ENCANTO: Enhancing and Nurturing Careers in Astronomy with New Training Opportunities

利用新的培训机会促进和培育天文学职业(Encanto)是一项伙伴关系，旨在增加波多黎各和佛罗里达州中部代表性不足群体中在天文学和行星物理方面取得成功的学生人数。它将涉及一项密集的研究和教育计划，并为未来的研究生计划提供指导。合作伙伴是阿雷西博天文台(AO)和三所少数民族服务大学--波多黎各大学、中佛罗里达大学(UCF)和波多黎各美洲大学。通过Encanto提供的机会将包括广泛的研究和仪器项目选择，有机会与一名大学教授和一名AO科学家进行为期一年的项目工作，通过参观Green Bank天文台接触到另一个主要研究设施，以及有机会在该领域的专业会议上发表演讲。学生将利用AO的观测设施和档案数据参与尖端研究。被选中的大四学生每人将使用12米望远镜和AO档案数据从广泛的科学主题中选择一个研究项目。其中两个12米望远镜项目代表了多信使天体物理学：对明亮的毫秒脉冲星进行计时，以探测和表征来自超大质量黑洞双星和原始随机背景的nHz引力波；以及甚长基线干涉测量研究，以拍摄双星活动星系核的图像，并通过脉冲星计时阵列预测其演化和引力波的可探测性。其他项目包括红矮星系外行星的宜居性，银河系CH和生前分子的调查，以及太阳爆发和日冕物质抛射传播的研究。仪器项目包括对新的太阳雷达进行建模/模拟，以及升级e-Calisto太阳光谱仪。Encanto合作伙伴完全有资格改善少数人获得天文研究的机会，因为他们在指导来自不同背景的学生方面的专业知识。这一奖项反映了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。

Enhancing and Nurturing Careers in Astronomy with New Training Opportunities (ENCANTO) is a partnership to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups from Puerto Rico and Central Florida who succeed in astronomy and planetary physics. It will involve an intense research and educational program and provide guidance regarding future graduate programs. The partners are Arecibo Observatory (AO), and three Minority Serving universities - the University of Puerto Rico, the University of Central Florida (UCF) and the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. Opportunities provided through ENCANTO will include a wide choice of research and instrumentation projects, and the opportunity to work year-long on a project with a university professor and an AO scientist, exposure to another major research facility through a visit to Green Bank Observatory, and the chance to present at a professional conference in the field.Students will participate in cutting-edge research using the observing facilities and archival data at AO. Selected senior undergraduates will each choose a research project from a wide range of science topics using the 12-m telescope and AO archival data. Two of the 12-m telescope projects represent multi-messenger astrophysics: timing bright millisecond pulsars to detect and characterize nHz gravitational waves from supermassive black hole binaries and the primordial stochastic background; and very-long-baseline interferometry studies to image binary active galactic nuclei and predict their evolution and gravitational wave detectability via a pulsar timing array. Other projects include habitability of red-dwarf exoplanets, surveys of Galactic CH and prebiotic molecules, and studies of solar bursts and coronal mass ejection propagation. Instrumentation projects include modeling/simulation of a new solar radar and upgrading the e-Callisto solar spectrograph. The ENCANTO partners are well-qualified for improving minority access to astronomical research, given their expertise in mentoring students from diverse backgrounds.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.