REU Site: Astronomy and Atmospheric Science at the MIT Haystack Observatory

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REU SITE: Astronomy and Atmospheric Science at the MIT Haystack ObservatoryABSTRACTAST 0647787The PI, Dr. Joseph Salah, will head the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) site program at MIT Haystack Observatory. Haystack Observatory is an MIT multidisciplinary research center that develops and operates large radio telescopes for astronomical observations, and utilizes high-power radars for measurements of the structure of Earth's upper atmosphere. The site will host eight undergraduate students annually, recruited nationally, for summer research internships in astronomy and atmospheric science under the REU program. In addition, four pre-college science teachers, recruited locally, will be hosted annually under the RET program to learn about the Observatory's current research and apply it to their high-school science curricula.Haystack has been a successful REU site since 1987 and has participated in the RET program since its inception in 1999. The REU and RET projects have been important elements in Haystack's education and public outreach effort, and have served to demonstrate the benefits of scientific research supported by the public.