once it is written. Programming is also an invaluable tool that we can only pass on to our students if we are confident using it in complex situations ourselves. [...]It is already becoming apparent that coding is going to make our ability to look at and compare many sources manageable.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
[The most interesting thing during the summer trip was] the change in the students and their growth in confidence. The a-ha moments when the big picture came into focus for them. The tour of
JPL was fantastic, too.
said Lynn Powers
[Astronomy] is a collaboration of many parts working together for a common goal. Not knowing everything but knowing how to find the answers needed and how to ask the questions.
said Lynn Powers
I have found that “real astronomy” involves a lot of data processing. In addition, I have found that collaboration is a very important aspect of the process.
said Carol Ivers
The best thing about the [Summer] trip was simply being on the campus at Caltech as an active participant in a science project. I still feel honored to be able to participate in this program. On top of that, to be able to extend the tendrils of my own learning to a few of my students only adds to the satisfaction I derive in being a teacher.
said Carol Ivers
I was surprised with the speed with which my students increased their proficiency with the tools we are using -- especially Python programming! My students acted very independently and hardly ever needed me to suggest something for them to do next; many times they were already anticipating the next tasks and trying to figure out how to do it!
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
Because we are learning programming, it will take more time to write script to do the analysis but it will be easier to change that script and apply it to different situations once it is written. Programming is also an invaluable tool that we can only pass on to our students if we are confident using it in complex situations ourselves. [...]It is already becoming apparent that coding is going to make our ability to look at and compare many sources manageable.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] The best aspect of the trip was working with such a group of amazing people. The opportunity I had to work with real members of the scientific community was priceless. I firmly believe that this experience has changed my life and provided me with an experience I will never forget.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] Before this trip I thought that everyone in this field had similar jobs, and they were all related to research. Now I've realized that there are so many different jobs that go into NASA. Learning the computer and research aspects of astronomy while seeing the engineering and construction aspects at JPL really opened my eyes to all the different job opportunities in this field.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] Not only did I gain a great amount of knowledge and experience regarding photometry and computer programming, but I met some great people as well. Everyone there was eager to learn, to teach and to have fun. All of the teachers are great people and were very supportive, and the kids who went are now new friends of mine, and I am very excited to see them all again in January.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] It wasn't necessarily as surprising as it was relieving to find out that everyone was generally in the same boat as far as knowledge went. I was a bit nervous to go on the trip because Python and photometry were very new to me. But after discovering that it was new to everyone, it became a collaborative effort that I really enjoyed, and it never seemed like a competition.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] But, I didn't think programming would be such a big part of scientific research, simply because the two are never really associated with one another in science classes at school, so I was happy to discover its importance in the field.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] The small amount of stress that accompanied the work was the least surprising to me. I was well aware that I would not know a lot of things the researchers/presenters were saying. However, I was prepared to ask questions and push through the work.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] It is an incredible feeling to be performing revolutionary science and developing new found conclusions, over the traditional student experience of replicating experiments performed by Galileo or Newton. This experience will continue to benefit not only my vocational aspirations, but scientists to come.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] The fact that neither the teachers nor the researchers knew all the "answers" to the research we were doing was surprising. Unlike school where the teacher generally knew the answer, the research we participated in this past week was totally new to everyone, including the teachers. That type of situation was a great experience and will prepare me for future experiences in the work world. [Our mentor scientist] said "You don't always have to know the answer; just how to find it." During the trip we were taught how to find answers by analyzing data and using prior knowledge instead of simply memorizing facts and formulas.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] The most interesting thing I did saw and learned during the trip to Caltech was the process of actual research. In school all projects and work has already been done. However, while doing research at Caltech, we were researching new information that hasn't been touched on before. The researchers and presenters provided great information on the research at hand and also on how to conduct the real scientific research.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] I thought [this visit] would be where we sit in formal rows and someone's at the board showing us what to do as we follow along, but it wasn't that at all. We were given help if we needed, but it was largely "Here's the goal, now go." It was good though because it really forced me to learn what I was doing.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
The best thing about the trip was simply being on the campus at Caltech as an active participant in a science project. I still feel honored to be able to participate in this program. On top of that, to be able to extend the tendrils of my own learning to a few of my students only adds to the satisfaction I derive in being a teacher.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] I always thought that astronomers just look into the sky with microscopes and make observations, but they do so much more than that. They are able to use tools to make further observations and do research. It's not easy being an astronomer and I have so much respect for what they do.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] The best thing about the trip was meeting all of the other students and teachers who were working on the same research as us. It was nice to be able to come together and compare our research and learn together as a group.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] I loved learning how to use python, APT, and ds9. It really opened my eyes to a whole new field of science.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] The most interesting thing for me on this trip was that we were able to work with real astronomers who were doing the same research that we were.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] There is a huge amount of collaboration with other scientists. I guess I didn’t expect scientific research to be as internationally connected as it is.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] it .. is such an incredible feeling to be doing real research that matters and to solve an unanswered question. All my life, in every science class I’ve been in, the result of an experiment or project has always been known. I know that if I ask my teacher a question, he or she will know the answer. For the first time in my life, the answer is unknown and I am helping to solve it.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] Working together as a true team to conduct research was an amazing experience I will never forget.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] I gain[ed] a whole new level of respect for each person I worked with because we were all treated as equals.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] it was not at all surprising how serious and professional the program was/is. I had no idea what to expect on this trip, but I was not surprised by how hard everybody worked. The level of concentration and professionalism from each participant really made the trip a success for me[..]
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
[student:] I was incredibly surprised about how much computer programming I learned. Technology (especially Computer Technology) has never been my strong point but I was able to expand my knowledge and use of Python exponentially. This was completely unexpected for me and I consider it one of my proudest achievements for this trip. It was such an incredible feeling to finally get a program to work after spending a long time concentrating on it. This accomplishment was not easy for me and many times I felt frustrated. However, I then decided to approach programming with a fresh mindset: I started to think of programming as a math game or puzzle. After that, getting a program to work was like winning a game! Many times I jumped for joy after successfully making a program with my peers. I believe that this different attitude helped me gain a new appreciation and enjoyment of programming – something I never expected to happen.
said at Summer Visit - 2013 - SHIPs
I had a request to present an inquiry professional development for educators while I was at NITARP and the AAS. Because of the amount of resources, new astronomy, lesson plans, and conversations I now feel I can try this with astronomy rather than my fields of practice.
said Wendi Laurence
I didn’t know just how much data is publicly available. Anyone can do astronomy – you just need to come up with a question and figure out how to use the archives.
said Caroline Odden
I knew nothing about the online archives before this experience. Now I am quite familiar with them, and I have even used them a few times for reasons unrelated to NITARP. I am certain I’ll continue to use this resource going forward.
said Caroline Odden
This experience made me realize that sitting in a room for several hours doing research did not necessarily have to feel like work. This improved my opinion of astronomy even further by making me realize just how much I enjoyed it.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
It became apparent to me through the NITARP program that there really is a place for every scientific interest within astronomy, from chemistry to materials engineering to computer science.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
It was very rewarding to be able to talk with astronomers who were willing to answer my (many) questions. Educators rarely have an opportunity to talk to professionals to hone their knowledge base once they finish school. I’m afraid I grabbed them every chance I got!
said Joe Childers
I found it most interesting to see the scientific process in action. Scientists were questioning scientists, sometimes fairly aggressively.
said Theresa Paulsen
For me the most interesting parts of the AAS meeting were the plenary talks. These talks were long enough that those without the special knowledge had a chance to understand what was being discussed. The special session on gamma-ray pulsars [was specifically interesting to me because the subject] had just been chosen by AAAS and Science as its runner-up story of the year. I had gone back and looked at the August issue of Science and tried to at least understand the article abstracts. Being able to follow this up with talks by the people involved was really neat!
said Richard DeCoster
It was wonderful to see the students from last year presenting their posters and talking with astronomers and teachers from all over the world.
said Debbie Kaiser
It was refreshing to learn that NASA wants scientists to get/stay in communication with the public, including schools, regarding the science being done. Engagements translates to representation and support from a grassroots mindset.
said Stacy DeVeau
It brought tears to my eyes to see how proud the kids were as they presented their discoveries at AAS.
said Mark Legassie
I kept wishing this program had been available when I was a kid. Wanting to be a scientist, I had no role model or support and never pursued it.
said Mark Legassie
[...]These new discoveries will force scientist back to the drawing board when it comes to solar system formation and evolution models. To me that's neat. It demonstrates that just because something seems to make sense in science, that doesn't necessarily make it the case. Our models have to match the evidence we have, and that is why it is so very important that we must never stop the collection of new evidence ... we can never sit back and be comfortable in our practice of science.
said Tim Spuck
There was purpose to my wandering. [..]Last year [the AAS] was logistically and culturally educational, this year was truly informative. I felt much less out of place.
said Kate Meredith
...the most interesting thing I noticed this year [at my second AAS] was that I spent much more time seeking out, listening to and talking about science than I did about education itself.
said Kate Meredith
Being there with my students was the most amazingly cool experience. I saw my two guys explode in their willingness to ask questions and express an opinion. ... They were enthusiastic and energetic about the science. I was totally amazed by how their attendance made them reflective about the year and enthusiastic about science. ... They were amazed to hear other scientists say "Well, I understood half of that talk," and they repeatedly heard astronomers make jokes about research itself - the not knowing, the knowing and then getting proven wrong, etc. The experience made a huge impression on them and that was food for my soul.
said Kate Meredith
EVERYTHING had a different flavor this year [in my second AAS]. ... I experienced everything through the lens of the research project of the past year. ... I was far more focused on the "what ifs" and "what next" of the process. ... When I look at how the intellectual process changed over the last year I imagine it going from a diffuse look at research and the entire conference experience to the extreme focus on our own project during the year and finally reaching outward again in Seattle to incorporate new information and understandings. Returning to AAS made the experience complete.
said Kate Meredith
My takeaway lesson is that the students are much more tolerant of "issues" that make the research projects difficult to carry out and are generally content to be involved and learning something new.
said Helen Petach
... I find that much of the NASA/space policy is unusual relative to other branches of science since the money comes from such a finite collection of sources.
said Helen Petach
I think that the most surprising thing about it was how young everyone was! I absolutely did not expect that, maybe because the amateur community is so much older by comparison, and is mainly composed of retired people.
said Pamela Thompson
The more I talked with astronomers and support staff at the different booths [at my first AAS], the more I began to realize that being a teacher, and an amateur astronomer, is really very different from being a professional astronomer.
said Pamela Thompson
I did not anticipate being so challenged in the NITARP research. I have learned more in [my first] two weeks just getting ready to start working with the data.
said Denise Rothrock
I had no idea there was so much research going on in Astronomy. Astronomers are very eager to explain their research and future goals. A very friendly bunch.
said Denise Rothrock
All of these students are seniors in high school and the opportunity to meet educators, scientists and astronomers from all over the world was a eye opening experience. All of the adults they met were very encouraging of my brood and asked questions about the poster that they were here to present as well as their future plans. This exposure was not only a boost to their confidence, but a nice taste of the kind of things they would need to do the next day to present their poster.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
I met a lot of people over the course of [my first AAS]. So many people were interested in chatting, especially with a high school physics teacher!
said Caroline Odden
I assumed that [research] would require a great deal of data analysis, what I didn’t grasp until after this[, my first AAS] meeting was how focused and detailed the analysis would be. The steps in understanding that are gained through the analysis are much smaller than I anticipated they would be for the amount of work that is done.
said Lauren Novatne
I enjoyed the whole week [at my first AAS]. The aspect that was best was connecting with my teammates. The personal contact at this early stage was important.
said Matthew McCutcheon
There was a nice group of people around each poster [from NITARP 2011]. The students were all very well-prepared and gave a fabulous presentation! They all fielded questions very well. It was very, very impressive to see!
said Debbie French
To me what stood out [at my first AAS] was the wide variety of work – from characterization of the structure of the Milky Way (more of a challenge than I ever knew!) to the search for and characterization of exoplanets to the understanding of how quasar evolution relates to the origins of the Universe.
said Wendy Curtis
Just being exposed to the jargon is mind opening, and I can’t imagine walking into this convention and being asked to present without having this initial exposure. I think this [first AAS] trip is a crucial part of the program.
said Wendy Curtis
I did not anticipate how exhausted I’d get [at my first AAS meeting].
said Joe Childers
[My first AAS] was an excellent experience all around, and gives me confidence that my team and I will be able to do a good job with our project and be great representatives of the NITARP program.
said Chris Border
I was surprised and very encouraged to see a high proportion of people which are generally considered underrepresented in the sciences. That was a terrific take-home message for my students.
said Chris Border
I had an amazing, exhausting time at the AAS meeting. I found myself continually challenged by the intellectual level and knowledge being shared.
said Chris Border
My general impression is how big and varied the whole conference was. I knew the number coming in—but sometimes our imagination fails us. To see all the posters, papers, booths, and talks was truly astonishing.
said Robert Bonadurer
Also revealed [at the 2012 AAS] was the fact that students rarely mention “creativity” and “imagination” when describing science. This tells me, as a planetarium educator, we must do a better job communicating on how discoveries are made in science.
said Robert Bonadurer
Overall, most of the posters [at my first AAS] looked very similar. It was generally hard to get the big picture at the top. As a Planetarium person, I always want to know why this important—how does this connect to average Jane or Joe on the street. That can be one sentence—is it origins, technology applications, basic curiosity and discovery. I also want to know where the object(s) they are studying are located--what constellation, distance and maybe the nearest closest star. This simply helps me visualize where people are looking.
said Robert Bonadurer
The press release [from NITARP] had an unexpected effect at my school. When I came into school the day after returning from AAS219, the first person [..] told me how my principal was very excited. He had told our parent organization all about my participation. He had me come down and talk to him about it. We had a health fair at the school that day and parent volunteers were coming up to me and saying how they had heard about this project and asked what it was. Some kids in my classes had heard from their parents that I got a job at NASA so they thought I was gone for good! The conference was happening during our first week back after a two week break, so they didn't remember what I had told them about my visit to a conference. It was great to come to the enthusiasm at school and they are very supportive of the project. Kudos to the PR department.
said Jacqueline Barge
I was surprised at the number of young people. [..]I am used to seeing older people as astronomers as we watch Nova and other videos or read about past astronomers in class.
said Jacqueline Barge
I thought the talks and posters were great. Watching scientists talk to each other and question each other was interesting.
said Jacqueline Barge
I didn't anticipate meeting engineers and graphic artists. Thinking about it now, it seems natural that they are part of the astronomical community, but it wasn't something I was thinking about prior to this conference. I am trying to make a push to expose my students to other jobs in astronomy/earth science besides the "scientist", so this experience was helpful.
said Jacqueline Barge
I didn't anticipate meeting engineers and graphic artists [at the AAS].
said Jacqueline Barge
One of the best things was going to a dissertation talk by the young lady I met on the airplane. She gave a great talk and was able to answer the questions asked of her by the older astronomers present. She was clear so even I understood a lot of what she was saying, especially in the beginning, but she didn't water down what she did and found out in her research. She was able to give answers even when the question probed something she didn't study by explaining what she thought the research indicated. This was in contrast to another young man who was giving a dissertation talk earlier in that session. When asked a particular question, he could give no answer. It was hard to sit there in that silence. You kept hoping he would say something and was very glad when he finally did, even though it was "I hadn't thought of that."
