TARGETED INFUSION GRANT: Enhancement of the Undergraduate Physics Program in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Howard University

该项目名为--加强霍华德大学物理与天文学系的本科物理课程--总体目标是扩大和加强在霍华德大学物理与天文学系攻读有针对性的物理课程的本科生的学习经历。预计将有四项活动改善学习环境：辅修大气物理；将现有的普通天文学课程改为在线/实验室混合班；升级霍华德大学天文馆和天文台；为主修物理学的本科生制定招聘和奖学金计划以及同行支持计划。拟议活动利用了该系在物理和大气科学教育和研究方面建立的良好记录。这种方法可以被其他面临类似挑战的物理系效仿。从这些努力中吸取的教训有可能改善和加强较小的物理项目，这些项目正在努力解决入学率低的问题。这些活动集中在一个少数民族学生占本科生近100%的部门，因此确保了这类群体的成员参与。该署设施的改善，将加强与市民大众的接触。项目活动的结果将通过在专业物理教育工作者会议上的发言向更广泛的物理界传播。

The project entitled - Enhancement of the Undergraduate Physics Program in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Howard University - has the overall goal to expand and enhance the learning experiences of undergraduate students taking targeted Physics courses in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Howard University. It is expected that there will be an improved learning environment driven by four activities: implementation of an Atmospheric Physics minor; conversion of the existing General Astronomy course into a hybrid on-line/laboratory class; upgrade of the Howard University Planetarium and Astronomical Observatory; and development of a recruitment and scholarship program and a peer support program for undergraduate Physics majors.The proposed activities take advantage of the well-established track record that the department has developed in Physics and Atmospheric Science education and research. This approach can be modeled by other Physics Departments that face similar challenges. The lessons learned from these efforts have the potential to improve and enhance smaller Physics programs that struggle with issues of low enrollment. The activities are centered in a department where minority students compose nearly 100% of the undergraduate population, thus assuring participation of members of such groups. The improvement of the department's facilities will strengthen outreach efforts to the public at large. The results of the project activities will be disseminated to the broader Physics community through presentations at meetings of professional Physics educators.