Research Experiences for Undergraduates at MIT Haystack Observatory
Abstract
Initiated in 1987, the NSF-supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at MIT Haystack Observatory has provided internships in upper atmospheric physics and radio astronomy to over 150 science and engineering students recruited nationally. Post-REU surveys by Haystack indicate that the majority of the students elected to pursue graduate education and careers in science and engineering, with many of them citing the REU program as an important influence in their decision process. During their internships at Haystack, the students have utilized the Observatory's radar and radio telescope facilities and analyzed the resulting measurements, they developed instrumentation or software that were implemented as part of our projects, and they participated in professional conferences where they presented their project results. Mentored by a Haystack researcher, each undergraduate student selected a research project that was part of the Observatory's overall program and became engaged in a full research experience from inception to publication. The students also interacted with local area pre-college teachers and students who were actively pursuing educational outreach programs at Haystack that were synergistic with the REU efforts.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2005
- Bibcode:
- 2005AGUFMED31A1195S
- Keywords:
-
- 0810 Post-secondary education;
- 6929 Ionospheric physics (1240;
- 2400);
- 6954 Radio astronomy