NOAO Educational Outreach

The NOAO Teacher Enhancement Program promoting The Use of Astronomy in Research Based Science Education (RBSE) is currently recruiting both teacher participants and mentors. RBSE offers a research experience to twenty-five teachers during a 180-hour summer workshop and extends the experience to the classroom during the academic year with materials, support, datasets, and mentors. This NSF- funded program will accept twenty-five middle and high school teachers for the 1998 workshop, which takes place at Kitt Peak National Observatory and the NOAO headquarters in Tucson, AZ. We are interested in recruiting teachers who would like to add a research component to their science classes.

Astronomers interested in serving as mentors to RBSE teachers are encouraged to contact NOAO Education Officer Suzanne Jacoby (sjacoby@noao.edu) as soon as possible. Mentors are astronomers or graduate students willing to spend a few hours a month helping RBSE teachers implement the program in their local classroom; we expect mentors will not step far from their role as research scientists in this capacity. Typical duties might include providing help in downloading datasets, insight into additional research topics from the preselected datasets, interpretation of findings, and assistance in publishing results. RBSE provides a way for research astronomers to plug into effective science education reform and make a difference. Your help is needed and appreciated!

Suzanne Jacoby
NOAO Education Officer