said Jacqueline Barge
...it was wonderful to listen to [the NITARP 2011] students explaining their projects and answering questions from astronomers. [One student] did a great job. He was confident in his explanation of the project and what his group found. He understood was he was talking about. I think it was one of the best presentations I heard by high school students.
said Jacqueline Barge
The surprising part of our research was the time we spent on communication, and the value of saying something out-loud has to understanding it.
said Pamela Thompson
[student:] The most surprising thing I learned was that Astronomers do not have to individually process all of the data they are interested in from raw data. I was unaware of the existence and availability of the various databases that exist.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
[student:] All the scientists we talked to, even briefly, were well versed in their areas of study and their passion for their work was inspiring to someone who is considering pursuing science later in life.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
[student:] I now think more about the universe and the vast information you can learn about it.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
The experience has and will continue to help me develop more effective uses of NASA/JPL resources for me and to promote professional development.
said Thomas Doyle
This experience has forced me to look at something new and has inspired me to enrich and improve my classes.
said Wendy Curtis
[student:] I had a newfound view of the work that astronomers must do to gather the answers they seek.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
While a lot of astronomy is done by computer, nothing compares to having a human look over the data.
said Debbie French
[student:] Meeting and listening to these experienced professionals made the world of science very realistic and made me feel more capable of having a potential future in this area of work.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
Great to see real data taken from real telescopes take shape.
said Robert Bonadurer
Seeing and hearing about scientists at work, on different projects, brought to life the reality of scientists doing scientific work.
said Jacqueline Barge
[student:] The best thing about the trip was being able to expand my knowledge about space and because of that being able to narrow down on a career.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
The best thing [of the Caltech trip] was working with the other participants and making progress as a team. My students were engaged and willing to be challenged.
said Denise Rothrock
This [whole NITARP] experience will help me understand how students feel when they are presented with new material and don’t understand. I think this will give me more patience and understanding in this area.
said Denise Rothrock
The most interesting thing [during this whole NITARP experience] I did was work with catalogs I had not seen before and those I had that I had not a clue what to do with all that data. I now have a much clearer picture and my understanding has grown beyond what I think I could have ever done before.
said Denise Rothrock
Real astronomy isn’t just looking through telescopes with the naked eye anymore. It is really being accurate and precise and a lot of computer mathematics.
said Kathryn O'Connor
My highlight of the [Caltech] trip was watching my two students present data on a source which they had analyzed.
said Chris Border
We would like to thank you for helping us create the most memorable scientific experience we have ever had.
said at AAS - 2012
[NITARP] is an amazing program you’ve put together! I feel like you’ve given us the keys, and we’ve got a license to explore the universe.
said Diane Sartore
[I have] an example of a student who, previous to the summer trip did not have a focused direction for his future after high school, but now does. [He wants to be a scientist.]
said Shefali Mehta
This year [at the AAS] was so much different than last year [because of] having a poster to share with others!
said Adam Keeton
The experience I had at the 2012 AAS meeting as well as the entire NITARP experience will change the way I teach astronomy. Having spent 5 days meeting and discussing authentic scietific research with so many people from many different facilities was extremely rejuvinating as an educator.
said Adam Keeton
One of the things that I did not anticipate was being so PROUD of our work. I was convinced I would be nervous and unsure of myself as people I envisioned as being more important than myself grilled me with questions. I was pleased to find that nearly everyone who stopped by our posters was inquisitive, supportive and seemed genuinely interested. I also surprised myself with how comfortable I became with talking to these people as they came by and asked their questions.
said Debbie Kaiser
The science part of our project was overwhelming to me at first. [...]Since then I have learned an incredible amount from my mentor teacher, mentor scientists and my group members.
said Debbie Kaiser
Thank you for this invaluable opportunity and insight into how real science is conducted and shared by the scientific community. Astronomy, as is any branch of science, is such a diverse field with many discoveries yet to be made. It was truly an honor to be a part of the NITARP program.
said Stacy DeVeau
I have begun to grasp the mind-boggling amount of data being produced by this [astronomical] infrastructure.
said Merrill Butler
What I really appreciated was the incredible spirit of cooperation and willingness [at the AAS] to assist a novice researcher like myself. These people were all standing and listening to my brief presentation about our poster's highlights and findings because the subject matter was interesting to them or they were conducting research themselves in the same field of inquiry. It was truly surprising yet very exhilarating as I answered questions and then asked them about their research and how they tackled certain problems.
said Merrill Butler
I did not anticipate the amount of people that were not "NITARP" but instead simply "fellow" astronomers and researchers that came by our team's poster to discuss our findings. That for me was [..] was a most pleasant surprise.
said Merrill Butler
I felt as if I was on a treasure hunt to identify new methods of confirming redshift values for our candidate cluster members.
said Merrill Butler
Science is hard! ;-) Also, it is worth the work!
said John Blackwell
I also really like helping new teachers, let them share what they know fill in gaps, help them feel included and not overwhelmed. I want to do more of this, and need to find ways to direct this more effectively in my school and district.
said Sally Seebode
[NITARP] is a fabulous experience – I feel like after several years I am understanding more of the talks, able to engage in a real conversation with astronomers, ask questions one on one, interpret more on posters – just feel more astronomically literate.
said Sally Seebode
Over all, the NITARP experience was nothing I had ever experienced before as a teacher. The research was very interesting and challenging at the same time.
said Denise Rothrock
I think the overriding theme of what new teachers need to know it that, yes, even though you are going to feel overwhelmed at times you need to sit back and enjoy the ride.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
Mentoring adults in these capacities [as a NITARP mentor educator] improves my ability to act more as a mentor to my classroom students, allowing them to become more self-sufficient learners. I feel this has improved my ability to mentor my colleagues as well.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
Our lead astronomer, Luisa Rebull, has a very energetic style and pushes her team to the limits. Our group of teachers put in many hours each week for a full year to learn the topic or skill at hand followed by a weekly teleconference. The pressure was on and I loved it!
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
This past year was a very intense NITARP experience for me, stretching my intellectual and technological skills beyond their limits while learning to be a mentor teacher and of course transferring as much of this experience to my students as possible.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
Attending the AAS in Seattle with my students was an incredible experience. I got a chance to step back and see [my students] interact confidently with their peers, other educators and professional astronomers from all over the world. We started this journey exactly a year ago and have come a long way. Learning scientfic concepts and doing authentic scientific research was only part of the experience, we also learned to communicate across the country. [...]
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
The time at Caltech was fantastic. I enjoyed working alongside my students in a way that felt very different from the typical classroom setting.
said Caroline Odden
I have a much better sense of what research astronomy is about now, and I think I will have more confidence to try new things (related to astronomy) going forward.
said Caroline Odden
Thank you so much for providing this wonderful experience for my students and for me. I learned a lot, and I had a great time. It was a wonderful to have the chance to work with David and Steve.
said Caroline Odden
NITARP is the best!
said Caroline Odden
The experience has changed my understanding of astronomy and how it is done, but not of astronomers.
said Lauren Novatne
By far, the most interesting part of my entire NITARP experience is the scientific method applied to the discovery process.
said Lauren Novatne
Using this research in my classes has provided my students with a glimpse of what professional astronomers are tasked with in describing the workings of the universe.
said Cindy Melton
[In my classroom, I will] increase my emphasis that what is written in a textbook is not the final word on a subject. Science is an ever-evolving mechanism of discovery and nothing remains fixed in perspective or proof.
said Cindy Melton
[attending a press conference] was extremely interesting to see how scientific discovery is transferred to the general public through publications such as Scientific American and Time.
said Cindy Melton
[I did not anticipate] meeting a Nobel Prize Winner – Saul Perlmutter – and getting a picture with him.
said Cindy Melton
For the teacher, connecting with working scientists and networking with other colleagues has immeasurable value. I plan to utilize these relationships and potentially other projects spawned by them for years to come.
said Matthew McCutcheon
I believe having students work with other students from other schools has much value.
said Matthew McCutcheon
Being able to be physically present at Caltech and the AAS expanded the impact of this program significantly. It was in these settings, in particular, where one could see how the scientific enterprise typically works and how ideas are often shared.
said Matthew McCutcheon
I have experienced a number of well-done programs in having HS teachers and/or students participate in research, and NITARP particularly stands out. I think it is the mix of prep work done in advance by teachers and students, the collaborative format of teachers/students/scientists from different locales, the onsite time at Caltech, and the attendance and presentation of posters at [the] AAS. Each of these elements was important.
said Matthew McCutcheon
The NITARP experience was terrific from start to finish – well organized, informative, and unique.
said Matthew McCutcheon
Listening to Ferdowski talk about his work as a NASA flight director at his young age of 36 sparked some intrigue in many students. How can someone so young be in charge of such a critical object on another planet?
said Chelen Johnson
This experience has made me conscious of how important it is to have students work with real data. I will definitely seek out more opportunities to include real data in my lessons and labs.
said Debbie French
[This experience] has made me realize that while I use a lot of inquiry, I don’t always involve my students in the process of developing a testable question.
said Debbie French
NITARP has exposed me to the huge amount of data available and how to access it. I have data to work with for decades, and I have learned new ways to work with it.
said Thomas Doyle
I never met a scientist who did not want to discuss their work.
said Thomas Doyle
For me, [this project] was a real partnership between scientists and educators. All questions and suggestion were taken seriously and with respect.
said Thomas Doyle
My NITARP experience has made me rethink my entire approach to science education. Many of my students expect me to do the work and pretty much hand it to them all wrapped up and neat. Science education must involve a great deal of discovery by the student and not a string of topics with definitions.
said Thomas Doyle
Thank you for such a first class learning experience.
said Thomas Doyle
Thanks so much for an amazing experience. NITARP has opened doors for me in many ways. It’s exposed me to real research, it’s got me thinking about ways to innovate and create real research experiences for my students, and it’s made me aware of the numerous opportunities out there for science teachers to become better at what they do.
said Wendy Curtis
I would advise the scientists to not be afraid of pushing the teachers and students outside their comfort zone. It’s ok if the teachers and students are struggling- we’ll catch up! Just go – make us work hard. It’s what we signed up for.
said Wendy Curtis
I’ve already made big changes to my curriculum because of this program, and will continue to do so in future years. So far, I’ve added a photometry component to my astronomy class, and I’ve added programming with Python in my physics classes. I will be looking into research projects and will be designing work that students can do using telescope data and/or images either independently or as a class activity next year. Before my NITARP experience, I wouldn’t have even known where to begin to try to incorporate this kind of research into my classes.
said Wendy Curtis
I’ve already made big changes to my curriculum because of this program, and will continue to do so in future years.
said Wendy Curtis
After this experience, I’m more aware that beyond just teaching my students good science, my focus should be to prepare them for a career in science.
said Wendy Curtis
To get the chance to work with astronomers and researchers in the field, to do authentic research, and to attend conventions and be immersed in astronomy is absolutely amazing for a high school science teacher.
said Wendy Curtis
The NITARP experience is truly phenomenal, and our scientist was wonderful to work with – never condescending and always very clear in his explanations.
said Wendy Curtis
I think that more than anything else, hearing these kids talk about their work really convinced me how valuable this experience is for students.
said Wendy Curtis
It was really interesting talking with other NITARP groups about their posters. I was impressed over and over again by the students’ command of the material – clearly they were fully invested in this project. They explained their work with clarity and enthusiasm. I think that more than anything else, hearing these kids talk about their work really convinced me how valuable this experience is for students.
said Wendy Curtis
I discovered that meaningful astronomical research does not require access to meter-class observatories or a Beowulf cluster. Given the right professional to collaborate with, it is something that I'm able to do while still working at the planetarium.
said Joe Childers
I always knew as an astronomy educator that I will miss out on the joy of discovery. The scientists [I've spoken with before] were often excited and willing to share their work—to describe what they found, and what it all means. I wondered what it’s like to achieve and feel that—to see what’s never been seen! I was always curious on how they did it exactly. Sure, I knew it was a lot of work—lots of math, physics, time, expertise, etc. But I never knew the steps, the details. I never could fathom the depth of what a true astronomer does. Well, thanks to NITARP—now I know. Or at least I have a small inkling of that experience. Yes, it is a lot of time and work! But it’s well worth it.
said Robert Bonadurer
Astronomers remain focused, polite, caring and thoughtful about the future generations who will take on the study. I think this message alone has huge meaning in my classrooms [...]
said John Blackwell
One of the things I love about astronomy is the very fact that we are not laboratory-bound scientists. Our lab is the universe, a constantly changing petri dish in the sky, so to say, and if you aren’t looking, you miss it!
said John Blackwell
You really do become co-learners with the students.
said Jacqueline Barge
I have already talked to my department about adding an astronomy research class to our class choices next year and they are very enthusiastic.
said Jacqueline Barge
I was very surprised that 20 students stayed very engaged during the whole process at my school since it spanned two school years. None of these students had had an astronomy class before this project, so their background knowledge was pretty low. They jumped in with both feet and kept learning or figuring out what they needed to know. The students were very much into doing research.
said Jacqueline Barge
The most interesting thing [of my NITARP experience] was having to actually do research – researching articles & known information; looking up images in databases; doing photometry; making judgments on sources.
said Jacqueline Barge
[at the AAS 2013,] My school participated in the Educational Outreach Day. I found this to be a very, very good experience. There were a lot of students present and the talk by the Mohawk guy [Ferdowsi] was very good. The events in the exhibit hall were very well done. Please pass on my thanks to the group that organized this. My students had good background knowledge and still found many of the activities interesting. I was watching other student groups and saw that they were very engaged.
said Jacqueline Barge
The AAS conference is a factory for knowledge and truth about the Universe. As David Helfand, president of the society said in his opening remarks, “We do astronomy because it defines us as human beings”. I’m just now truly beginning to understand.
said Robert Marshall
The nature of [astronomers'] work – retracing their steps for accuracy, being critical of fellow colleagues, and looking to develop the next best project that has not been accomplished already – requires astronomers to discuss, inquire, and exchange their ideas with one another.
said Robert Marshall
Astronomers, all of whom are scientists, can be personal, funny, and outright social beings.
said Robert Marshall
Before ever having experienced an AAS meeting, I thought I was well versed in the astronomer’s culture. [..] I also thought I knew what an astronomer did. [..] Well, this 221st meeting of the AAS has certainly been an eye opener. [..] My experience has been one of culture shock.
said Robert Marshall
I just think experiencing a conference of this size and magnitude is terrific.
said Holly Bensel
I enjoyed meeting the students from the other schools. They were polite, articulate, and intelligent. I thought the teachers and parents had done a great job raising these kids and preparing them for the meeting. I hope my students are half as good.
said Holly Bensel
One thing I learned from this meeting is I love my project. It is going to be very interesting and way cool!! I can’t wait to tell my astronomy club about it.
said Holly Bensel
The most interesting thing I learned was that astronomers write and talk to each other in a language all their own, full of jargon and acronyms, but they can orally explain their science easily and do so with enthusiasm on a one-to-one basis. I was hesitant at first to speak to folks at their posters for fear of being judged unfit for discussion, but everyone I talked to was open to conversation and gladly talked about their work at a level I could process. I think many were happy that someone cared enough to stop by their poster.
said Theresa Paulsen
My robotics students are very wowed by the fact that I met a flight director for the Mars Curiosity Rover.
