NSF Award
1156437
Carthage College and the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) have partnered to deliver hands-on astronomy programs to the public, train mentors and docents, and provide experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate astronomy students. The AMC operates trails, outreach centers, and high-mountain huts and delivers experiences in nature and the environment. Through this project we will add astronomy to AMC programming to provide a holistic, integrative picture of the universe to the lay public. Engaging a large, diverse audience with astronomy in a context combining geology, meteorology, biology, and environmental science as part of AMC's ongoing, successful, and well-attended programs, will significantly improve understanding of the science being presented and drive home the close connections that exist between people and the universe. This program is unique because it will be conducted by professional astronomers, will reach large audiences, and will engage undergraduate students as educators and mentors. <br/><br/>This program will impact a large target audience and better prepare a significant body of future scientists. The AMC hosts over 500,000 visitors annually, over half of whom are lower-to-middle-class in income, and approximately 20% are non-white. Special youth-oriented AMC programs are conducted for an annual audience of more than 40,000. The proposed projects will significantly impact the communications and outreach abilities of Carthage physics and astronomy students, who are approximately 60% female and are consistently placed in graduate programs or into technical positions.
