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Astronomy Activation Ambassadors: A New Era
The NASA Science Activation Program’s Astronomy Activation Ambassadors (AAA) project aims to measurably enhance student Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) engagement via middle school, high school, and community college science teacher professional development.
In 2024, AAA transitioned its focus to the development of an Astronomy Academy with varying levels of extent and intensity available to more than 300 teachers per year. Participants draw on NASA resources and Subject Matter Experts (SME) to enhance their teaching and help share their excitement about astronomy with their students. The three strands that comprise the Astronomy Academy are:
- webinars regarding NASA astrophysics and planetary science content and facilities,
- curriculum workshops enabling classroom use of an electromagnetic spectrum and multi-wavelength astronomy (EMS/MWA) curriculum, and
- STEM immersion experiences including guided visits to working observatories.
The first two of the AAA program’s new type of STEM immersion experiences took place in June and September, 2024. During the weekend of June 22-23, 19 teachers gathered in San Jose, California for a full agenda, including:
- NASA SME presentations regarding planetary protection and exoplanet detection,
- a journey to the University of California’s Lick Observatory on nearby Mt. Hamilton for an in-depth guided tour of the observatory’s astronomy research facilities, which included engagement with the astronomers using the 3-meter Shane telescope, and
- a 4-hour hands-on EMS/MWA curriculum teaching workshop.
A similar STEM immersion sequence was offered September 14-15 to 23 AAA teachers who attended a curriculum teaching workshop, learned about current infrared astronomy research from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists, and received guided visits to the Keck Observatory’s remote observing facility on the Caltech campus and the Mt. Wilson Observatory, including a half-night’s reserved use of the historic Mt. Wilson 60-inch telescope. The teachers were invited to submit a list of objects to be observed with the Mt. Wilson telescope and viewed a wonderful array of star clusters, colorful double stars, and galaxies, with a grand finale view of Saturn and its rings.
Teacher participant, Domina Stamas (Westlake Charter School, Sacramento, California), had this to say: “My students and I are already benefiting greatly from the combination of NASA resources, science content, and curricular materials we have received from the AAA project. The evening at Lick Observatory talking with the astronomers who were using the research telescopes watching the laser guide star setup in action was a rich experience. I can convey to my students how scientists actually practice their craft.”
The Astronomy Activation Ambassador project’s efforts to improve student STEM learning and engagement via science teacher professional development are detailed at: https://www.seti.org/aaa
Educator enrollment is still open via the participant registration form:
https://forms.gle/G34vCzz63ko5RRrM8
The AAA project, led by the SETI Institute, is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC51A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn
