Examining Graduate Education in Astronomy

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9622599 Milkey The American Astronomical Society (AAS) will lead its membership in an examination of the goals for graduate education in astronomy. The scientific community is entering an era in which public investment in basic research and higher education is projected to decrease significantly. As a result, opportunities for new PhDs to follow traditional academic research careers are also expected to decrease. Given these realities, it is both essential and timely to re-examine the role of graduate schools in serving our discipline, our students, and the society which supports the discipline of astronomy. Central to the discussion are the questions: (1) What should be the goals, and content, of an astronomy graduate education in view of (a) the discipline's need to continue a tradition of carrying out world class research, and (b) our nation's need for imaginative, scientifically capable and adaptable young people, both in the technical workforce and as teachers in the nation's schools? 2) Should we consider changing academic institutions' admissions policies, graduate curricula, funding patterns or academic culture to meet the needs of (a) the discipline of astronomy, and (b) the nation? The AAS will open this dialog at the upcoming bi-annual AAS meeting. The AAS will 1) conduct three regional workshops during 1996 with astronomy department chairs, selected graduate students, invited members of the education and industrial communities, and representatives from the physics community involved in similar self-examination; 2) publish and disseminate a report summarizing the discussions, outlining possible models for restructuring graduate curricula, and suggesting changes in funding patterns to stimulate or facilitate restructuring; and 3) design an employment database to help graduate students make realistic and informed career choices, and to help graduate departments guide admissions, funding, and curricular policies. ***