said Theresa Paulsen
I’m thinking I’ll have my 6th graders each do a project on an observatory in our astronomy unit. There are so many!
said Theresa Paulsen
The middle schoolers [from NITARP 2012] fielded questions from an astronomer from the Keck observatory like old pros -‐ very professional! I can’t wait to see my students do the same.
said Theresa Paulsen
I am thrilled with the general friendliness of the scientists. I was made to feel at ease as a participant in the program. It is evident that everything is extremely organized and structured in such a way that a participant gets the most possible out of their time at the meeting. There is time to meet previous participants finishing up, new people on the new teams, the scientists, the students, and many other scientists not affiliated with the project. Just being around cutting edge technology and current astronomy projects is mind-blowing.
said Carol Ivers
The most interesting thing I learned was that it is possible for very young students to wrap their heads around complex “higher level” science if they are motivated and engaged.
said Carol Ivers
The most interesting thing I did was to discuss the learning experience with the students who participated in last year’s project. Being in the final stage of their experience and reflecting on that process was the most fun for me. I truly enjoyed the sense of accomplishment they had gained while engaged in the experience. They were proud of themselves and seemed to be waiting for more.
said Carol Ivers
I am very impressed at the abilities of the [NITARP 2012] youngsters in handling the science. It is wonderful to see teachers engaging students in this way as it is an experience that could help direct them toward becoming scientists.
said Carol Ivers
I learned that there is a lot I need to learn!
said Carol Ivers
I am excited to embark on this research and feel lucky to be part of the experience.
said Melissa Booker
I was impressed with how poised the [NITARP 2012] students were and how they were able to answer all of my questions. Each of them spoke to how NITARP had been a very positive experience. All of the young women I spoke with talked about wanting to pursue science in college.
said Melissa Booker
[about some of the students from the 2012 class] They knew their stuff and fielded questions well. Most of all, you could tell they had grown as students and were passionate about their topics and what they had found. To me, that was awesome. I hope my students will show the same poise...
said Fred Donelson
I’ve always thought that probably most astronomers were just normal people who had a passion for astronomy, and my experience confirmed that. I felt like many of the astronomers I talked to were able to have normal conversations as well as “wow” me with lots of data and analysis.
said Fred Donelson
I am a teacher who really tries to help kids think and make learning fit individual styles, because I believe much of what is done in the science classroom today does not inspire learning, thinking, or passion for science. But I wasn’t expecting a discussion about that in any of the astronomy sessions. I was certainly wrong on that account.
said Fred Donelson
I very much enjoyed meeting the other NITARP astronomers and participants. I was especially interested in the students’ experiences. Keeping the students in the loop and continuing to focus them on the big picture were especially good lessons from the past I plan to apply in the coming year.
said Michael Murphy
[at the 2013 AAS,] I was always struck by the focus on ensuring the data is real and using modeling to create templates when classifying objects or processes.
said Michael Murphy
Honestly, I left [the 2013 AAS] a bit more in love with astronomy. I just plain had fun wandering and treated myself to time as a learner. It is not often we, educators, get to slide out of expert mode and into learner mode.
said Wendi Laurence
[...]that provided a wonderful window into the student’s perspective of the NITARP experience. I loved how they talked about seeing math as a way of communicating and for checking data…not as THE right answer type computations. Many then said that concept was new and they really appreciated it.
said Wendi Laurence
The posters from BYU on using sign language and HUD in astronomy was my favorite. [..]The fact that they have developed a set of descriptive signs that can be used opens the door to cultural connections in the deaf community. [..]It seems that shared signs demonstrate value of the deaf community rather than finger spelling the words.
said Wendi Laurence
Everything [at the 2013 AAS] was new. The interesting piece was attending a press briefing and then comparing that to the scientist version.
said Wendi Laurence
For me it was not so much in seeing what format -- but in what flow. Varoujan Gorjian’s reflections on this teaching and telling the story of science led me to wander posters and see where the story flowed.
said Wendi Laurence
[Because of a poster I saw at the AAS and] my participation in the NITARP program, I will be raising the standards for my students in the future.
said Thomas Rutherford
I think that astronomy is much more accessible to everyone than any other science. I had no idea all of the data for the research I'll be doing with my team is online!
said Danielle Miller
I did not anticipate how much the astronomers would trust us right away. I felt more like a colleague than a student, which was relieving (and maybe a bit stressful, because I probably would have found it easier to ask questions coming from a student role).
said Danielle Miller
I rarely get out among other teachers in the same field as I am, with similar interest and motivations, and even less often do I have time to be in the company of professional scientists to see and hear what they are doing, how it is being done, what technologies are being used, etc. Without this type of program to get me to a meeting like the AAS I would never be able to put all of this together.
said Laura Orr
It was also good to have the time to connect with all the different types of people and areas of work that are represented at a meeting like the AAS – lots of time as a teacher is spent in my classroom only – I rarely get out among other teachers in the same field as I am, with similar interest and motivations, and even less often do I have time to be in the company of professional scientists to see and hear what they are doing, how it is being done, what technologies are being used, etc. Without this type of program to get me to a meeting like the AAS I would never be able to put all of this together. Being with the people drawn together at this type of meeting helps me as a teacher to see what is needed from me in prepare and present to my students as the current world of science. I also get to see and experience things that make my own brain start clicking and re-engage that wonder and questioning part of me that made me love science and want to go into science as a kid. I came away with many new ideas, new contacts to offer me support in my teaching and research, and a renewed enthusiasm for improving my teaching and my own understanding of astronomy.
said Laura Orr
Always impresses me how well a ‘kid’ can perform if supported and presented with a challenge that interests them.
said Laura Orr
[...]creativity has to be a underling personality trait for scientists
said Laura Orr
I am gaining in confidence as to my ability to understand, contribute to the study, and the data we will be using.
said Laura Orr
The rest of the NITARP teachers new, current, and past were really great to talk to – they all had bits of advice, stories, words of caution, and knowledge that I really appreciated. I was pretty nervous and concerned about how much I did not know about the program and what I would be doing that was greatly relieved after a few days at the AAS and talking with my team and others.
said Laura Orr
I LOVED the chance to talk with some of the students that have been involved in the NITARP program. It was really good to hear of their insights and thoughts about the program, the process, and how it influenced their year and future plans.
said Laura Orr
The most interesting component for me [at the 2013 AAS] turned out to be the last session on integrating computational thinking. Computational thinking and work are great component to incorporate into any student investigations. You cannot assume high school age students have a background in this type of thinking. Tools that work to help students learn this are extremely valuable for everyone in NITARP.
said Christi Whitworth
I knew that the kids would get a ton out of it, but the connections and opportunities for them is phenomenal. Doing teacher workshops when I’m done will be so much fun. Can’t wait to bring this to the state.
said Lynn Powers
Found out that NITARP is bigger and better than I thought it would be.
said Lynn Powers
[With respect to names of astronomical objects,] I noticed that most went just by the number or address. I asked one student where it was located and they couldn’t tell me. Quite different than what I’m used to. [As an amateur astronomer,] We call things by name and can find them in the sky.
said Lynn Powers
[At the 2012 AAS, I] Enjoyed talking with the 2012 students, before and after their talks. Before they were so nervous and full of anticipation. After, they were so tired, one boy was wearing new shoes and had blisters – don’t wear new shoes!
said Lynn Powers
[student:] There are only a handful of people at home that I can speak to about astronomy, physics and the like – so I was absolutely thrilled by the people I got to meet.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
I actually felt like I was able to accomplish something that would have some meaning to the scientific community.
said Shefali Mehta
For me as an educator, it was really rejuvenating to come out here (and bring a student with) and dive into actual astronomical research.
said Adam Keeton
What an incredible feeling to be right there at the edge of discovery!
said Merrill Butler
One of the most interesting things I learned while working with my team was how unique and surprising each star can be.
said Debbie Kaiser
The "new" astronomy has become something we all knew was coming: handling huge chunks of data and learning how to mine this information from sets so large that it is simply mind boggling. The interesting thing is that many people are not aware of this, notably teachers in the trenches.
said John Blackwell
[student:] I didn’t realize how many calculations and math was involved in looking for stars. It was a real eye-opener for how much we used everything we learned in school.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student:] Just like a real scientist, we worked with others to accomplish our goal by using the data and making graphs and calculations to find what we needed. We helped each other out, compared our answers, and learned from our findings and mistakes.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student:]... this experience definitely changed the way I thought about astronomy and astronomers.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student:] The most surprising thing I learned was the importance and significance our poster and paper would be, and that many prominent scientists and astronomers would be reading it, and be interested in it.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student:] I am so incredibly honored to be a part of an education system like NITARP that gives students a chance to explore astronomy and their future.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
I think the best thing about the trip was working with an actual research scientist (Luisa Rebull) at the Spitzer Science Center. This is a unique opportunity that not very many teachers and high school students get.
said Marcella Linahan
Real astronomy involves working as a team to find an answer. The NITARP program provides a unique, real-life experience in real astronomy to the teachers and students involved.
said Chelen Johnson
[student:] Astronomy, engineering and astrophysics have always been my passion. The NITARP experience let me go beyond the norm for rising astronomers.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student:] The size of the catalogs that we created, and/or, contributed to was immense. I always knew that there was a large amount of work that goes into astronomy and research, but I was astonished by just how much.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
Student involvement in authentic research is an idea whose time has come.
said Diane Sartore
In its current form, anyone with moderate computer skills and high school physics can download, explore, and begin to understand available data.
said Diane Sartore
[student:]...getting to do the research with students around the country was a once in a life time opportunity and I'm glad I got the chance to be a part of it.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
Overall, I think one of my favorite parts of the trip was watching all of the students from around the country bond into a very productive team. They would help each other through the work we were doing to make sure everyone understood and was at the same place.
said John Gibbs
[student:] The best part of the trip was being able to have people from all over the country come to Pasadena and be able to work as a true team and bond as we all did science together. It was a great way to experience the way science is done in the real world, through group work and effort.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student:] There was so much I did not know that I learned at JPL and it definitely increased my interest in our Space Program here in the US. The information that was given was very interesting and detailed and I doubt I would have ever learned it otherwise.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student:] The best thing about the trip was that we were able to experience real science and not just a mundane lab in the classroom. It taught us about the uncertainties of science and that because what you are doing is new; no one has an "answer key" to your questions.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student:] The most surprising thing that I learned was how much telescope data is available and how it is open for anyone to look at.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student:] The best thing about the trip was to meeting new people and learning from one other.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student:] Not only did I get to meet people my own age but I had the rare opportunity to interact with adults on almost the same level.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
Real astronomy is uncertainty. Real astronomy is making little mistakes that cause you to check all the data again. Real astronomy is perfectly human
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
...students, given an interesting task, could stay on task for hours at a time.
said Richard DeCoster
[student:] I really enjoyed the chance to work with everyone, the Astronomers, and the students as well as the teachers. That was one of the best experiences in my life.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - IR Variability team
Real astronomy involves being able to problem solve and think critically, apply process skills, and communicate effectively.
said Beth Thomas
[student:] Thank you for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shadow/work with real astronomers. I learned a lot of astronomy and about how research is conducted.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - IR Variability team
[student:] "Real" astronomy involves much more than simply looking at stars, it requires hours of searching, calculating, analyzing, and rechecking data.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - CG4 team
Many science teachers begin the year with a discussion of the “scientific method.” Our group modeled just that … Starting with a problem, researching background papers, submitting a research proposal, analyzing authentic data, and drawing conclusions models the scientific process in real life.
said Chelen Johnson
[student:] The environment at NASA is learning-oriented. It's really fun to work in a place where everyone is so focused on astronomy with as much collaboration as NASA does.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
[student:] This was a different kind of work to me because we are working in a team that is spread all over the US, which makes the work a little more challenging but also very interesting
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
The most valuable learning in high school arises when students take ownership of the content. Project such as the analysis of NASA telescope data, provide some optimal examples of this type of learning experience.
said Helen Petach
I am fortunate to be able to employ my software-development skills for a program as worthy as NITARP. Its hard-working mentors and participant teachers inspire me to make an extra effort in creating the best software product possible. I have gained many interesting insights from interactions with users of my software.
said Russ Laher
In summary, this [AAS meeting] was amazing. For four straight days, if I'd thrown a rock I would have hit a scientist. Priceless.
said Kevin McCarron
Astronomy is a lot less black and white than what I expected from a research project. You can't replicate observations and are always working within the limitations of the telescopes, data rendering processes, etc. There isn't always a clear-cut answer or right way to do things.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - SOFIA
I was surprised at how quickly we moved through different steps and tasks when able to focus on it all day and work together at the same time.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - SOFIA
Overall the program is confirming what I knew about the amount of math and physics involved in real astronomical research. [..] to be part of the process, to see it all in so much more detail makes me appreciate the hard work even more. And it will help convey to young students what they need to move forward to be scientists.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
So far, this experience has greatly changed the way I thought about astronomy. It made me realize just how much work really goes into all of the things you see. It also helped me get an idea of what it really means to be an astronomer; it's not just sitting at a telescope taking beautiful pictures.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
This has made me re-think what I want to do in college and my future.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
[This experience] made me realize it's not easy to be an astronomer, but all the hard work will be worth it. I cannot wait to be one myself.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
I was surprised by the sheer number of young stellar objects we were capable of studying in such a small patch of sky. There is so much more to discover that we haven't even looked at yet.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
I know astronomy relies on computer programming skills, but I was surprised to learn how much it relies on them.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
I wasn't aware that there was so little telescope time, and so much computer programming.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
"Real astronomy" involves a lot of data analysis. It involves a large amount of time spent at a computer rather than at a telescope. Astronomers have to know a lot more about programming than I had expected.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
I learned that astronomy takes an incredible amount of focus to get the job done correctly no matter how long it may take. And astronomers have to have a great deal of patience to achieve this.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
Never had I imagined myself working with students, teachers, and actual scientists from all across the country and globe. I learned just as much culturally as I did technically.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
I used to think astronomy was mostly just looking through telescopes, but this experience proved me wrong.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
[During the visit,] I came to learn that programming and utilizing the software and computer programs as efficiently as possible was a necessity. Without these programs, our research would be next to impossible. However, just having the software and using it wasn't enough. I quickly learned that investigating the details, applying programming skills, and manipulating our computers would greatly improve our abilities to analyze and begin processing the data. This was also one of the more interesting tasks we attacked. It made us ask questions, taste defeat, but not accept it. It gave us opportunities to learn from one another, especially the teachers and professionals we were extremely lucky to have available.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
[For future participants,] I do recommend taking two students. The more eyes and ears, the better. They will pick up on stuff that you may have missed, and vice versa. They will also ask you great questions that challenge your understanding. If you can't explain it to them, it's great to have a mentor teacher and the scientist in the room to ask.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
Probably the most surprising thing that I learned was how much focus you have to have to accomplish work like we were doing. Although I knew beforehand that it was a lot of time and effort, it was interesting to see that doing the work takes time, patience, and a good amount of focus.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
Probably the most interesting thing I learned was that astronomers are more detectives piecing the universe together. Since we cannot actually see the life cycle of a star, we are forced to look at stars in different points in their (unfathomably long) lives and match them up in sequential order. Most importantly, "real science" is nothing like "textbook science" where we have explicit directions and there is a definite right or wrong answer. In the real world of science, we have to trust ourselves that we have done our best to reach the answer we deem correct.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
While a lot of astronomy is done by computer, nothing compares to having a human look over the data. [..] This is a really good reminder to students who blindly accept what the calculator/computer spits out without checking to see if the answer makes sense.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
The teachers and students did change the way I look at astronomy education. I saw more clearly that science education often goes from one success to the next never showing the details required to reach the scientific understanding. I wonder if an important point of the scientific process is not lost in this approach.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
Everything after the uploading of the images was new to me. And no matter how much it surged over and drowned my brain, the wave of new knowledge was quite welcome.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
[Astronomy] proved to be far more interesting than I thought previously possible.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
[student:] I had no idea that astronomy involved so much math! When I was first presented with a super long list of unit conversions and formulas, I almost gave up on a career in astronomy. I felt really overwhelmed because math has never been my strong suit. After successfully completing a few SEDs and color-color plots, I felt accomplished and realized that I wasn't as bad at math as I previously thought. Maybe I do have a chance at being an astronomer after all.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
Real astronomy isn't just looking through a telescope and jotting down notes. It involves using data from multiple resources, performing calculations, and making judgments about what is being observed. On the trip, I expected to be working with information from telescopes, but I was not expecting the large amount of conversions that needed to be done.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
Real Astronomy is doing all the data research. It is not just about viewing [through] a telescope. It's about reading the numbers and understanding it.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
One evening, while working on some homework, I had the realization that THIS WAS REAL. There is no right answer, in fact, no one knows the answer. I can't just go and ask someone the answer. It was like a light bulb went off and I experienced a feeling of excitement and also felt a little bit scared. I thought to myself -- Is this how astronomers feel about their work? It was a great feeling and exciting that I too am part of this now.
