POCA

Current Events

Physics Major to Intern at Space Telescope Science Institute

Myles McKay a Senior Physics/Astronomy Major at SCSU will be interning this summer (2015) at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.

Go here for more information.

Past Events

Physics Astronomy Project Featured on NSF Website

The SC State astronomy project, POCA, was recently featured on the NSF website. Go here for the story.

Faculty and Students Present at AAS Meeting

January 6-10, 2013
Long Beach, California

Three undergraduates and two faculty members attended and presented at the recent meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Long Beach, California.

For event information go here.

Fall 2012 Observing Run At KPNO

October 4-6, 2012
Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ

First time observers Charles Kurgatt and Joe Bartolini joined Dr. Walter for a three night observing run on the Coude Feed telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory.

For more information go here.

Summer Interns Observe At KPNO

May 31- June 2, 2012
Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ

Interns Maria Martinez and Will Hernandez traveled with Dr. Walter to Kitt Peak at the beginning of their Summer 2012 POCA internship, observing with the Coude Feed telescope and touring other facilities.

For more information go here.

POCA Faculty and Student to KPNO

May 16-18, 2012
Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ

POCA Faculty Drs. Cash and Walter and Undergraduate physics major Bryan Pugh visited Kitt Peak National Observatory for a 3-night observing run on the Coude Feed Telescope.

For more information go here.

Earth & Space Science Workshop for Middle and High School Teachers and Students

June 27 - 30, 2011
South Carolina State University & Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
Orangeburg, SC

For more information go here.

The PAARE Summer 2011 Internship Program

June - July, 2011

SC State is currently hosting the 4th annual POCA Undergraduate Summer Internship Program in Astronomy. This NSF funded program is similar to the NSF REU programs. However, the SC State program targets students who typically have little or no previous experience in astronomical research. Students are in residence at SC State for eight weeks and conduct research as well as receive an overview of the field of astronomy.

For more information go here.

Funding is provided by NSF to SC State under the award AST -0750814

Observing at the Coude-Feed at KPNO

May 16-19, 2011
Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ

PI Walter continued the POCA project’s long term study of RV Tauri and Semi-Regular variables with another successful observing run at Kitt Peak National Observatory using the Coude-Feed Telescope. Three nights out of four were useful, with one night lost to weather. Blue spectra (3700-5100 angstroms) were obtained including stars that were simultaneously being observed from space by NASA’s Kepler Observatory as part of a program lead by Walter, Cash and Howell.

Above: Photograph of the Coudé Feed Telescope by Dr. Walter.

Travel to NASA Ames

May 10-11, 2011
Moffett Field, California

Drs. Cash and Walter traveled to the NASA Ames Research Center to work with astronomers in the Kepler Guest Observer Office . They examined light curves of stars taken by the Kepler Observatory as part of their NASA-funded study with colleague Dr. Steve Howell who is the Deputy Project Scientist for Kepler.

Observing at the Coude-Feed at KPNO

March 30 - April 2, 2011
Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ

Dr. Walter used the Coude-Feed Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory on three good observing nights out of four to acquire specta in the blue (3700 - 5100 angstroms) and red (6400-9000 angstroms) of a number of RV Tauri, Semi-Regular and peculiar stars. Some of the objects were being observed simultaneously from space by NASA's Kepler Observatory as part of a program lead by Walter, Cash and Howell.

Above: Photograph of the Coudé Feed Telescope by Dr. Walter.

2011 Meeting of Astronomers in South Carolina

Saturday, March 26, 2011
Orangeburg, SC

The MASC 2011 meeting at South Carolina State University was held on Saturday, March 26, 2011.

For a summary of the meeting go here.

American Astronomical Society Meeting

January 9-13, 2011
Seattle, WA

Three SC State students and two astronomers will attend and present at the 217th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society. The students include math major Eva Nesmith and physics majors Bryan Pugh and Jared Lalmansingh. Faculty members Drs. Jennifer Cash and Donald Walter will also present their research results. Support for their research is provided by NSF to SC State under its POCA award AST-0750814. More

Coude Feed Telescope Observing Run

October 18-21, 2010
Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ

Dr. Walter had one good night of observing on the Coude Feed Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory . During this run. He acquired blue spectra (3700-5100 angstroms) of numerous RV Tauri and Semiregular variables.

 

Included in the observations were several stars that were simultaneously being observed from space by the Kepler Observatory. Those objects are part of the year-long Kepler observing program of Drs. Cash, Howell, and Walter that has been approved and funded by NASA.

Above: Photograph of the Coudé Feed Telescope by Dr. Walter.

Earth & Space Science Workshop for High School Teachers

July 13-15, 2010
South Carolina State University & Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
Orangeburg, SC

For more information go here.

The PAARE Summer 2010 Internship Program

May-August 2010

A total of six students are participating in this summer’s internship program in astronomy funded by the NSF PAARE program awarded to SC State. Four of the students are Tier I (Beginning) researchers and two are Tier II (Experienced) researchers. More

Left: Edwin Mainia (left) and Bryan Pugh (right) look on as Dr. Cash (center) demonstrates how to fit light curves to AAVSO data.

Coude Feed Telescope observing

May 18-22, 2010
Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ

PI Walter conducted a five-night observing run on the Coude Feed Telescope. Observation results.

Walter had five nights of good weather and excellent skies. He was able to acquire spectra in the blue (3700-5100 angstroms) and red (6400-9000 angstroms) of nearly 30 stars; including RV Tauri types and Semiregular variables.

Above: Photograph of the Coudé Feed Telescope by Dr. Walter. Open this link for additional photographs.

SC State Astronomers and Students attend MASC

March 6, 2010
College of Charleston, Charleston, SC

Drs. Cash, Smith and Walter plus students Eva Nesmith and Jared Lalmansingh attended the annual Meeting of Astronomers in South Carolina (MASC). This year’s event was held at the College of Charleston. Student poster presentations included one by Eva "Photometric Light Curve Analysis of RV Tauri Stars Using AAVSO" and one by Jared "Modeling the Hard X-ray Spectrum of a Type Ia Supernova".

Coudé Feed Telescope observing, January 2010

January 26-29, 2010
Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ

PI Walter attempted an observing run on the Coudé Feed Telescope , to acquire spectra of RV Tauri and Semiregular stars. However,all nights were canceled due to clouds and snow.

Left: Photograph of the Coudé Feed Telescope during snow storm by Dr. Walter. Open this link for additional photographs.

 

 

 

American Astronomical Society Meeting, January, 2010

January 3 - 7, 2010
Washington, DC

Three students and four faculty members from SC State attended the 215th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Washington, D.C., January 3-7, 2010. The three students included junior math major Eva Nesmith and junior physics majors Patrick Durant and Jared Lalmansingh. Faculty members included Drs. Jennifer Cash, Elizabeth Mayo, Daniel Smith and Donald Walter. Read More

Coudé Feed Telescope observing, October 2009

October 1-4, 2009
Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, AZ

PI Walter conducted an observing run on the Coudé Feed Telescope, acquiring spectra of RV Tauri and Semiregular stars in the wavelength range of 3700-5100 angstroms. Observation results

Left: Photograph of the Coudé Feed Telescope by Dr. Walter.

 

 

 

SARA REU End-of-the-Summer Meeting

July 30-August 2, 2009
Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL

SC State POCA/PAARE student Jared Lalmansingh, who conducted his research at Clemson presented his results at the SARA meeting.

Visit to Clemson

July 20 - 21, 2009
Clemson University, Clemson, SC

Four SC State POCA/PAARE students and three SC State professors visited Clemson University to discuss their summer's work, hear about research opportunities from graduate students and faculty, get to know Clemson, and hear more directly from students what graduate school is like. Read More

The PAARE Summer 2009 Internship Program

May-August 2009
South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC

A total of 6 SC State undergraduate students were funded by POCA/PAARE to receive training and conduct research during the summer of 2009. Four were at SC State and one worked at Clemson University and another at NOAO. Details of their training and research can be found here.

Stellar Pulsation: Challenges for Theory and Observation

May 31-June 5, 2009
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sante Fe, NM

Poster Presentation by Co-PI Cash: " A Long Term Photometric and Spectroscopic Study of RV Tauri Stars."

 

 

 

Annual Meeting of Astronomers in South Carolina

April 4, 2009
Annual Meeting of Astronomers in South Carolina (MASC), Bob Jones University, Greenville, SC

PI Walter and two students, Patrict Durant and Graham Davis, attended and gave presentations. Posters were presented by Patrick Durant: "Analysis of Emission Lines in Select RV Tauri Stars" and Graham Davis: "Methods of Period Determination in RV Tauri Stars." PI Walter gave an oral presentation: "Partnering to Increase Diversity in Astronomy."

National Society of Black Physicists Conference

February 11-15, 2009,
Nashville, TN

An exhibit booth was displayed describing the SCSU-Clemson-NOAO PAARE project in order to recruit students to the summer astronomy internship program at SCSU and the astronomy Ph.D. program at Clemson University.

Patrick Durant, SCSU Physics Major and PAARE Summer Research Intern presented a poster entitled: "Analysis of Emission Lines in Select RV Tauri Stars."

SCSU PAARE undergraduate Patrick Durant (left) and NOAO astronomer Kenneth Mighell (right) stand next to Durants poster at the National Society of Black Physicists meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, in February 2009

American Astronomical Society Meeting, January 2009

January 4-8, 2009
in Long Beach, CA

SC State Astronomers Dr. Cash, Dr. Mayo and Dr. Walter and student Graham Davis attended the winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Long Beach, CA, January 4-8, 2009. More

 

Left: Graham Davis presents his poster at the January 2009 AAS meeting.

Observing at Kitt Peak

November 14-15, 2008,
Kitt Peak National Obsevatory, Kitt Peak, AZ

PI Dr. Donald Walter and SCSU physics major Jared Lalmansingh participated in an observing run on the 4-meter telescope with Clemson graduate student Eric Bubar. The experience so inspired student Lalmansingh that he decided to switch from a general physics major to physics major with the astronomy option.

Guest speakers from Lawrence Livermore National Lab

November 13-14, 2008,
South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC

Guest speakers from Lawrence Livermore National Lab visited SCSU and spoke to students and faculty. The visitors included astronomer Dr.David Dearborn and physicist Dr. Kennedy Reed. Dearborn spoke about his research and LLNL opportunities while Kennedy spoke about "Physics in Africa"," based on his travels and talks throughout the continent. Announcement web page

Observation on the Plaza

November 10, 2008
Student Center Plaza, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC

On a crisp Monday evening, some 100 SCSU students and faculty gathered to observe the Moon and the planets Jupiter and Venus with telescopes and binoculars on the Student Center Plaza. Photographs

Rebka Scientific Conference

September 14-16 2008,
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

SCSU Co-PI Dr. Jennifer Cash gave a talk at the Rebka Scientific Conference entitled "Partnership in Observational and Computational Astronomy at South Carolina State University".

 

The PAARE Summer 2008 Internship Program

May 21, 2008 - July 25, 2008
South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC

The PAARE Summer Internship Program was held at SCSU. This REU-type program included research and learning opportunities for three SCSU physics majors, Graham Davis, Joshua Davis and Patrick Durant. More

Contact us for more information.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number AST-0750814.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Background Image: NGC3582 in Sagittarius; T.A. Rector/University of Alaska Anchorage, T. Abbott and NOAO/AURA/NSF