The Spitzer Science Center (SSC) and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) have designed a program for teacher and student research using observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope.
This program has as its goals the fundamental NASA goals of inspiring and motivating students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as to engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery. Our educational plan addresses the NASA objectives of improving student proficiency in science and improving science instruction by providing a unique opportunity to a group of teachers and students to observe with Spitzer and work with Spitzer archival data. This program allows a team of teachers and their students to utilize Director's discretionary observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope for educational observations.
The granted observing time and targets were subject to approval by the Spitzer Science Center Director and follow all the Spitzer Space Telescope
observing rules and guidelines. All data taken during this program will be non-proprietary and publicly available through the Spitzer Archive
immediately after processing.
Once the data is acquired, the teachers will visit the Spitzer Science Center to begin the data analysis with the scientists. The teachers
are expected to give presentations at relevant teachers' conferences. We plan on AAS presentations and if possible papers in scientific
journals.
Leveraging on a well-established teacher professional development program, the SSC offered this program to teachers in the Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education (TLRRBSE), an ongoing program at the NOAO. This NSF-sponsored program touches the formal education community through a national audience of well-trained and supported middle and high school teachers.
The participating teachers are: Jeff Adkins, John Blackwell, Kareen Borders, Howard T. Chun, Lauren K. Chapple,
Harlan V. Devore, Velvet Dowdy, Cris DeWolf, Peter Guastella, Rosa Hemphill, Ardis Herrold, Chelen H. Johnson,
Virginia Jones, Susan Kelly, Thomas Loughran, Anthony R. Maranto, Chris Martin, David W. McDonald,
Jeff Paradis, Vincent Pereira, Peter Pitman, Steve Rapp, Theresa Roelofsen, John Schaefers,
Babs Sepulveda, Linda Stefaniak, Timothy S. Spuck, Dwight Taylor, Jen Tetler, Beth Thomas,
Cynthia Weehler and Lynne Zielinski.
Support scientists include:
Ranga-Ram Chary,
Vandana Desai,
John Feldmeier,
Rose Finn,
Varoujan Gorjian,
Don Hoard,
Steve Howell,
Mark Lacy,
Luisa M. Rebull,
and
Gregory Rudnick
