Collaborative Research: Enhancing Undergraduate Research Experiences Through Extragalactic Radio Astronomy

合作研究：通过河外射电天文学增强本科生研究经验

• 批准号: 1637276
• 负责人: Mayra Lebron
• 金额: $ 1万
• 依托单位: University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-09-15 至 2019-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1637276&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Enhancing; Undergraduate; Experiences

This proposal requests continued support for the highly-successful Undergraduate ALFALFA Team (UAT), which has over the past 8 years provided research-based educational opportunities for 253 students closely collaborating with 25 faculty from a diverse range of universities. Astronomy faculty from 20 institutions, predominantly small colleges in the northeast, carry out several related scientific programs that involve a radio survey of hydrogen in and around nearby galaxies. They obtain new data at several observatories and analyze catalog data obtained at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Undergraduates will be intimately involved in all aspects of the scientific program, including planning and carrying out the observations. They will attend an annual workshop at either Green Bank Observatory or Arecibo Observatory. This program serves as a prime example of the value of scientific collaboration, particularly for faculty and students at isolated schools, and of the importance of research as a component of undergraduate education. This exposure to front-line astronomical research enhances the educational infrastructure and the quality of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) at a large number of schools. The program has an even wider impact through the curriculum and outreach materials they produce and share, and through broadening the participation of groups underrepresented in STEM. Most students who go through the program continue in STEM-related careers.UAT projects will address major outstanding problems in astronomy and cosmology, such as the number and origin of optically-dark dwarf galaxies, the structure of large-scale filaments, pre-processing of HI gas outside clusters, and star formation in low-metallicity systems. All of these programs are enabled by and make use of the ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) HI survey, as well as new observations. The main components of the program are (1) an annual workshop at either Arecibo Observatory or Green Bank Observatory; (2) observing runs at these and other radio and optical facilities; (3) summer and academic year undergraduate research projects; (4) collaborative research among faculty and students at the member schools. The broader impact also has 4 main components: (1) enhancement of undergraduate education through direct involvement in research; (2) enhancement of educational infrastructure; (3) broad dissemination of curriculum and outreach materials; and (4) broadening participation of underrepresented groups.

该提案要求继续支持非常成功的本科生 ALFALFA 团队 (UAT)，该团队在过去 8 年中与来自不同大学的 25 名教师密切合作，为 253 名学生提供了基于研究的教育机会。 来自 20 个机构（主要是东北部的小型学院）的天文学教师开展了几个相关的科学项目，其中包括对附近星系及其周围的氢进行无线电勘测。 他们从几个天文台获取新数据，并分析在波多黎各阿雷西博天文台获得的目录数据。 本科生将密切参与科学计划的各个方面，包括规划和进行观察。他们将参加在绿岸天文台或阿雷西博天文台举行的年度研讨会。该项目是科学合作的价值（特别是对于偏远学校的教师和学生而言）以及研究作为本科教育组成部分的重要性的一个典型例子。 这种对一线天文学研究的接触增强了许多学校的教育基础设施和科学、技术、工程和数学 (STEM) 的质量。 该计划通过他们制作和分享的课程和宣传材料，以及扩大 STEM 领域代表性不足的群体的参与，产生了更广泛的影响。 大多数完成该项目的学生会继续从事与 STEM 相关的职业。UAT 项目将解决天文学和宇宙学中的重大突出问题，例如光学暗矮星系的数量和起源、大尺度细丝的结构、星团外 HI 气体的预处理以及低金属丰度系统中的恒星形成。 所有这些计划均由 ALFALFA（阿雷西博传统快速 ALFA）HI 调查以及新观察结果启用并利用。 该计划的主要组成部分是（1）在阿雷西博天文台或绿岸天文台举办的年度研讨会； (2) 观察这些和其他无线电和光学设施的运行情况； （3）暑期和学年本科生研究项目； （四）会员学校师生之间的协作研究。 更广泛的影响也有四个主要组成部分：（1）通过直接参与研究来加强本科教育； (2) 加强教育基础设施； (3) 广泛传播课程和宣传材料； (4) 扩大代表性不足群体的参与。