said Jacqueline Barge
One evening, while working on some homework, I had the realization that THIS WAS REAL. There is no right answer, in fact, no one knows the answer. I can't just go and ask someone the answer. It was like a light bulb went off and I experienced a feeling of excitement and also felt a little bit scared. I thought to myself -- Is this how astronomers feel about their work? It was a great feeling and exciting that I too am part of this now.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
Even though not all of us could do every step flawlessly, different strengths balanced the different weaknesses.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
I learned that I am a lot more passionate about astronomy than I previously thought.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
I was surprised that I ended up getting help from one of the students on the conversion to energy flux.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
I was surprised to see the amount of work was needed for a seemingly small job. To have stayed for such a short amount of time and to have done so much work [..] was overwhelming.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
The most surprising thing was that after all the complicated stuff was explained to us, and the big picture was revealed, it turned out that it really was not that difficult once you got the hang of it -- essentially it was just making some graphs and looking at some data -- so once it was explained (which it was, quite well) it got easy. I expected it to be mind numbingly difficult the entire time. There were also quite a few other [surprising things], but that's the most exuberant.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
Most surprising (for me anyway) was how little I actually knew about astronomy. I always thought I knew more than I actually did, but now I can positively say that through this program I learned more than most adults I know in this field.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
The most important thing I did was learn.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
[The best thing was] Watching the students interact with each other and with the science. It was great to see kids from different schools working with each other. It was also really great to see the students embracing the science. They asked our astronomers thoughtful questions that showed they were thinking about the process and the science.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
Working at a fast pace was exciting.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
[This] is such an amazing opportunity that not many can say they've had, and I'm honored to be a part of it.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
The entire experience was "real astronomy." Nothing was canned. None of us in the room knew what the "final answer" was. Students really buy into the fact that this is real research.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
The fact that we were doing REAL science, we were working with real data, from real telescopes, looking for tangible objects in space. As much as I like working with theories and in the theoretical, it was fantastic to be able to make real scientific headway in the physics world.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
We did real science!
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
I personally found our open ended instruction sessions the most inspiring. As all team members struggle to program spreadsheets correctly and produce accurate plots, teachers and students shouted across the room asking questions, comparing answers and finding success. It was great when students and teachers compared results, found differences and then went back and problem solved. It was especially pleasing when student results turned out to be the correct results and they then helped their teacher see the error of their ways.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - C-WAYS
[The best thing about the trip was that] there are only a handful of people at home that I can speak to about astronomy, physics, and the like, so I was absolutely thrilled by the people I got to meet. Being surrounded by people at least as intelligent and oftentimes far more so is quite the exhilarating experience.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
We actually downloaded data, analyzed it, charted it, and then potentially found our first galaxy cluster. What an incredible feeling to be right there at the edge of discovery!
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
It was very apparent to me that we did "real astronomy" all week and all year for that matter.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
When I presented the project to my School Board, they were really excited about the research and that I would be involving students the entire way.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
It's always great to see the progress made by the teachers and students. It's just so very noticeable when you compare the conversations you have with them on the first day as compared to the last day.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
What would be surprising to me is if everything would have gone according to plan. That just doesn't happen in science. So when bugs came up in the data analysis process, it felt very normal.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
I was really surprised by how much astronomers need to know about writing programs and fixing software when it doesn't 'play nice'. I think this more than anything else surprised me about what real astronomy is and what it is about.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
I actually felt like I was able to accomplish something that would have some meaning to the scientific community.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
...the best part about the trip was working for four straight days on a concept that few people either understand or are passionate about. [..] It was really rejuvenating to come out here and dive into actual astronomical research.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
...analyzing images doesn't seem that difficult anymore.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - TRS team
The 'a-ha' moments at the conclusion of our analyses was unexpected [in that it was so soon].
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - Period Pontificators team
[Real astronomy is] handling huge chunks of data and learning how to mine this information from sets so large that it is simply mind boggling. [...]Many people are not aware of this, notably teachers in the trenches. They are teaching the science not as a process, but as a set of background material that acts as a starting point for conversation. The actual DOING of the science is a foreign thing to most teachers. This project is exactly why we are doing what we are doing! We want to convey what science is...
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - Period Pontificators team
I kept thinking about how much I couldn't wait to share all I was learning with my Astronomy students this coming school year.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - Period Pontificators team
People all see data differently and get excited about different things. This makes the group stronger.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - Period Pontificators team
I was delighted to discover several stars that I had no knowledge of, that rotated, pulsated, eclipsed (or a combination of [these]).
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - Period Pontificators team
I am more confident in my ability to process more data and take on the task of trying to involve students at my school back home.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - Period Pontificators team
There is not a right answer from the back of the book. That "what 'you' discover" is valid as long as you follow the proper techniques and continually double and triple check what you are doing with the others in the team.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
I thought [astronomy] was just about looking at the sky and going, "Oh, look. There's a new star." It's not like that at all. There's a lot more work that goes into it from looking at the pictures to crunching the numbers to researching previous projects to see if what they are finding is right.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
Real astronomy involves working as a team to find an answer.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
Real astronomy requires patience, persistence, and an imagination.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
I never realized how much computer programming is done in Astronomy. I think this will help me reach out to students who might not be interested in "science." These students may not realize that their programming skills are vital for analyzing astronomical data.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
I really enjoyed working with the teachers. It was important to help each other out and realize that you are going to make mistakes...
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
I was very surprised by the camaraderie among the students. They were not competitive and really worked on helping each other to understand the material and calculations.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
I used to think astronomy was about looking, and identifying the stars in constellations. I never thought I would be using a [computer] program like APT or DS9.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
Astronomers are much different than I expected. ... I didn't realize how many calculations and math was involved. ... it was a real eye-opener for how much we used everything we learned in school.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
This experience definitely changed the way I thought about astronomy and astronomers. I didn't realize that some of the calculations and applications were as accessible as they were. I also didn't realize how collaborative of a job it is...[and it's made up of many components]
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
The best thing about the trip was the real world experience. Just like a real scientist, we worked with others to accomplish our goal by using the data and making graphs and calculations to find what we needed. We helped each other out, compared our answers, and learned from our findings and mistakes.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
It was interesting to watch the students work collaboratively, jumping to each other's side when help was needed.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
In its current form, anyone with moderate computer skills and high school physics can download, explore, and begin to understand available data. Student involvement in authentic research is an idea whose time has come. As a teacher trained in these techniques, I intend to facilitate investigations by students for many years to come.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student] I'm glad I was able to get a 'sneak peek' into my future if I were to pursue a career in astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student] ... my time spent on NITARP was possibly the best thing that has happened to me so far this year.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
[student,in response to "most important or interesting thing you learned":] I also never knew about the great observatories. The only one I knew about was Hubble; now I know the 4 telescopes in space.
said at Summer Visit - 2011 - BRC team
"Real astronomy" seems to be a lot of number manipulation. Students have to have a good grasp of the big picture to get into astronomy research or they get lost in the details.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - SED team
"Real astronomy" involves throwing away the textbook answers and delving into the theory to understand why our preconceived ideas were not working.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - SED team
[student:] That was one of the best experiences in my life. I am truly thankful that I was given the chance to go on this trip and to learn more about this project and all of its subjects.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - IR Variability team
[student:] There was some frustration today, but we all pushed past it and got the majority of the work done.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - IR Variability team
What I considered to be the "real" science that came out of this visit was how we needed to treat the data. Students are used to doing "canned" laboratory assignments and have the misconception that all data is "good". In class when I ask students to consider an errant data point, they are apt to respond "but that's the data, I have to use it". Its difficult to convey the idea that not all data is good data, and if there is reason, data points can and should be disregarded. We found data points that were erroneous, whether because they were cosmic rays, they came from pixels located near the edge of the detector, or we had transferred information incorrectly. In each of these situations, we logically considered the data and had reason to include or exclude data points. We also double checked any suspicious or inconsistent data until we were convinced that we were working with reliable numbers.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - IR Variability team
I was very impressed at how quickly our three teams turned into one. Our students worked together seamlessly from the beginning of our trip. Each student brought their strengths to the table and shared them willingly. Each group went through frustrations, made mistakes, had to backtrack, got angry, but still came through in the end with good solid data. When expectations were raised, the team rose to reach them. Teachers and astronomers invested fully in all students and students responded by calling on any team member for help when needed.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - IR Variability team
[student] This was surely one of the best experiences I had ever been on.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - IR Variability team
[I was surprised] that the students, given an interesting task, could stay on task for hours at a time. When I mentioned to parents following the trip that I was amazed at how well the students stayed on task, A. interjected that it wasn't so hard, since they were being challenged to use new tools to reach achievable results.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - IR Variability team
One of the things I love about astronomy is the very fact that we are not laboratory-bound scientists. Our lab is the universe, a constantly changing petri dish in the sky, so to say, and if you aren't looking, you miss it! The way that we construct experiments is dependent on the universe's cooperation, if one could call it that!
said at AAS - 2013
[As a resultof NITARP, I will be] asking more questions and trying to delve into a deeper understanding of what I am being taught.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] This experience completely changed the way I looked at astronomy and astronomers; at first I thought that astronomy was a very specialized topic and that they are very few astronomers. Now, I know that astronomy is very vast and can go from cosmology to astrophysics. I didn't know there was an actual difference between the two! Also, I learned that there many of us, and the numbers are growing; this is something I don't ever want to leave. {Ed: note that this student is referring to "many of us" because they already self-identify as an astronomer.}
said at AAS - 2013
This program has made me more attentive to connections between the classroom and real astronomical research.
said at AAS - 2013
[I learned that] astronomy was a cumulative process: the researchers were building off of other researchers' work. Even our NITARP group, I realized, had basically been working on furthering a previous group's project. I think that's part of why I found everyone so enthusiastic to teach because you never know who might use your knowledge.
said at AAS - 2013
My perception of astronomy has broadened into a realization that, behind research, there is problem-solving, collaboration, creativity, excitement, and curiosity.
said at AAS - 2013
The most interesting thing that I discovered was that there are so many different ways to become involved with astronomy. You can basically be any other type of scientist and become involved at some level with astronomy. This discovery changed for me the belief that astronomy, and even sciences in general, are fairly separate from each other. I had though the cross connections with astronomy happened but were not the norm; I see now that they are involved in nearly every major project.
said at AAS - 2013
There are many ways to get into the field of astronomy and astronomical research. Just being in the exhibition hall itself opened my mind to all the different possibilities with respect to astronomy: there were telescopes and researchers and publishers and educators and new technologies being exhibited--it really changed what I thought about "astronomers."
said at AAS - 2013
The experience made me want to take up astronomy when I get older.
said at AAS - 2013
I am always impressed and appreciative of the willingness of astronomers to share their knowledge and their time, with each other and with me.
said at AAS - 2013
[At one of the sessions] one of the scientists had a terrible time talking. Painful as it was for him, he continued through it, and the students were surprised how tolerant the audience was, saying "that would never happen at our school." We had sort of a mini-lesson, or teachable moment on values and expectations, which was great! The students were also in awe of how difficult/mathematical/intense the material presented was.
said at AAS - 2013
All of the people that I interacted with were eager to share their knowledge. Even the people who visited our poster taught us by asking questions. I felt like I'd been submerged into this ocean of knowledge, which is a pretty cool feeling, and I tried my best to soak it up, even when some of the stuff people were talking about went over my head. The eagerness to teach was something I expected from NITARP but not necessarily from the wider astronomical community. So many people were willing to explain their projects and observatories to us high schoolers and listen to our questions.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] This experience will probably make me try to work harder in the classroom to master the basics that are necessary to pursuing a job in this field.
said at AAS - 2013
The experience did change my opinion about astronomers because although I knew this type of research was conducted I always believed there was a greater focus on visual astronomy.
said at AAS - 2013
The most interesting part of the experience was seeing how the entire process of conducting research progressed, especially when our project was modified.
said at AAS - 2013
This [is] the absolute best learning experience in my career as a teacher!
said at AAS - 2013
NITARP made me feel closer to the process that astronomers use to answer questions about the universe, and perhaps how that process leads to the next set of questions. There was not the sense of completion that you feel when a lab is done, because our project felt more like the beginning of something.
said at AAS - 2013
In school when we do an experiment or lab in class, students are usually asked to predict a result. They write a conclusion based on the accuracy of their prediction. Although I understood before I was involved with NITARP that real science is not as clear-cut as classroom experiments, I was still surprised how complicated our results were, and how many additional questions it raised.
said at AAS - 2013
By far the most interesting thing to me was the experience of presenting the poster. Not only did it make me feel like I was really part of the conference, it made me look back to the previous AAS when presenting a poster was not just very scary, it was almost inconceivable. So what a journey! Reflecting on how overwhelmed and terrified I was last year, how hard I worked to learn everything, and then to be there actually doing it with some confidence, well...priceless.
said at AAS - 2013
NITARP has exposed me to the huge amount of data available and how to access it. I have data to work with for decades, and I have learned new ways to work with it.
said at AAS - 2013
NITARP has opened doors for me in many ways. It's exposed me to real research, it's got me thinking about ways to innovate and create real research experiences for my students, and it's made me aware of the numerous opportunities out there for science teachers to become better at what they do.
said at AAS - 2013
My NITARP experience has made me rethink my entire approach to science education. Many of my students expect me to do the work and pretty much hand it to them all wrapped up and neat. Science education must involve a great deal of discovery by the student and not a string of topics with definitions.
said at AAS - 2013
After this experience, I'm more aware that beyond just teaching my students good science, my focus should be to prepare them for a career in science. I feel like I have a better understanding of the skills they'll need to be successful. I've already made big changes to my curriculum because of this program, and will continue to do so in future years.
