Collaborative Research: Enhancing Undergraduate Research Experiences Through Extragalactic Radio Astronomy

该提案要求继续支持非常成功的本科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调查。他们从几个天文台获得了新的数据，并分析了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项目的各个方面，包括计划和执行观察。他们将参加在格林班克天文台或阿雷西博天文台举行的年度研讨会。这个项目是科学合作的价值的一个主要例子，特别是对于孤立学校的教师和学生，以及研究作为本科教育组成部分的重要性。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。通过他们制作和分享的课程和推广材料，以及通过扩大STEM中代表性不足的群体的参与，该计划具有更广泛的影响。大多数通过该项目的学生继续从事与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，如光学暗矮星系的数量和起源，大规模细丝的结构，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。所有这些程序都是由ALFALFA（阿雷西博遗产快速ALFA） HI调查以及新的观测结果启用并利用的。该计划的主要组成部分是：(1)每年在阿雷西博天文台或绿岸天文台举办一次研讨会；（二）在这些设施和其他无线电、光学设施进行观测；(3)暑期和学年本科生科研项目；(4)成员学院师生之间的合作研究。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)加强教育基础设施建设；(3)广泛传播课程和外联材料；(4)扩大代表性不足群体的参与。

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.