USA Sky Partners: Expanding Access to Authentic Research Experiences for Undergraduates

该奖项由《2021年美国救援计划法案》(公法117-2)提供全部资金。专业天文学家的一项重要使命是为美国本科生提供真实的天文研究体验，他们在完成项目时感觉到做科学的能力是他们身份的一部分。为了实现这一目标，拉斯坎伯雷天文台(LCO)将创建一个新的美国天空合作伙伴计划，在该计划中，LCO提供对其全球机器人望远镜网络的访问，并与美国学院和大学合作，帮助来自天文学代表性不足群体的学生。这一试点项目的目标有三个方面：(1)全面发展LCO、西方学院和波多黎各大学-里奥皮德拉斯大学之间的伙伴关系，为洛杉矶一所拉美裔大学和一所学生群体多样化的小型文理学院的本科生提供真正的天文学研究体验。(2)用英文和西班牙文编写实施试点学生研究方案所需的在线视频和书面材料，并在两所大学伙伴机构实施该方案。(3)招募更多接触服务不足的社区的机构合作伙伴，加入未来长期全面合作伙伴关系的建议。学生研究计划是一个为期八周的研讨会，可以单独完成，也可以与天文学入门课程一起完成。这次观测使用了LCO网络中的10个0.4米望远镜。用LCO望远镜观测只需要一台可以上网的计算机和分配望远镜时间。从网络浏览器请求观测，当观测完成时，通过基于网络的档案返回管道处理的数据。天文台的时间表是自动化的。十台0.4米的望远镜几乎完全用于教育，学生们无论身处何地，都有很高的观测成功率。作为研究过程的一部分，学生们将选择目标进行研究，学习如何使用LCO望远镜，为目标写一份简短的提案，进行观察，并学习如何撰写论文。作为LCO全球天空合作伙伴计划的一部分，该研讨会已在高中环境中开发并成功使用。为本科生改编的研讨会将为学生提供成功的科学研究，即使他们以前没有经验或接触过望远镜设施。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded in whole under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). An important mission for professional astronomers is to provide an authentic astronomy research experience for US undergraduates, where they complete the program feeling that the ability to do science is part of their identity. To achieve this, Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) will create a new USA Sky Partners program where LCO provides access to their global robotic telescope network and partners with US colleges and universities that reach students from groups that are underrepresented in astronomy. The goals of this pilot project are three-fold: (1) Fully develop partnerships between LCO, Occidental College, and the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras that provide real astronomy research experiences for undergraduates at a Hispanic-serving university and a small liberal arts college in Los Angeles with a diverse student population. (2) Develop the online video and written materials required to implement the pilot student research program, in English and Spanish, and run the program at both university partner institutions. (3) Recruit additional institutional partners that reach underserved communities to join the partnership for a future proposal for a long-term full partnership.The student research program is an eight-week workshop that can be done separately or in conjunction with an introductory astronomy course. The observing experience utilizes the ten 0.4m telescopes in the LCO network. All that is required to observe with LCO telescopes is a computer with access to the internet and an allocation of telescope time. Observations are requested from a web browser and pipeline processed data are returned via the web-based archive when the observations are complete. The observatory scheduling is automated. With ten 0.4m telescopes dedicated almost entirely to education, students have a high success rate in obtaining observations, regardless of where they are physically located. Students will select targets to study, learn how to use LCO telescopes, write a brief proposal for their target, make observations, and learn how to write a paper as part of their research process. This Seminar has been developed and successfully used in high school environments as part of LCO’s Global Sky Partners program. The seminar adapted for undergraduates will give students success doing science even if they have no previous experience or access to telescope facilities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.