South Texas Partnership in Multi-messenger Astronomy

德克萨斯大学格兰德谷分校（UTRGV）和德克萨斯最南端学院（TSC）将建立一个新的天文学研究和教育合作伙伴关系，以开展多信使和时域天文学的研究。这一伙伴关系将为南德克萨斯州的西班牙裔社区大学生积极参与天文学研究提供一条途径。该项目的一个显著特点是加强了在社区内建立的自然STEM生态系统。该伙伴关系将提供并维持几项协调活动：(1)与UTRGV导师（研究生和首席研究员）以及参加TSC的学生和教师定期举行每周会议；(2)一个暑期工作坊，培训学生光度学、天体测量学、观测技术和天文学中的python编码，包括机器学习技术；(3) UTRGV运营的Cristina Torres纪念天文台（CTMO）的定期观测；(4)相关天文学和天体物理学主题的月度研讨会；(5)参与学生在区域会议上的年度报告。该合作伙伴关系也有能力接触到南德克萨斯州的大量观众。当天文台对公众开放时，参加活动的学生将被邀请协助举办定期的天文公园活动。公园的天文学是与南德克萨斯天文学会（STARS）联合组织的，后者是一个非营利性的业余天文学家组织。这个项目为西班牙裔社区大学生开辟了一条清晰的研究途径，这一群体在天文学领域的代表性非常低。学生将参与的研究项目是在时域天文学领域，特别是引力波事件的光学跟踪。对两颗中子星（或一颗中子星和一个黑洞）合并过程中电磁发射的快速定位和准确表征，可以为理解通过核r过程产生重元素做出重大贡献。相关的引力波信息有可能产生宇宙膨胀率的估计（哈勃常数），这是对当前技术的补充和竞争。所提议的活动将使这些学生成为多信使天文学发展的相关贡献者。这个奖项推进了“宇宙大创意之窗”的目标。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

A new research and education partnership in astronomy will be developed between the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and Texas Southmost College (TSC) to conduct research in multi-messenger and time domain astronomy. This partnership will provide a pathway for Hispanic community college students in South Texas to actively participate in astronomy research. A distinctive feature of the program is the strengthening of a natural STEM ecosystem built within the community. The partnership will provide and sustain several coordinated activities: (1) regular weekly meetings with the UTRGV mentors (graduate students and the principal investigator) and the TSC participating students and faculty; (2) one summer workshop to train students in photometry, astrometry, observational techniques and python coding in astronomy, including machine learning techniques; (3) regular observations at the Cristina Torres Memorial Astronomical Observatory (CTMO), operated by UTRGV, (4) monthly seminars in relevant astronomy and astrophysics topics and (5) annual presentations at regional meetings from participating students. The partnership also has the capacity to reach a large audience in South Texas. The participating students will be asked to assist with the regular Astronomy at the Park events, when the CTMO is open to the public. Astronomy at the Park is organized jointly with the South Texas Astronomical Society (STARS), a nonprofit amateur astronomer organization.This project creates a clear pathway into research for Hispanic community college students, a group with very low representation in astronomy. The research projects in which students will be involved are in the area of time domain astronomy, and in particular, the optical follow-up of gravitational wave events. The rapid localization and accurate characterization of electromagnetic emission associated with the merger of two neutron stars (or a neutron star and a black hole) can make significant contributions to the understanding of the production of heavy elements through nuclear r-processes. The associated gravitational wave information has the potential to yield estimates of the expansion rate of the Universe (the Hubble constant), which complement, and are competitive with current techniques. The activities proposed will make these students relevant contributors to the development of multi-messenger astronomy. This award advances the goals of the Windows on the Universe Big Idea.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.