said at AAS - 2013
It was a real partnership between scientists and educators. All questions and suggestion were taken seriously and with respect.
said at AAS - 2013
The NITARP experience is truly phenomenal, and our scientist was wonderful to work with -- never condescending and always very clear in his explanations. To get the chance to work with astronomers and researchers in the field, to do authentic research, and to attend conventions and be immersed in astronomy is absolutely amazing for a high school science teacher.
said at AAS - 2013
I was impressed over and over again by the students' command of the material -- clearly they were fully invested in this project. They explained their work with clarity and enthusiasm. I think that more than anything else, hearing these kids talk about their work really convinced me how valuable this experience is for students.
said at AAS - 2013
This whole experience with NITARP has been amazing. I loved the chance to meet so many inspiring people. The astronomers we worked with were so excited about their work that I got excited, too.
said at AAS - 2013
This experience did change the way I think about astronomy because I also thought of it as being very vague and non-specific when in reality it is so specific and there's so many different things that can apply, be discovered, and explored.
said at AAS - 2013
The whole AAS was not what I anticipated, I imagined it to be a lot smaller and more of just a poster presentation solely but it provided so many other opportunities that were really cool to experience.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] Before the NITARP program [..] I had no idea what was out there for me. The program gave me a chance to see what being a research scientist means, and made me realize that it is a career I could have. This is a great thing to have experienced!
said at AAS - 2013
I thought that was cool that you could be involved with astronomy and still be learning new things about it every day
said at AAS - 2013
I gained much appreciation for the sheer volume of data processing that goes on in astronomy. I did not realize how quantitative astronomy is. In the classroom, I think that I will be more interested in finding out how the things that we are learning were first discovered.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] I am extremely glad I participated in this project. The thing that I am most glad that I learned was how we sense objects using telescopes and cameras. This project also solidified my understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum. I had been taught about both of these topics on a few occasions in the past, but I never understood how it all fits together prior to this project.
said at AAS - 2013
[I didn't anticipate] finding out how many people, so different individually, can be united through one common love [of astronomy].
said at AAS - 2013
I cannot put into words how amazing and priceless the experience was. Spending a week with other people interested in science to such a high degree helped me to grow as a scientist and as a student.
said at AAS - 2013
[The] program created a welcoming environment designed to help people learn.
said at AAS - 2013
I realized how much I have actually learned through the program when I was able to explain complicated astronomy to graduate students, professors, and people who work at observatories.
said at AAS - 2013
I was not previously aware of the wide variety of research and jobs in [astronomy].
said at AAS - 2013
I did not anticipate how interested everyone [was] who came to our poster [..and] in our research and methods.
said at AAS - 2013
I loved getting to work with other students in our NITARP group to collaborate on a project.
said at AAS - 2013
My favorite part was being able to open my mind to so many people that astronomy is their whole life. I loved meeting people and seeing how astronomy plays a part in their life, and reflecting to see how it could be a part of mine as I go off to college next year.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] This opportunity was a major turning point in my life and I will never forget the experiences I had, people I met and knowledge I learned.
said at AAS - 2013
Of all the professional development programs in which I have been involved, NITARP continues to rank among the top few. Working with teachers across the country in search of previously unclassified objects was thrilling.
said at AAS - 2013
Being able to be physically present at Caltech and the AAS expanded the impact of this program significantly. It was in these settings, in particular, where one could see how the scientific enterprise typically works and how ideas are often shared. I believe having students work with other students from other schools has much value. For the teacher, connecting with working scientists and networking with other colleagues has immeasurable value. I plan to utilize these relationships and potentially other projects spawned by them for years to come.
said at AAS - 2013
Again, this is a fabulous experience -- I feel like after several years I am understanding more of the talks, able to engage in a real conversation with astronomers, ask questions one on one, interpret more on posters -- just feel more astronomically literate.
said at AAS - 2013
I enjoyed working alongside my students in a way that felt very different from the typical classroom setting.
said at AAS - 2013
I have a much better sense of what research astronomy is about now, and I think I will have more confidence to try new things (related to astronomy) going forward.
said at AAS - 2013
I learned a lot, and I had a great time.
said at AAS - 2013
Data taken for one purpose may often be exploited for other purposes. This is the genius of the archives. Even without access to a telescope, anyone with ideas, intelligence, and little computer savvy can do a lot of good science!
said at AAS - 2013
[In the classroom, I am planning to] increase my emphasis that what is written in a textbook is not the final word on a subject. Science is an ever-evolving mechanism of discovery and nothing remains fixed in perspective or proof.
said at AAS - 2013
I really enjoyed being in an environment of astronomers and being able to interact with them on a professional and personal level. I never thought I would ever be able to do that.
said at AAS - 2013
The NITARP experience was terrific from start to finish -- well organized, informative, and unique. I have experienced a number of well-done programs in having HS teachers and/or students participate in research, and NITARP particularly stands out. I think it is the mix of prep work done in advance by teachers and students, the collaborative format of teachers/students/scientists from different locals, the onsite time at Caltech, and the attendance and presentation of posters at an AAS . Each of these elements was important.
said at AAS - 2013
I discovered that meaningful astronomical research does not require access to meter-class observatories or a Beowulf cluster. Given the right professional to collaborate with, it is something that I'm able to do while still working at [my job].
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] [This experience has] given me new career goals.
said at AAS - 2013
I didn't realize how much of astronomy is simple data processing.
said at AAS - 2013
I didn't think that a background in programming would be so useful.
said at AAS - 2013
[This experience] has already changed me. I am going to devote my life to Astronomy. I am really working hard at school to be the best I know I can be.
said at AAS - 2013
[because of this experience,] I am going to stay involved in research in college.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] The most interesting thing I learned was that astronomy is pretty much just another branch of physics. That may seem underwhelming but I had never explicitly connected the two before. Now that I have, I am even more excited to be an Astronomy-Physics major in college because I do not believe that it will difficult to reconcile them.
said at AAS - 2013
The Aperture Photometry Tool (APT) poster really solidified my interest in computer programming. [...] He showed me that programming is intricate (and sometime tedious) art. It gave me a new appreciation of programmers who innovate so that the rest of us might have a less painstaking way of collecting data and/or using resources.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] I presented our [poster] to them, we talked about my goals and plans for attending their institution in the impending school year, and then they offered me a research opportunity [at my upcoming university] over the summer! Everything just came together so perfectly. It was easily one of the best days of my life.
said at AAS - 2013
I thought I understood the level of attention to detail needed for science, but I was wrong. It was very eye opening.
said at AAS - 2013
There is much more to astronomical research than I anticipated. My view of astronomers hasn't changed, except I have gained MUCH more respect for them and the work that they do.
said at AAS - 2013
By far, the most interesting part of my entire NITARP experience is the scientific method applied to the discovery process.
said at AAS - 2013
I had never considered the effect that public outreach could have on people, especially on young people like myself. I'm definitely more interested now in astronomy in general than in any other part of my schooling because I've never had an experience like this in any other field of study.
said at AAS - 2013
This experience absolutely changed the way I look at the world of astronomy because pre-AAS, I never realized how many different fields of astronomy there actually are.
said at AAS - 2013
Adapting to not having the answer in the back of the book was something that I never registered upon beginning this, which wasn't expected.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] Astronomy involves a lot more than I thought it did. I am now extremely interested in doing research. I think I learned what the scientific process is all about.
said at AAS - 2013
This taught me a valuable lesson about the nature of astronomy as well as all sciences: no matter how much we observe and discover, there will always be more questions. [...] It is quite possible that we will never have all the answers, but we will always continue to ask. That is what I find most beautiful about astronomy.
said at AAS - 2013
The most interesting thing I learned about at AAS was how people collaborate in the science world by making connections and sharing research and crossing disciplines, sometimes.
said at AAS - 2013
Everyone that I spoke to really loved what they did, and had a drive to continue in their specific field of study.
said at AAS - 2013
I wasn't expecting just how nice everyone was, especially to my high school-aged group. The astronomers I talked to all seemed very interested and impressed with what I was doing at the AAS and asked a lot of questions about NITARP. It made me feel that I had contributed something valuable to the astronomy community.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] I realized that astronomers are very nice people, and very helpful. They love to talk about their research, which is not something that I'm complaining about. Listening to them talk about everything they've done made me almost as excited as they were!
said at AAS - 2013
This experience made me develop a higher respect for astronomers and the intensive work they commit themselves to.
said at AAS - 2013
I always knew as an astronomy educator that I [would] miss out on the joy of discovery. Sure, I've worked with many astronomers over the years - but it was mainly to interview them about their explorations, their findings. The scientists were often excited and willing to share their work - to describe what they found, and what it all means. I wondered what it's like to achieve and feel that -- to see what's never been seen! I was always curious on how they did it exactly. Sure, I knew it was a lot of work -- lots of math, physics, time, expertise, etc. But I never knew the steps, the details. I never could fathom the depth of what a true astronomer does.
said at AAS - 2013
Overall, this project has seriously been one of the best things I've ever done and made me feel like a real part of an adult community of highly intelligent people.
said at AAS - 2013
I didn't anticipate how nice everyone was going to be to us as high school students at the conference -- everybody who stopped by was very encouraging and seemed impressed by the fact that we were there, let alone making a decent presentation.
said at AAS - 2013
Mentoring adults in these capacities improves my ability to act more as a mentor to my classroom students, allowing them to become more self-sufficient learners. I feel this has improved my ability to mentor my colleagues as well.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] This experience has also given be a huge boost in my confidence. I have learned that although it may not come to me the first time I attempt something, I will eventually get it with practice. I will be able to take this whole experience with me in my future studies and use it as an example to guide me down the road.
said at AAS - 2013
I have learned that astronomy takes an incredible deal of patience to get the job done right. As I saw, our project was a year in the making and there is still ongoing research being done. Astronomy is a continuous subject.
said at AAS - 2013
[After talking with another scientist in detail:] I also found the story behind his research interesting. His presentation was actually the culmination of the work of many different teams over several years. I didn't know typical research projects would go on for so long, and he still had years of work left. I think I'd enjoy working in a similar position in the future.
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] I've learned that not everything will come easily (a valuable skill for me personally) and that sometimes I have to work hard and use my brain in different ways to understand what's going on.
said at AAS - 2013
This experience made me realize how much effort and work is put into research. [..]this experience in research has prepared me for what to expect in college research opportunities. It's not just push a button, get an answer -- we had to work and tweak and make improvements until we had our results. It was very satisfying to come up with our results; it's that feeling of "This is what I contributed to the astronomy community -- and I'm only in high school!"
said at AAS - 2013
[student:] I found it interesting how subtle the whole meeting was. Coming from the automotive industry where trade shows are huge flashy events, it was interesting how multi-million dollar companies were represented by just a small booth and table, sometimes without any literature. I learned that there are plenty of niches to be filled in the industry so I hope to find an internship in it soon.
said at AAS - 2013
This experience has made me conscious of how important it is to have students work with real data. I will definitely seek out more opportunities to include real data in my lessons and labs.
said at AAS - 2013
[This experience] has made me realize that while I use a lot of inquiry, I don't always involve my students in the process of developing a testable question. I hope to involve my students more in the entire process. I plan on emphasizing that science is a collaborative effort.
said at AAS - 2013
[As a result of this experience,] I will definitely be involved in research in college starting my freshman year.
said at AAS - 2013
I definitely didn't anticipate that I would be this overwhelmed, though it's not in a negative way; I guess I didn't expect the depth that people had explored within specific subfields.
said at AAS - 2013
People seemed very interested in how high school students could do authentic astronomy research. They were impressed that high-schoolers could do so much. It made me proud to be a part of this project.
said at AAS - 2013
I have already talked to my department about adding an astronomy research class to our class choices next year and they are very enthusiastic.
said at AAS - 2013
I was very surprised that [all my] students stayed very engaged during the whole process at my school since it spanned two school years. None of these students had had an astronomy class before this project, so their background knowledge was pretty low. They jumped in with both feet and kept learning or figuring out what they needed to know. The students were very much into doing research.
said at AAS - 2013
You really do become co-learners with the students.
said at AAS - 2013
The biggest change [in my classroom] I hope to make is to have my students do more science and more thinking then we normally do. So many of us science teachers do labs where the end is known (which is sometimes necessary to make sure they fit in a class period and that the students understand the concept we're trying to learn) but that's not really science.
said at AAS - 2013
[Talking to the 2012 students] provided a wonderful window into the student's perspective of the NITARP experience. I loved how they talked about seeing math as a way of communicating and for checking data...not as THE right answer type computations. Many then said that concept was new and they really appreciated it.
said at AAS - 2013
I LOVED the chance to talk with some of the students that have been involved in the NITARP program. It was really good to hear of their insight and thoughts about the program, the process, and how it influenced their year and future plans. All information I need to help me get my little world ready for this adventure and into the hands and minds of my students
said at AAS - 2013
The most interesting thing I did was to discuss the learning experience with the students who participated in last year's [team]. [..] They were proud of themselves and seemed to be waiting for more.
said at AAS - 2013
I was impressed with how poised the students [from 2012] were and how they were able to answer all of my questions. Each of them spoke to how NITARP had been a very positive experience. All of the young women I spoke with talked about wanting to pursue science in college.
said at AAS - 2013
The [students from 2012] fielded questions from an astronomer from the Keck Observatory like old pros- very professional! I can't wait to see my students do the same.
said at AAS - 2013
The students there did a great job of explaining to me what it was like to really collaborate as scientists and how helpful it was to work as a team to learn new things.
said at AAS - 2013
I am very impressed at the abilities of the [NITARP 2012 students] in handling the science.
said at AAS - 2013
I enjoyed meeting the students from the other schools. They were polite, articulate, and intelligent. I thought the teachers and parents had done a great job raising these kids and preparing them for the meeting. I hope my students are half as good.
said at AAS - 2013
[The students] were smart, well spoken, honest, knowledgeable, and it's official, I can't wait to pick the students who will be working with me and [get them started].
said at AAS - 2013
[I talked to students presenting from NITARP 2012 and] although they were nervous, they did a wonderful presentation. They knew their stuff and fielded questions well. Most of all, you could tell they had grown as students and were passionate about their topics and what they had found. To me, that was awesome. I hope my students will show the same poise[...]
said at AAS - 2013
It is fun listening to the talks and having a much better understanding about what they are talking about than I did the first time.
said at AAS - 2013
Using publicly available data is the future of teaching astronomy!
said at AAS - 2013
I found it most interesting to see the scientific process in action. Scientists were questioning scientists, sometimes fairly aggressively.
said at AAS - 2013
I rarely get out among other teachers in the same field as I am, with similar interest and motivations, and even less often do I have time to be in the company of professional scientists to see and hear what they are doing, how it is being done, what technologies are being used, etc. Without this type of program to get me to a meeting like the AAS I would never be able to put all of this together.
said at AAS - 2013
I think the most interesting thing I learned [..] is how different all of the teachers are. Clearly, we all love science but we're all so different.
said at AAS - 2013
I feel like a popcorn kernel that has just burst open!
said at AAS - 2013
I did not anticipate how much the astronomers would trust us right away. I felt more like a colleague than a student, which was relieving (and maybe a bit stressful, because I probably would have found it easier to ask questions coming from a student role).
