REU Summer 2006

Coming from a small college, IU’s REU program gave me a great opportunity to participate in an area of research I was unaccustomed to. This experience has not only introduced me to new ideas, but also to new connections and thought processes that will aid me in my search for graduate schools and a meaningful career. I must also mention that the observing trip to Kitt Peak was absolutely prodigious. - Jennifer Lozier

I have loved my experience in the IU Astronomy REU program. I feel that I have learned a lot about the astronomical field and how astronomy research is conducted, having never participated in research before. Our trip to Kitt Peak was one of the most exciting things I have done, and I had never expected that we students would be given the measure of control that we had at the WIYN 0.9m. My education in this program has been very well rounded with experience in observing on a national telescope, visits to local private telescopes, the data analysis that made up the bulk of the summer, talks from professors on their work, regular presentations of our own work, and also a measure of education on the responsibilities of an astronomer to the public and to the astronomy community. There's also a great group of people here and I enjoyed my time with the other REU students and grad students and found the professors very open. When I applied to this program, my major goal was to find out whether or not I wanted to continue following this path and after my experience here, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. I would highly recommend this program to any undergraduate with an interest in astronomy. - Amandeep Gill

The REU at Indiana University was an incredible opportunity. Our trip to Kitt Peak National Observatory was both informative and fulfilling. In addition to getting a "behind the scenes" look at the inner workings of many of the observatories, we also participated directly by taking data and images through the WIYN 0.9m telescope, and managing each night's observations through the observing logs. It was extremely rewarding learning how to do this on our own. Observing through the 50" telescope at the Morgan Monroe Observatory was the cherry on the cake. Visually seeing the spiral galactic structure of M51 gave me an idea of what Lord Rosse must have felt when he made that discovery. Assisting with open house observing at IU's Kirkwood Observatory included the essential element of bringing astronomy to the public. Overall, this experience for me bridged the gap between amateur and professional astronomy, and prepared me for my forthcoming graduate work.
- Walter Trentadue

My participation in the Astronomy REU program at Indiana has turned out to be an invaluable part of my undergraduate education. I have always been interested in astronomical research, but have never had any chance to take part. I now have an idea what it is like to take research-quality observations on professional instruments, and what kind of things professional astronomers do on average. My work on the lab has been very educational and interesting, and small as it may be, I can now say I've been a part of an exciting space exploration project. The last few weeks have solidified my interest in a career in astronomy, and given me a jump start on deciding on my plans. This has been the absolute best use of my summer vacation time. - Stephen Battazzo

When I arrived at Bloomington, I had little idea what research was really like. My first goal was to learn whether I want to go to graduate school, and my second goal was to find out whether I enjoy research. Even though people warned me about the some of the hardships of graduate school and research, both appeal to me. The message is clear: Astronomy is not for everyone, graduate school is hard, you probably won't become rich being a professor, and life is not just teaching and research. Despite the warnings, I am leaving the REU program knowing that I would love this life. From the observing at Kitt Peak, to writing analysis tools in Fortran, to giving talks, I know that research would appeal to me, and I would like to thank everyone in the program for a balanced view of life in astronomy. - Jesse Lord

I've greatly enjoyed my REU experience at IU this summer. In retrospect, I think that the IU program provided the perfect fusion of graduate-level research experience in a professional, but very comfortable environment. I had come into this program having participated in some research projects at my undergraduate institution, but nothing has compared to the amount that I have learned this summer. In addition to focusing on my project and experiencing research as it is done professionally, I have learned a great deal about astronomy as a career path—from the basics of applying to grad school, to ethics in the astronomical community. Our trip to Kitt Peak, frequent visits to the Kirkwood Observatory, indoor rock-climbing adventure with graduate students, and numerous other supplemental activities have also made this summer very memorable. I definitely feel as though I have accomplished something significant, and look forward to joining my peers at the AAS meeting. -Alex Shvonski

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