Year 2 Outreach
A variety of outreach activities were supported in Year 2. In addition to the specific activities listed below, faculty members participated in numerous other activities such as planetarium shows and judging science fairs that promoted the project and advanced the public's understanding of astronomy while not specifically described below.
The POCA/PAARE project concentrated much of its outreach activities in Year 2 toward recruitment efforts aimed at three distinct groups: (1) high school students in grades 9-12 who were potential future incoming freshmen at SC State, especially those interested in physics and astronomy; (2) STEM majors at SC State and underrepresented minority students at other institutions nationally who were prospects for the summer 2010 undergraduate internships in astronomy funded by POCA/PAARE; and (3) underrepresented minorities nationally who are prospective candidates for the POCA/PAARE graduate fellowship in astronomy at Clemson.
- October 2009
- October 14-17, 2009, SACNAS Conference, Dallas, TX
- October 29-November 1, 2009, NSF HBCU-UP Research Conference, Washington, DC
- October 2009-February 2010
- August 2009-February 2010
- December 2009-February 2010
- February 2010
A packet with a cover letter, flyers and a poster describing the POCA/PAARE graduate fellowship in astronomy at Clemson University was mailed to 40 physics programs at HBCUs and other minority institutions.
PI Walter attended the annual meeting of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). A POCA/PAARE booth was set up that advertised the POCA/PAARE summer astronomy intern program at SC State and the POCA/PAARE graduate fellowships at Clemson University.
Co-PI Smith attended the annual research conference for the NSF program, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Undergraduate Program (UP). A POCA/PAARE booth was set up that advertised the POCA/PAARE summer astronomy intern program at SC State and the POCA/PAARE graduate fellowships at Clemson University.
PI Walter visited a total of 5 high schools in Georgia and South Carolina to talk about physics and astronomy at SC State, the POCA/PAARE scholarships and STEM careers. He spoke to a total of 473 students and 16 teachers. Most of the students were upper classmen and nearly half of them were honors or gifted and talented students.
Co-PI Leising and PI Walter have directly contacted 6 underrepresented minority students who have expressed an interest in the POCA/PAARE graduate fellowship at Clemson either from contacts made at the SACNAS meeting or the summer REU program at Clemson.
PI Walter and Co-PI Smith have directly contacted 19 high school seniors in South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina who have expressed an interest in attending SC State and majoring in physics. The students were provided with POCA/PAARE scholarship information.
A packet with a cover letter, flyers and a poster describing the POCA/PAARE undergraduate astronomy internships for the summer of 2010 was mailed to 40 physics programs at HBCUs and other minority institutions.