said at AAS - 2013
I was hesitant at first to speak to folks at their posters for fear of being judged unfit for discussion, but everyone I talked to was open to conversation and gladly talked about their work at a level I could process. I think many were happy that someone cared enough to stop by their poster.
said at AAS - 2013
Creativity has to be an underling personality trait for scientists.
said at AAS - 2013
The most interesting thing I learned was that astronomers write and talk to each other in a language all their own, full of jargon and acronyms, but they can orally explain their science easily and do so with enthusiasm on a one-to-one basis.
said at AAS - 2013
Before ever having experienced an American Astronomical Society meeting, I thought I was well versed in the astronomer's culture. After taking numerous classes, doing hands-on labs, and even having worked in the field of astronomy education for several years now I also thought I knew what an astronomer did. My experience has been one of culture shock. [...] The AAS conference is a factory for knowledge and truth about the Universe. As David Helfand, president of the society said in his opening remarks, "We do astronomy because it defines us as human beings." I'm just now truly beginning to understand.
said at AAS - 2013
Astronomers, all of whom are scientists, can be personal, funny, and outright social beings. The nature of their work -- retracing their steps for accuracy, being critical of fellow colleagues, and looking to develop the next best project that has not been accomplished already -- requires astronomers to discuss, inquire, and exchange their ideas with one another.
said at AAS - 2013
I am thrilled with the general friendliness of the scientists. I was made to feel at ease as a participant in the program. It is evident that everything is extremely organized and structured in such a way that a participant gets the most possible out of their time at the meeting. There is time to meet previous participants finishing up, new people on the new teams, the scientists, the students, and many other scientists not affiliated with the project. Just being around cutting edge technology and current astronomy projects is mind-blowing.
said at AAS - 2013
[My scientist was] fantastic! .. helped us understand our research goals very quickly and made some difficult concepts very easy to understand [...] good at helping us see the big picture behind our project.
said at AAS - 2013
I came away with many new ideas, new contacts to offer me support in my teaching and research, and a renewed enthusiasm for improving my teaching and my own understanding of astronomy.
said at AAS - 2013
Honestly, I left a bit more in love with astronomy. I just plain had fun wandering and treated myself to time as a learner. It is not often we, educators, get to slide out of expert mode and into learner mode.
said at AAS - 2013
I've always thought that probably most astronomers were just normal people who had a passion for astronomy, and my experience confirmed that.
said at AAS - 2013
This has been a remarkable experience in which I have learned so much and I am so grateful for.
said at AAS - 2012
What I am in awe about is that this relatively small community of scientists, engineers, programmers, and educators has developed and built this incredible astronomical research infrastructure.
said at AAS - 2012
After two days of being totally overwhelmed by all the high level science going on around me, it was a relief and simply awesome to see that these professional astronomers were also somewhat clueless about my own research. This was such an amazing capstone to the NITARP experience, actually feeling I was on nearly the same level as everyone else presenting.
said at AAS - 2012
The experience I had at the 2012 AAS meeting as well as the entire NITARP experience will change the way I teach astronomy. Having spent 5 days meeting and discussing authentic scientific research with so many people from many different facilities was extremely rejuvenating as an educator. This year was so much different than last year having a poster to share with others!
said at AAS - 2012
I didn't anticipate the number of very interesting and truly remarkable people that I would get to meet which was a welcome surprise.
said at AAS - 2012
I did not anticipate the amount of people that were not NITARP but instead simply "fellow" astronomers and researchers that came by our team's poster to discuss our findings. That for me was unanticipated but instead was a most pleasant surprise.[..] It was truly surprising yet very exhilarating as I answered questions and then asked them about their research and how they tackled certain problems.
said at AAS - 2012
To see and experience how the process of a research project such as this goes through was an interesting and amazing experience.
said at AAS - 2012
This year was great! I really felt comfortable making my way around to discuss not only what I teach, but also what my research was about.
said at AAS - 2012
This experience convinced me even further that I can push myself to learn even more each and every day. I started out feeling very overwhelmed and unprepared last year. I forced myself to work through my unease and wound up much more comfortable. I learned that astronomers are much more down-to-earth than I envisioned a lot of them to be and so many of them are very willing to go out of their way to explain things when we have questions.
said at AAS - 2012
I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate in the NITARP program for the past year. I gained experience that I never thought I would be capable of, gained many new resources, and learned more that I ever expected. It has been a very unique and productive experience and I am proud of both the scientific research we accomplished and the educational aspects that were brought to our school systems.
said at AAS - 2012
It was amazing being, not just an attendee of the conference, but a real part of it through the poster presentations. Thank you for this invaluable opportunity and insight into how real science is conducted and shared by the scientific community. Astronomy, as is any branch of science, is such a diverse field with many discoveries yet to be made. It was truly an honor to be a part of the NITARP program.
said at AAS - 2012
One of the things that I did not anticipate was being so PROUD of our work. I was convinced I would be nervous and unsure of myself as people I envisioned as being more important than myself grilled me with questions. I was pleased to find that nearly everyone who stopped by our posters was inquisitive, supportive and seemed genuinely interested. I also surprised myself with how comfortable I became with talking to these people as they came by and asked their questions.
said at AAS - 2012
Science is hard! ;-) Also, it is worth the work!
said at AAS - 2012
Of all the professional development programs in which I have been involved, NITARP continues to rank among the top few. The opportunity to work with a world-class astronomer and alongside teachers and students across the country on a real research project is amazing! Watching the project evolve from a seed of an idea in January into a two professional posters presented at the AAS the following January is fulfilling and satisfying. To think that eighteen people can work together over twelve months and thousands of miles is a true reflection of what authentic research is all about.
said at AAS - 2012
What surprised me the most was the great sense of pride I felt when I listened to my students work with the other students in the BRC team. They completed each other's sentences. They interceded when others faltered. Wow. What a fabulously cooperative group.
said at AAS - 2012
The most interesting part of the trip for me was seeing the numerous amounts of presentations and posters that all required so much work for this one week.
said at AAS - 2012
[student:] Presenting our findings was very confidence boosting actually, as I found I was able to answer almost every question I was asked. It was also very exciting and unique.
said at AAS - 2012
[student:] I came to appreciate the fact that there will always be someone smarter than I am, and that's okay because I can learn from them. I also came to appreciate the ability of good public speaking.
said at AAS - 2012
[student:] Although I knew that it would be a bunch of posters at the convention, I was surprised at how many talks there were on a variety of topics. It was nice to be able to spend my time listening to lectures of my choosing and being able to view the projects.
said at AAS - 2012
Astronomers dream about above and beyond. They laugh when someone says impossible. When other people say impossible, astronomers say just give me a couple years, a large computer, and some duct tape and I'll have a working model.
said at AAS - 2012
Overall, this experience has been very gratifying and I have learned more about astronomy than I ever thought I would.
said at AAS - 2012
At this year's AAS conference I was even able to get a grasp of what the speaker was discussing in most lectures I attended.
said at AAS - 2012
During this meeting, I really got to see science up close. Everyone here was on the [outer edges] of astronomy, carving the path for humans in space. I saw how science was conducted and because I took part in this conference and contributed to the new information gathered, I feel like I am a part of something more.
said at AAS - 2012
We put so much time and effort into this project, and it was very rewarding to see the finished poster at the convention with all of the graduate students and scientists. Being able to present our work to these people and understand what I was talking about was my favorite part of the convention. It was satisfying to see how much we impressed all of these professionals when we are only in high school.
said at AAS - 2012
Astronomy has gone from just stargazing to a rigorous and rewarding field of work in my eyes; before this program I clearly had a misconception of what astronomers did at work.
said at AAS - 2012
Astronomers are the last of the great explorers.
said at AAS - 2012
While working on our [project] it didn't seem as though we were part of a larger connection, but after coming here it feels like a group effort.
said at AAS - 2012
[student:] Attending the AAS meeting was one of the greatest things I have ever done. The information that I picked up from the meeting was immense and I would do further astronomical research so that I may attend this conference again.
said at AAS - 2012
[Even as a student,] I was surprised how many people I now know after 2 AAS [meetings].
said at AAS - 2012
The number one thing that the new people should know is that this experience is one of the best they will every have. You are meeting with people who share similar goals that is to learn and discover new things.
said at AAS - 2012
This was a great experience to delve into real data, and have hands on experience in REAL research.
said at AAS - 2012
Astronomers all have different career paths and can do multiple different things with their work.
said at AAS - 2012
Although some of the information was beyond my comprehension at the current time, I learned a lot and was able to relate to a lot of the topics.
said at AAS - 2012
[student:] The most interesting thing I learned is that astronomy is such a huge field. There are so many things that you can research. [..]whatever you find in your research, astronomers want to know about it.
said at AAS - 2012
When asked about their future plans, I heard each student describe their college hopes and their plans seemed bigger and more full of promise than I had heard in the past. I believe having the attention of such a distinguished audience raised their expectations of themselves.
said at AAS - 2012
The invited talk especially made me think a little harder about the assumptions we make when we describe our very own galaxy - we have not seen it! This comes up in class every year, and this talk gave me a better perspective when dealing with misconceptions students may have.
said at AAS - 2012
I did not anticipate being so challenged in the NITARP research.
said at AAS - 2012
I assumed that [this project] would require a great deal of data analysis, what I didn't grasp until after this meeting was how focused and detailed the analysis would be. The steps in understanding that are gained through the analysis are much smaller than I anticipated they would be for the amount of work that is done.
said at AAS - 2012
Astronomers are a remarkably collaborative lot. I knew this, but I was amazed by how friendly everyone was.
said at AAS - 2012
I found myself continually challenged by the intellectual level and knowledge being shared.
said at AAS - 2012
I'm happy to say that at my third AAS, I am developing the ability to absorb more information and have a greater understanding of the work that is presented.
said at AAS - 2012
I was bombarded with a lot of information in a short period of time. I had no idea there was so much research going on in Astronomy. Astronomers are very eager to explain their research and future goals. A very friendly bunch.
said at AAS - 2012
I think that the most surprising thing about it was how young everyone was! I absolutely did not expect that, maybe because the amateur community is so much older by comparison, and is mainly composed of retired people.
said at AAS - 2012
I was surprised at the number of young people[...] I am used to seeing older people as astronomers.
said at AAS - 2012
I was somewhat intimated at the prospect of working with Caltech scientists however I found my first experience one that eased all my trepidations and instilled excitement for the work I will be doing.
said at AAS - 2012
My general impression is how big and varied the whole conference was. I knew the number coming in - but sometimes our imagination fails us. To see all the posters, papers, booths, and talks was truly astonishing.
said at AAS - 2012
I didn't anticipate meeting engineers and graphic artists [who also work in the field of astronomy].
said at AAS - 2012
I had an amazing, exhausting time at the AAS meeting.
said at AAS - 2012
It invigorated me to become part of the greater message, which is the story of space and ground based observatories and the incredible infrastructure built by NASA and its commercial and institutional partners. Never in the history of this great science has so much data and use of incredible instruments been available to not just the scientific community but the general public as well. All one has to do is just ask!
said at AAS - 2011
I cannot say enough positives about the NITARP experience for the participating students. They have had the opportunity to learn and grow and see science applied in authentic research projects while working with some of the coolest scientists around! It has allowed me to grow as a teacher and researcher and be able to share my insight and newfound knowledge with students and peers.
said at AAS - 2011
Listening to others present their posters and asking questions was good experience for presenting our own. The kids were a little more nervous about this poster, thinking that the questions would be harder, but they soon got in the groove of explaining the different aspects of our work and answering questions.
said at AAS - 2011
This was a trip I will never forget. I am very fortunate to have been a part of something so interesting and rewarding.
said at AAS - 2011
Our kids did a fantastic job of interacting with the many astronomers and educators that came to see our poster. They were poised and knowledgeable and handled questions with ease. I heard many compliments not only about the students' explanation of our work, but also about the great job they did constructing their poster.
said at AAS - 2011
Although I'm sure none of us understood every word of what these professionals said, the fact that we could wrap our minds around even parts of it proves that we've come a long way in our studies.
said at AAS - 2011
How cool for the kids see a poster right next to theirs being presented by three university professors on one side and a graduate student on the other.
said at AAS - 2011
I thought this program was a great experience. We had many opportunties available to us. The work was challenging but fun.
said at AAS - 2011
What made [this experience] most worthwhile was the opportunity to get involved with professionals who share our interest in science, as well as contribute to a field of study that is shared around the world.
said at AAS - 2011
One of the greatest experiences of this project was meeting other students interested in the sciences.
said at AAS - 2011
[student:] I have learned so much, not only about science and astronomy, but about myself.
said at AAS - 2011
Attending the AAS in Seattle with my students was an incredible experience. I got a chance to step back and see [them] interact confidently with their peers, other educators and professional astronomers from all over the world. We started this journey exactly a year ago and have come a long way. Learning scientfic concepts and doing authentic scientific research was only part of the experience, we also learned to communicate across the country. [...] I am extremely proud of the work of each and every member of our team.
said at AAS - 2011
[student:] It was a really valuable experience; I hope to continue with research.
said at AAS - 2011
[My students] were amazed to hear other scientists say "Well, I understood half of that talk," and they repeatedly heard astronomers make jokes about research itself - the not knowing, the knowing and then getting proven wrong, etc. The experience made a huge impression on them and that was food for my soul.
said at AAS - 2011
EVERYTHING had a different flavor this year. [...] I experienced everything through the lens of the research project of the past year. The entire experience was in context. [...] When I look at how the intellectual process changed over the last year I imagine it going from a diffuse look at research and the entire conference experience to the extreme focus on our own project during the year and finally reaching outward again in Seattle to incorporate new information and understandings. Returning to AAS made the experience complete.
said at AAS - 2011
Being there with my students was the most amazingly cool experience. I saw my [students] explode in their willingness to ask questions and express an opinion. [...] They tried every kind of sessions and lots of different topics. They were enthusiastic and energetic about the science. I was totally amazed by how their attendance made them reflective about the year and enthusiastic about science.
said at AAS - 2011
My takeaway lesson is that the students are much more tolerant of "issues" that make the research projects difficult to carry out and are generally content to be involved and learning something new.
said at AAS - 2011
[the students] were unanimous in their support of the program.
said at AAS - 2011
I think it also was an invaluable experience for [my students] to see that it is "ok" to ask questions.
said at AAS - 2011
The most interesting thing I noticed this year was that I spent much more time seeking out, listening to and talking about science than I did about education itself. There was plenty of overlap but I felt more confident asking questions and I had a much better idea of the questions I wanted to explore.
said at AAS - 2011
I found it comforting that most educators at that level seem to genuinely enjoy and love to talk about their area of interest.
said at AAS - 2011
There was purpose to my wandering [this year]. Last year was logistically and culturally educational, this year was truly informative. I felt much less out of place.
said at AAS - 2011
I kept wishing this program would have been available when I was a kid. Wanting to be a scientist, I had no role model or support and never pursued it.
said at AAS - 2011
To say that I was proud [of my students] would be a gross understatement.
said at AAS - 2011
My observation was that [our students'] ideas for their future expanded with the whole experience. That science became more than a class but an endeavor in which they could participate.
said at AAS - 2011
[One of the other teachers with whom I've been working now] sees herself as being able to teach science, [...] and wants to share this excitement and potential with others who are in deaf education who might never have thought that they could teach science[...]. So many educators who work with students who have special needs, specialize in supporting the needs of the students rather than the core STEM subjects, so it seems that becoming empowered in the language and the nature of inquiry and investigation was also life changing for our teacher participants.
