Native American students will have the opportunity for a
five-night astronomical observation immersion experience at
Kitt
Peak
National Observatory (KPNO) near Tucson, Arizona, using the
WIYN
Consortium 0.9-meter
telescope. Students will be actively involved in observation,
data
collection, telescope operation, and interacting with professional
astronomers. During the day, students will engage in discussions about
their projects, interpretation of data, as well as day hiking and
excursions to the University of Arizona Mirror Lab, the National
Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) headquarters, and the
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Workshops will include presentations
about astronomy, how to apply and get into a graduate program, graduate
programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
disciplines at Indiana
University, a talk by a Navajo elder on the juxtaposition of
western
and indigenous science with a focus on cross-cultural astronomy and
traditional teachings. Travel to and from Tucson, Arizona, as well as
lodging,
meals and transportation to and from Kitt Peak will be provided.
Who can apply?
Any Native American, Native Hawaiian or Alaskan Native sophomore or
junior undergraduate college student.
Eligibility
Requirements:
At least a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 GPA scale. Interest in astronomy,
astrophysics and/or physics. Some course work in astronomy or physics.
Dates of
Program:
TBA due to availablity of telescope time during June 2009
Deadline:March 1, 2009
for application,
mailed transcripts and two letters of recommendations by this date.
How
to apply?
Fill
out application online beginning November 2008. For any questions please call or
email below.
Send or fax transcripts
and letters of recommendation after completing online application to:
Native American Astronomy
Immersion Experience
Indiana University Dept of Astronomy
Swain Hall West 319
727 East Third Street
Bloomington, IN 47405-7105
Phone: 812.856.0584
Fax: 812.855.8725
For more information or to send letters in electronic form, email to:
naaie@astro.indiana.edu
Acknowledgements:
We gratefully acknowledge the funding for this program from the
Indiana University's Midwest Crossroad
Alliance for Graduate Education and the
Professoriate (AGEP) a grant program of the
National Science Foundation
(NSF) ; as well as,
Indiana
University Department of Astronomy for
their allocation of services and resources at KPNO and in their
commitment to create a more diverse body of scientists in the field of
astronomy.
Kitt Peak National Observatory, part of the
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, is operated by the
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation."
