Undergraduate Research and Education Through Radio Astronomy at the Haystack Observatory

全国范围内的本科理工科学生需要有机会将最先进的研究融入他们的教育经历中。该项目提出了一项新的倡议，以响应将科学和工程教育与研究联系起来的国家目标。其目标是在麻省理工学院的干草堆天文台开发一个新的本科生研究和教学中心，该中心由东北无线电天文台公司(NEROC)运营，该公司是一个非营利性教育机构联盟。最近互联网连接的增长提供了一个新的机会：提供对37米长的干草堆射电望远镜的远程访问，这是世界上最大的望远镜之一，并为学生提供必要的教育背景、支持和仪器，以便在天体物理学中进行具有挑战性和激动人心的实验。这些实验将允许学生利用物理、化学、数学、计算机科学和工程学的不同概念，并学习解决多学科问题。一种低成本的3米射电望远镜套件也在开发中，作为对37米望远镜观测的补充。这个小型望远镜的建造和操作将为学生提供宝贵的微波和计算机技术实践经验。该项目为制定和实施一项教育计划提供支持，该计划包括准备教材、教程和工具，为学生提供必要的射电天文学背景。其中包括对研究项目的规划和实施的支持。将为教职员工和学生举办研讨会。这一教育计划将分阶段实施，首先是麻省理工学院和洛厄尔马萨诸塞大学之间的一个试点项目。然后，该计划将扩展到地区性大学，在最终目标：全国获得望远镜之前，进一步测试开发的材料和技术。该项目将在全国范围内扩大研究和本科教育。这项活动由本科生教育司、天文学司和MPS多学科活动办公室联合支持。

Undergraduate science and engineering students nationwide need the opportunity to incorporate state-of-the-art research into their educational experiences. This project presents a new initiative in response to a national goal of linking science and engineering education with research. The objective is to develop a novel center for undergraduate research and instruction at MIT's Haystack Observatory, operated by the Northeast Radio Observatory Corporation (NEROC)--a consortium of non-profit educational institutions. The recent growth in Internet connectivity offers a new opportunity: to provide remote access to the 37-meter Haystack radio telescope, one of the largest in the world, and to give students the educational background, support, and instrumentation necessary to pursue challenging and exciting experiments in astrophysics. These experiments will allow students to utilize diverse concepts from physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, and engineering, and learn to solve multidisciplinary problems. A low-cost 3m-radio-telescope kit is also being developed as a complement to observations with the 37m-telescope. Construction and operation of this small telescope will provide students with valuable hands-on experience with microwave and computer technology. This project provides support for the development and implementation of an educational program that includes the preparation of educational material, tutorials, and tools to provide students the necessary background in radio astronomy. Support for the planning and conduct of research projects is included. Workshops will be held for both faculty and students. This educational program will be implemented through a phased approach, starting with a pilot project between MIT and University of Massachusetts, Lowell. The program will then extend to regional colleges to further test the developed materials and techniques prior to the ultimate goal: national access to the telescope. This program will expand research and undergraduate education nationwide. This activity is jointly supported by the Division of Undergraduate Education, the Division of Astronomical Sciences, and the MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities.