David Michael Meyer - US grants

Using the (VLA) Very Large Array, the astronomers at Northwestern University have obtained radio observations of the galactic center region and prominent galactic HII regions that constitute some of the largest continuum and spectral line data bases in radio astronomy. A large amount of optical spectroscopic data has also been acquired in the application of high signal-to-noise techniques for the study of interstellar and Quasi-Stellar Object (QSO) absorption lines. The image processing tasks required for the optimum reduction and analysis of these enormous data sets make the ready availability of substantial computer capabilities essential. This award will provide support for the acquisition of a mini- supercomputer (IBM RS/6000 powerserver 540) and its peripherals so that mosiac images of some of the most complex regions of the galaxy can be made and numerous other research projects currently being carried out by the PIs be facilitated. Northwestern University has already contributed over $130,000 in purchasing computer equipment for the PIs and will contribute another $47,000 to this facility.

9315728 Meyer Dr. Meyer will utilize the latest generation of charge-coupled-devices (CCDs) at the NSF supported National Optical Astronomy Observatories to push the sensitivity of interstellar absorption line studies. The principal goals in this research are to: (1) measure an isotope ratio of lithium in several interstellar clouds and determine if there is a global value for the solar neighborhood; (2) obtain a better understanding of the apparent NH overabundance in diffuse clouds; and (3) investigate the possibility that metal-bearing high velocity clouds of low column density could be common throughout the halo of our Galaxy. The techniques being developed will be applicable to future studies involving quasar absorption lines and the large ground-based telescopes coming on line this decade.

9354525 Meyer Almost all universities teach large introductory astronomy classes for nonscience majors. These classes are typically among the larger and more popular science classes aimed at nonscience majors, and in many cases constitute the last formal science education the students will ever have. Unfortunately, these classes are typically organized around large lectures, and demand little or no participation from the students. This creates an environment in which the students too often resort to an uncritical memorization of facts, and therefore do not learn the lessons which astronomy is trying to teach them. This project is developing an astronomy class aimed at nonscience majors which as much as possible actively engages the students in critical thinking. Modern and relatively inexpensive CCD technology is now being used at many universities to teach astronomy observation laboratories to small numbers of astronomy students; the project incorporates this technology into laboratories designed for large classes of nonscience majors as a method of increasing the degree of student participation. It also takes advantage of the nearly ubiquitous presence of computer classrooms which most universities have implemented over the past few years, and expands the analysis part of the laboratories into a separate computer-homework component. This component is used to enhance the lecture part of the course as well, and thus serves not only to increase active learning, but also to break down the barrier between the lecture and the laboratory. The project pays particular attention to the practical difficulties of achieving these goals in classes which may well enroll 200 students, most of whom are not exceptionally computer-literate. It also focuses on how such an environment can be maintained in the long term without burdensome and unrealistic demands on faculty time and/or other teaching resources.

This project will build upon the infrastructure of Zooniverse.org to create authentic research experiences for introductory astronomy students. Education research indicates that including authentic research in science classes improves attitudes towards science and scientists in a diverse cross-section of students. The curriculum materials will be tested and refined at a broad spectrum of institutional settings before dissemination.

Introductory astronomy generally provides students little insight into the realities of being a scientist. This project will address this deficiency by introducing an authentic research experience for students into the astronomy for non-majors curriculum. It will utilize the classification and meta-data exploration capabilities of the Zooniverse platform. The proposed course curriculum will support students in building foundational research skills and practices through a series of in-class activities and a semester-long group research project. These activities will employ a state-of-the-art online platform to explore data collection, manipulation, and interpretation within the core topics in the curriculum. The project team will assess student learning and attitudinal gains through traditional in-class testing and conceptual questioning that is embedded within the Zooniverse online environment, as well as student interviews. This includes assessing the impact of the research experience on students' understanding of the nature of science, conceptual astronomy learning gains (e.g. the Zooniverse Astronomical Concept Survey, Prather et al, 2013), and interest in pursuing a STEM major. The team will also assess the impact of different implementations of the online platform as well as the ease of implementation of the new curricular materials in a variety of institutional settings, course structures, and content focus. They will use the insight gained to develop the most effective curricular and training materials. All curricular materials, instructional guides, online Zooniverse tools, and underlying code will be widely disseminated.