said at AAS - 2011
Before this conference, I hardly thought about the different methods people with physical impairments would have to use to learn [astronomy].[...] The main message I took away from the poster was that science is for literally anyone who is curious and willing to learn, no matter what the current circumstances are.
said at AAS - 2011
[student:] My experience with the Spitzer Program gave me knowledge, inspiration but most of all confidence in myself. It gave me a chance to enhance my speaking and presentation skills by meeting and talking to so many brilliant people.
said at AAS - 2011
[student:] I was learning everywhere.
said at AAS - 2011
We had the great pleasure of talking to wonderful and brilliant people.
said at AAS - 2011
[This] was truly an unforgettable experience.
said at AAS - 2011
Having the opportunity to get new ideas from my peers and discuss projects, activities and strategies helps me to grow and keeps me from becoming stagnant in my teaching. Programs like this are like gold to me because the financial situation in the district in which I teach is such that there is no money available to send our faculty to national conferences.
said at AAS - 2011
Words can't describe my delight and gratitude to NITARP for the "over the top" experience at AAS 217th convention in Seattle. The breadth of conveyed knowledge, the phenomenal networking, the latest science discoveries, the business and career opportunities and the educational options were astounding. I must say that I was fully engaged every moment that I was at the convention. As you said at our seminar on Sunday, "You will be over stimulated and under caffeinated." I realize exactly what [you] were talking about.
said at AAS - 2011
It was refreshing to learn that NASA wants scientists to get/stay in communication with the public, including schools, regarding the science being done. Engagements translates to representation and support from a grassroots mindset.
said at AAS - 2011
The range of student ages involved in the various projects is quite impressive. I can't wait to get started, and neither can my students!
said at AAS - 2011
It was wonderful to see the students from last year presenting their posters and talking with astronomers and teachers from all over the world.
said at AAS - 2011
It was neat that Kepler's first confirmed terrestrial planet was announced during the conference.
said at AAS - 2011
When we first met to discuss what our project was about, I admit that I felt a little overwhelmed and ill-informed. [..] By the end of Tuesday's sessions, I felt that I had a better general understanding of [my subject]. I will still need help learning the analysis, but I think I'll be able to catch on pretty quickly.
said at AAS - 2011
Never have I attended an "industry" convention where the overall collaborative nature of the attendees is so strong. Everyone that I came in contact with was approachable and eager to answer questions or contribute some knowledge.
said at AAS - 2011
I've attended many NSTA conference that focus on science education, but this purely scientific conference was an amazing opportunity. I gained a true appreciation for both the quantity and quality of research and work being conducted in the field of astrophysics.
said at AAS - 2011
I visited with several people in the education field and stopped by many posters. One of these conversations I had was with one of the advisors of one of the grad students. When I told him I was a teacher, he shared with me an area in which he sees incoming freshman as being very weak. It has to do with data tables and graphing. He said these incoming freshman students have difficulty with understanding x and y axis, dependent the independent variables and then transferring the data into a graph. I was shocked because I really try to incorporate data collection, analysis/interpretation, and graphing in everything done. This is something I can be aware of and really reinforce in my room and when I teach other teachers.
said at AAS - 2010
What a fun meeting! I felt like I got to meet a lot of people and learn some cool things, and think about how to best educate people. It feels like a lot of people with a common goal, very connected and leaving was kind of sad, like separation. Other than my group, I did not run into another NITARP teacher after Sunday; I don’t think I realized how big this conference was.
said at AAS - 2010
I was frankly amazed at how many posters were presented. This suggests to me that there are many different questions that need resolution in astronomy! (I have been telling this to my students!)
said at AAS - 2010
I was actually surprised by the number of text books and reference books on all manner of astronomy. I guess I just thought that once you got beyond Astro 101 that there was no use in putting information in book form given the rate of change. I guess there are 500 pages of basics in star formation after all.
said at AAS - 2010
I attended the NSF information and Q&A Session. It was interesting to me as I sat and listened to the description of NSF funding structure, bureaucracy and the various pipelines moneys were traveling through, that my vicarious life in politics gave me a real context on which to perch the information. It all sort of made sense and I could visualize some of the political forces that were hinted at but never made explicit. The level of anticipation and the fact that it was a full if not packed ballroom made me more aware of this “other life” of research astronomy.
said at AAS - 2010
There was an endless number of interesting people to talk to and they were all willing to share.
said at AAS - 2010
These are some talented and really fun people.
said at AAS - 2010
For four straight days, if I'd thrown a rock I would have hit a scientist. Priceless.
said at AAS - 2010
Learned exactly what we would be doing and got scared to death. I am not smart enough to do this project. I'm lucky I have a great team to work with.
said at AAS - 2010
I am lucky to be associated with these people. They are incredible teachers and scientists.
said at AAS - 2010
[student:] I figured we would simply insert the image and the computer would calculate all of our numbers for us. But we had to adjust many settings and use our expertise to find magnitudes for the galaxies.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
Real astronomy to me is working in a team. [...]But very important for "real astronomy" is that there is no ending.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
[The best thing about the trip was] working as a group and sharing the excitement of science.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
I was very surprised to discover the relative difficulty one deals with when trying to compare data from different telescopes/missions, each of which seem to have its own independent database using different software.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
[student] Everyone (students, teachers, scientists) seemed to enjoy the work and therefore it didn't seem to be work.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
[student] the stuff we are doing was not as hard as I was anticipating.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
Astronomy is an art. There is no obviously right answer, as in math, but instead more and less logical interpretations. Robots can therefore only work as data collectors, not data analyzers, for astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
It was really important that we discovered for ourselves the photometry problems associated with measuring an AGN. It was very important to see all the information related to our project come together in a continuous package.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
[The most important thing I learned was that] You have to double check everything you do always, because one slight mistake can throw everything off.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - LDM team
[student:] I always thought just from programs on tv and in the classroom that astronomy was more or less completely figured out. Learning that it isn't is pretty exciting.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - CG4 team
The "real astronomy" we conducted was a process that included the exchange of ideas and mutual cooperation of others toward a common goal.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
[student:] [Real astronomy] is to find the mysteries of the Universe, and to solve the myriad problems that are there, and to solve them. I did it, and it was everything because on this visit we did a lot of work on Excel and it was just pure scientific research.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
[student:] The best thing about my experience at IPAC was getting to meet people from all around the country and seeing what it is like to work on a real research project in astronomy as I believe that is a career path I would like to pursue.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
[student:] [This experience] made me love [astronomy] even more. It gives me even more of a reason to become an astronomer.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
I spend a fair amount of time, just looking, enjoying, and observing the night sky. I have always thought that professionals somehow "use" the data that is generated by the bigger telescopes but our project has really given me a glimpse into the process, and how complicated that process can be. I can say that my respect for the professionals has increased quite a bit, especially given how hard a seemingly simple question can be to answer.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
This experience changed the way I think about astronomy. Before this program, I wasn't sure what astronomy entailed. Now, I think I have a better understanding of the work astronomers do, especially the complexity of their work. There are many facets of astronomy that I had never thought of before. [..] I guess my previous conception of astronomy was that it was mostly pictures, not physical data.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
[My advice to future participants is that] you will pick [up] the information faster than you think and before you know it you'll be talking like a scientist on the subject.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
My only impression of astronomers before this were essentially people in lab coats in a white lab looking at images from a large telescope, but that perception has changed greatly.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
The most surprising thing I learned was how astronomy works. I had assumed that it was all about doing large amount of complex mathematics and other number crunching. This trip gave me the impression that a far more wide array of skills and people are required.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
The passion astronomers have toward the subject is contagious.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
[It was not surprising to me that] the process of research and collaboration is not so easy; we are working through null results and that there can be times where it doesn't seem if there's any progress made, but we keep on trucking through the data anyway.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
[student:] This program really showed me that astronomy is not as much of a hands on science, which I have discovered I prefer. I still am quite interested in the field of astronomy, but I have realized that I would be more suited to possibly become a chemist because it is much more lab based.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
I hadn't realized astronomers spent so much time analyzing data (thought it was more automated) but after analyzing the data myself, I feel I have a better understanding of the analysis job, what it entails, and why humans must do it.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
[student:] I think [we did] scientific research because we are using the data to make graphs.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
The most interesting thing I did was organize data and actually understand what it meant.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
Before this experience, I thought astronomy [was] all about stars. Now, I believe, astronomy is about many things... Galaxies, stars, math...
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
Throughout this experience I have already learned so much that has helped me in my teaching. I've gotten experience in a new area, gained confidence in my knowledge, and learned new analysis techniques. It has been refreshing and stimulating to be in constant conversation with people doing research in the field. As teachers, we can tend to become too comfortable in our day to day work and are at risk for losing creativity. This experience has forced me to look at something new and has inspired me to enrich and improve my classes.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
The most important thing was that I really got a feel for how astronomical research is done. I found the discussions really interesting as well; every time someone found a trend or a possible trend in the data, there would be a discussion as to what they had found and whether or not it meant anything.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
The best thing about the trip was being able to talk to professional astronomers and being able to understand every word they say.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
The best thing about the trip was having some of the incredible knowledge of all of these amazing astronomers rub off on me.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
I was surprised at how quickly the days flew by. This experience was completely engaging in every way.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
The most surprising thing [was that] I realized that the work that most of the astronomers do can be done by civilians who have the knowledge and know how to access data on the internet. It's fascinating that the internet offers such a rich database that most people don't know about.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
[It was surprising to me that] there wasn't any sort of 'checklist' like method or clear direction as to how to analyze the data after the first couple of graphs.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
More gets done in this week than in all the rest of the prior time leading up to the trip.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
The best thing about the trip for me was watching how much my students' learning had evolved over time. So much of what we have done so far had a really steep learning curve, and it was really great to see them communicate the details of our project at the end of the Caltech visit.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
From a teaching and mentoring view, I was happy to see and work with such motivated students and fellow educators.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - HR4AGN
There is so much more to Astronomy. I think this experience opened the eyes of the students to the various aspects of astronomy; one of the students was excited to learn she could incorporate her art into Astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
I always imagined astronomy as someone at the end of a telescope looking at the stars, but today's astronomer is at a computer controlling a telescope miles away on earth or in space. The data are collected in mass amounts and need lots of people to analyze it. The industry is drowning in data and not enough astronomers to use it.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
Real astronomy isn't just looking through telescopes with the naked eye anymore. It is really being accurate and precise and a lot of computer mathematics. I am glad I get to share this idea with students that this is what it is really like out there in the science and technology fields.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
Before I found out about how real astronomers work, I thought that as part of the research, we would have an hour or so where we would sit at a telescope and look for objects.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
This experience completely changed my views on astronomy. The biggest shock for me was when I found out that astronomer don't actually sit in an observatory and look out a telescope all day. It's gotten more complex then that now, but that image of a person in a white lab coat looking through a huge telescope was the image that used to pop into my head when I hear the word astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
Real astronomy is searching the sky and knowing we are not the center of the universe. That there is so much more out there than just stars and rocks.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
[This experience] showed me that astronomy is much more than looking at the sky. It is using formulas and images to figure just exactly what is out there in our universe.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
I did not expect to use the internet as much as we did.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
[student:] I always knew that astronomy was a bit more than just sitting around all night looking through telescopes, but I think it was really great to be able to see that there are so many different career paths and ways astronomy can be done. It made me realize that if I do decide to go into astronomy later on, that there are a lot of things I can do, whether it's dealing with computers, engineering, or traveling around the world.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
I think "real astronomy" is not simply about looking up at the sky and discovering new things, but having a passion for it and educating the public about what's really going on.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
I was surprised at the variety of approaches we would take in trying to identify sources (particularly those with sparse data).
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
I had anticipated the stress and frustration of trying to push the students and data further than we had before. While I felt our students were well prepared, there was a lot of information which we needed to digest and incorporate into our workflow, and young students are not always that quick on their feet when it comes to complicated procedures or conceptual reasoning. However, I felt the students did great and the challenge was appropriate.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
I am so surprised that after working my brain for many hours each day, I could understand what [we were talking about]. While I am a teacher and love astronomy, I am not up on all of the terms, and even [the] concepts that we used so readily. I am surprised that my brain clicked over and got is quickly (relatively speaking) and that by the end of the week, I too was speaking in these ways.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
[student:] The most surprising thing that happened was the several occasions where I discovered that I actually understood what was going on. The little "ah ha!" moments were really exciting and unexpected for me, as the material was so complicated and so unlike anything else I had learned in school.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
I was a little nervous initially about working with people I had never met before, but it turned out to be so much better than I could have expected.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
The most surprising thing that I learned was that I could finally look at the data we were dealing with and make sense of it.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
I think the most interesting and important thing I learned was how this project was going to all come together. I finally understood exactly what we were doing and why.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
The best thing about this trip was watching the confidence level rise in each participant. [..] By the end of the week, my two students felt so much more confident in their Excel abilities that they were helping others write formulas to make calculations easier. It was also exhilarating to witness [the other] teachers gain faith in their understanding of the project, as well.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
[student:] I thought that the most surprising thing we did was doing things that we did not learn before we went to Caltech. Before we went I thought we were very well prepared and covered everything, but there was some stuff like looking at other telescopes that we didn't do before.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
[student:] The most important thing for me on this trip was listening to different astronomers talk about their careers, but this was important not because it made me want to be an astronomer, but because it made me confident in the fact that I didn't want to be one. Knowing that this wasn't my future and that my life didn't depend on the work I do in this program allowed me to enjoy the project we were working on as something I'm interested in, not something I have to be perfect at.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
[student:] The most important thing I learned is my new-found interest in astronomy and the sciences. After seeing JPL and Caltech, I realized that science is where I want to be in the future.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
I think the most important thing I learned on this trip is that there are so many ways to get involved in astronomy and science.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
The best thing about the trip was the entire experience. Working with a professional astronomer and learning completely new things was amazing.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - ColdSpotz
Of the many astronomy programs I've been associated with over the years, the NITARP program is the most authentic. Working side by side with Luisa, Russ and Varoujan allows teachers and students to learn what is "real astronomy" is. Many science teachers begin the year with a discussion of the "scientific method." Our group modeled just that -- Starting with a problem, researching background papers, submitting a research proposal, analyzing authentic data, and drawing conclusions models the scientific process in real life.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - CG4 team
[The best thing about the summer trip was] Watching hearing-impaired students guide their interpreters through their description of a newly discovered APT bug with the software developer Russ Laher was fascinating. They were able to accurately describe what they perceived was a problem and he was able to correct it on the spot.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - CG4 team
[The best thing about the summer trip was that] Personally, I felt like being at Caltech was like "See you can be in the thick of this!" kind of feeling of discovering new things.
said at Summer Visit - 2010 - CG4 team
Regarding teaching, I will change how I teach stellar spectra. I haven't been emphasizing blackbodies enough, and I have been too focused on the kind of spectra you get out of a spectrograph. As I walked around at the AAS [last winter], I realized that SEDs are widespread (and not covered at all in most astronomy textbooks) and lightcurves are very common too. I will place more emphasis on these two topics in the future.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
I didn't really think of astronomy as having a deep basis in research until this trip. It was interesting to see this new side of astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
I thought astronomers were guys in lab coats looking at the stars. Now I realize that most of them are very silly and fun, wear cut off shorts, and spend time on computers during the day, instead of becoming completely nocturnal.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
Astronomers used to spend a lot of time looking through telescopes, and that is not the case anymore. It is a lot easier to get data these days (no more sitting on a platform keeping a guide star centered anymore), but there isn't as much connection to the sky. It is important for students to understand this.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
I was amazed how much the astronomers we met loved their jobs! It seemed as though everyone we talked to [...] was deeply passionate about what they were doing. From what I saw, astronomy truly seemed to be a field full of enthusiasm and genuine excitement for each new discovery, no matter how small.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
The most interesting moment to me was looking through the images of possible planetary nebula nuclei and actually finding one. The moment that the page loaded and the image came up, my partner and I exclaimed, "Whoa!" It was interesting to look at and a great experience.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
I [thought] that there would be more computer work, and more telescope operating.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
Many of our "ultrablue objects" turned out to be B and A stars. This was surprising to the scientists, and they were scrambling a bit on the first day to figure out how so many of these main sequence stars had infected our sample. It was neat to see how they handled things, and how ridiculously fast they recovered. I think my students appreciated this as well. What a great example for them to see!
