Teaching Einstein's Universe at Community Colleges

预计通过激光干涉仪引力波天文台(LIGO)探测到的第一批引力波将在看待宇宙的方式上产生一种范式转变，并证实爱因斯坦广义相对论的一个重要预测。这个奖项的活动将为社区学院的教职员工和较低级别的大学生提供以全新的、不同的方式看待宇宙的工具，并及时洞察LIGO艰巨的技术挑战，及时欣赏预期的第一次引力波探测。该奖项将使“LIGO学院教师资源网站”能够创造新的科学和技术内容。这一内容还将用于在线课程“向大学生讲授爱因斯坦宇宙”，该课程将向全国社区大学教职员工提供学术或继续教育学分。

The expected detection of the first gravitational waves through the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) will create a paradigm shift in the way the Universe is viewed, as well as confirming an important prediction of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity. The activities in this award will provide community college faculty and lower-division college students with the tools to view the Universe in an entirely new and different way and with insights into LIGO's daunting technological challenges, just in time to appreciate the expected first detections of gravitational waves.The award will enable the creation of new science and technology content for the "LIGO College Faculty Resource Website." This content will be also be used in the online course "Teaching Einstein's Universe to College Students" which will be offered for academic or continuing education credits to community college faculty nationwide.