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
I expected the amount of work we had to do with the data, but I did not expect the amount of fun I had working with the data! I thought that it would be a boring, painstaking process, but in the end it turned out to be very exciting.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
[It is] not surprising but always jarring when the research plan doesn't go as planned and adjustments are made, or a redirection of purpose. I think it is actually an important piece of the process since students are used to having an known goal that they can reach if they follow directions.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
The best thing about the [summer] trip was being able to learn in a room where everyone wanted to be there and had the same level of excitement about astronomy.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
It was very rewarding to be able to talk with astronomers who were willing to answer my (many) questions. Educators rarely have an opportunity to talk to professionals to hone their knowledge base once they finish school. I'm afraid I grabbed them every chance I got!
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
The trip was incredible.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
[The best thing about this summer trip was] working together with students on a project that didn't have an anticipated answer.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
Data-mining is more accessible to laymen than I had supposed.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
I didn't know just how much data is publicly available. Anyone can do astronomy - you just need to come up with a question and figure out how to use the archives.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
I knew nothing about the online archives before this experience. Now I am quite familiar with them, and I have even used them a few times for reasons unrelated to NITARP. I am certain I'll continue to use this resource going forward.
said at Summer Visit - 2012 - UBOKO
My confidence level speaking to this vast assortment of astronomy professionals has risen significantly, and this translates directly to my ability to convey what I have learned and experienced -- to not only my students but other teachers and my community.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
It was amazing being, not just an attendee of the conference, but a real part of it through the poster presentations.
said Stacy DeVeau
Words can't describe my delight and gratitude to NITARP for the "over the top" experience at AAS 217th convention in Seattle. The breadth of conveyed knowledge, the phenomenal networking, the latest science discoveries, the business and career opportunities and the educational options were astounding.
said Merrill Butler
[...]Needless to say this was an experience that I thoroughly enjoyed both for its educational value but also it invigorated me to become part of the greater message, which is the story of space and ground based "observatories" and the incredible infrastructure built by NASA and its commercial and institutional partners. Never in the history of this great science has so much data and use of incredible instruments been available to not just the scientific community but the general public as well. All one has to do is just ask!
said Merrill Butler
Words can't describe my delight and gratitude to NITARP for the "over the top" experience at AAS 217th convention in Seattle. The breadth of conveyed knowledge, the phenomenal networking, the latest science discoveries, the business and career opportunities and the educational options were astounding. I must say that I was fully engaged every moment that I was at the convention. As you said at our seminar on Sunday, "You will be over stimulated and under caffeinated." I realize exactly what [you] were talking about.
said Merrill Butler
I cannot say enough positives about the NITARP experience for the participating students. They have had the opportunity to learn and grow and see science applied in authentic research projects while working with some of the coolest scientists around! It has allowed me to grow as a teacher and researcher and be able to share my insight and newfound knowledge with students and peers.
said Beth Thomas
I extend my appreciation and gratitude to all of those people and organizations who coordinated, funded, and have in any way supported this valuable program. THANK YOU!
said Beth Thomas
It was very special to be in the room when the announcement of planet Kepler 10b (an estimated 1.4 X the size of the Earth) was discovered. I turned to my student Inga and asked, "How does it feel to be one of the first people on planet Earth to know about this discovery?" She replied, "I never thought of it like that ... it's pretty cool."
said Tim Spuck
[At my first AAS,] I felt like I got to meet a lot of people and learn some cool things, and think about how to best educate people. It feels like a lot of people with a common goal, very connected and leaving was kind of sad, like separation. Other than my group, I did not run into another NITARP teacher after Sunday; I don't think I realized how big this conference was.
said Sally Seebode
I was surprised how many people I now know after 2 AAS [meetings]. There were quite a few people who remembered me and were interested in talking with me. This was fun (I like talking with people) and disruptive as I did not make as many talks as I anticipated.
said Sally Seebode
I can't wait to get started, and neither can my students!
said Diane Sartore
The teachers who I have met through NITARP are just amazing. I am continually impressed by how hard they work and how enthusiastically they learn.
said Luisa Rebull
Turner and Kolb's Dark Matter/Dark Energy talk was a big hit with my students. They had many questions afterwards. [...] The information received in the lecture showed my students that there are so many more questions to answer in our Universe. I believe it also opened their eyes to the life of an astronomer/researcher. [...] I think it also was an invaluable experience for them to see that it is "ok" to ask questions. Questions are what drives science. [...] [I] will enjoy finding excellent tidbits [out of the materials I collected] to use in [my] classroom.
said Elizabeth Ramseyer
How cool for the kids see a poster right next to theirs being presented by three university professors on one side and a graduate student on the other.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
Our kids did a fantastic job of interacting with the many astronomers and educators that came to see our poster. They were poised and knowledgeable and handled questions with ease. I heard many compliments not only about the students explanation of our work, but also about the great job they did constructing their poster.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
AAS 2012 was my third trip to a convention and it was a marathon event. I had a lot more commitments/connections this go-round which made the experience richer. I knew the lay of the land and was able to target areas I wanted to cover. I was also better able to help some of the newbies and my students find their way. My confidence level speaking to this vast assortment of Astronomy professionals has risen significantly and this translates directly to my ability to convey what I have learned and experienced to not only my students but other teachers and my community.
said Margaret (Peggy) Piper
To be the first group to perform such calculations is an experience of a lifetime.
said Vincent Pereira
Astronomers are a remarkably collaborative lot.
said Caroline Odden
Astronomers are a remarkably collaborative lot. I knew this, but I was amazed by how friendly everyone was [at my first AAS]. For the most part I was clear that I was a teacher, and they probably had nothing to gain by talking to me. For most people, this was not a deterrent.
said Caroline Odden
I really feel that NITARP is a gem of a program.
said Lauren Novatne
This [first AAS] meeting was a reminder to me that I am an educator at heart. I felt at home at the education sessions, and found most of them very interesting. It was particularly valuable to hear about a variety of evaluation methods and find out that standards for effective evaluation had changed significantly over the years. I really enjoyed it when a session room was empty following a set of presentations giving ample opportunity to listen to other questions and ask some of my own.
said Kate Meredith
The experience made a huge impression on [my students] and that was food for my soul.
said Kate Meredith
Being there with my students was the most amazingly cool experience. I saw my two guys explode in their willingness to ask questions and express an opinion.
said Kate Meredith
When I look at how the intellectual process changed over the last year I imagine it going from a diffuse look at research and the entire conference experience to the extreme focus on our own project during the year and finally reaching outward again in Seattle to incorporate new information and understandings. Returning to AAS made the experience complete.
said Kate Meredith
These are some talented and really fun people.
said Kevin McCarron
Attended Kepler announcement of the new planets. Later that day teachers who were actually teaching in my high school e-mailed me to tell me about the planets just discovered. I had to tell them I'd known about that for hours. I was there at the announcement by the scientists involved.
said Kevin McCarron
Participation in NITARP for me is like a partial return to Grad School. Direct exposure to data is invigorating; applying knowledge newly acquired and thus understanding how part of the Universe works is why I entered the sciences!
said Carolyn Mallory
[..]Students who are given the opportunity to do "real science" generally find a greater deal of success when it comes to understanding concepts (and at a deeper level).
said Adam Keeton
They had found similar data to my own indicating that students who are given the opportunity to do "real science" generally find a greater deal of success when it comes to understanding concepts (and at a deeper level). I found this very satisfying.
said Adam Keeton
Of all the professional development programs in which I have been involved, NITARP continues to rank among the top few. The opportunity to work with a world-class astronomer and alongside teachers and students across the country on a real research project is amazing!
said Chelen Johnson
Of all the professional development programs in which I have been involved, NITARP continues to rank among the top few. The opportunity to work with a world-class astronomer and alongside teachers and students across the country on a real research project is amazing! Watching the project evolve from a seed of an idea in January into a two professional posters presented at the AAS the following January is fulfilling and satisfying. To think that eighteen people can work together over twelve months and thousands of miles is a true reflection of what authentic research is all about.
said Chelen Johnson
Standing by the poster nearly all day, my three girls described our [research]. To say that I was proud would be a gross understatement.
said Chelen Johnson
Wednesday was poster day for the Breck group. Standing by the poster nearly all day, my three girls described our search for young stellar objects in the CG4 region of the southern sky. To say that I was proud would be a gross understatement. Talking with Dr. Rob Gutermuth and Dr. J. Serena Kim, our collaborators, my students accurately talked about re-discovering six YSOs and discovering 19 other YSO candidates. Whew. I am still tired thinking about this.
said Chelen Johnson
My observation was that [our students'] ideas for their future expanded with the whole experience. That science became more than a class but an endeavor in which they could participate.
said Vivian Hoette
[...]It seems that becoming empowered in the language and the nature of inquiry and investigation was also life changing for our teacher participants.
said Vivian Hoette
[One of the other teachers with whom I've been working, now] sees herself as being able to teach science, [...], and wants to share this excitement and potential with others who are in deaf education who might never have thought that they could teach science, with the support of the science community and with the support of a network of science educators. So many educators who work with students who have special needs specialize in supporting the needs of the students rather than the core STEM subjects, so it seems that becoming empowered in the language and the nature of inquiry and investigation was also life changing for our teacher participants.
said Vivian Hoette
Because of my experience with NITARP, it has become clear to me that programming skills are essential for students entering scientific fields. My school does not currently teach programming, and I myself don't have a strong background in programming, but after I made this realization, I spent the summer of 2012 learning JAVA and Python and designing activities to teach Python to the juniors in my Physics classes. I've redesigned my Physics curriculum, and my students have now spent a total of about 3 weeks involved in programming activities, and will continue to do more throughout the year. This summer [2013], I plan to take more programming classes to improve my own background so that I can continue to implement new programming for my school.
said Wendy Curtis
What was especially important to me as an educator was the way that the students planned their own schedule of listening to research presentations [at the AAS] and reviewing poster presentations. The students were very active participants in the conference and they took away an amazing amount of information and excitement. One parent told me that her normally quiet son spent the entire weekend relating stories of the experience to his family and friends.
said Peter Guastella
This has by far been the best professional development program I have ever been involved with.
said John Gibbs
We had a staff meeting this morning and the kids presented our research and shared our experiences to the entire staff. They did an outstanding job and many of our teachers have commented to me how impressed they were by what they did. One of our teachers (and MIT grad) asked a couple of good questions and commented afterward to me he was impressed that they could explain the answer (noting that they were not just number crunching).
said John Gibbs
Some of my students will be benefiting directly [from my AAS trip] as I currently have 7 students interested in being part of our research team for NITARP. My first day back from the conference I spent the class time sharing with them the exciting news regarding exoplanet research from Dr. Marcy's presentation on Monday as well as a discussion on YSOs and the likely direction that our project will take.
said John Gibbs
Having the opportunity to get new ideas from my peers and discuss projects, activities and strategies helps me to grow and keeps me from becoming stagnant in my teaching. Programs like this are like gold to me because the financial situation in the district in which I teach is such that there is no money available to send our faculty to national conferences.
said John Gibbs
This experience convinced me even further that I can push myself to learn even more each and every day. I started out feeling very overwhelmed and unprepared last year. I forced myself to work through my unease and wound up much more comfortable. I learned that astronomers are much more down-to-earth than I envisioned a lot of them to be and so many of them are very willing to go out of their way to explain things when we have questions.
said Debbie Kaiser
I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate in the NITARP program for the past year. I gained experience that I never thought I would be capable of, gained many new resources, and learned more that I ever expected. It has been a very unique and productive experience and I am proud of both the scientific research we accomplished and the educational aspects that were brought to our school systems.
said Debbie Kaiser
I was somewhat intimated at the prospect of working with Caltech scientists... however I found my first experience one that eased all my trepidations and instilled excitement for the work I will be doing.
said Thomas Doyle
I wanted to share this with you about one of the students I had on our team that explored star formation in Lynds dark nebulae (LDNs) [in 2008]. [He has since become involved with a big Air Force program at Michigan Tech in 2012.] [He] has often thanked me for getting him involved in NITARP research, having used that experience, in part, to get access to programs such as MTU's Aerospace Enterprise.
said Cris DeWolf
I've attended many NSTA conference that focus on science education, but this purely scientific conference was an amazing opportunity. I gained a true appreciation for both the quantity and quality of research and work being conducted in the field of and astrophysics. [...]It made me feel like I was part of a community of learners with the same, or at least related interests. [...]
said Stacy DeVeau
My students were really impressed when I gave them just a summary of some of the stuff we did and saw [at the AAS]!
said Richard DeCoster
One of my students at Niles West had become interested in GRBs as we thought they were the results of mergers of black holes [but we learned this was wrong at an AAS plenary talk]. My student thought it was interesting that scientists could change their minds about how things worked.
said Richard DeCoster
Finally much of the [AAS 2009] invited talk by Eugene Churazov on Galaxy Clusters and Black Holes I found to be understandable because he used many equations from ideal gas laws that are familiar to high school teachers and their students. In talking with Dr. Churazov after his talk, he re-emphasized how far one could go on this topic with these familiar and seemingly simple equations.
said Richard DeCoster
I gave a presentation on my group's experience with NITARP at a dinner for about 100 members of the Waynflete School community[..]. The crowd was very impressed with the program and the idea of having students not only conduct authentic scientific research, but then also be able to present their findings to the scientific community.
said Wendy Curtis
I think this [AAS] trip is a crucial part of the program. I learned so much about the many different telescopes, enjoyed the historical presentations, and found the exposure to the more specific research to be beneficial, even if I didn't understand that much about the research itself. It was also a great chance to meet scientists as well as other educators.
said Wendy Curtis
[...]..never have I attended an "industry" convention where the overall collaborative nature of the attendees is so strong. Everyone that I came in contact with was approachable and eager to answer questions or contribute some knowledge.
said Merrill Butler
I had an amazing, exhausting time at the [2012] AAS meeting. I found myself continually challenged by the intellectual level and knowledge being shared. I was surprised and very encouraged to see a high proportion of people which are generally considered underrepresented in the sciences. That was a terrific take-home message for my students. It was an excellent experience all around, and gives me confidence that my team and I will be able to do a good job with our project and be great representatives of the NITARP program.
said Chris Border
