NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program

The NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program, or NITARP, gets educators involved in authentic astronomical research by teaming them up with professional astronomers for a year-long original research project using NASA's vast archives of astronomical data from space- and ground-based telescopes.

The program teams up a small group of educators with a professional astronomer and a teacher mentor for a proposed research project. At the beginning of the program, participants attend the American Astronomical Society (AAS) winter conference, where they meet their mentor and learn about the research project. The team does most of its research remotely except for a three- to four-day visit to Caltech in Pasadena, California, to meet with the team in-person and work on the data. Participants then present the results of their research at the subsequent AAS winter conference. In addition to giving educators first-hand astronomical research experience, the program is designed to encourage educators to share their experiences and knowledge with colleagues and students.

• Target applicants: Teachers for grades nine through 12, however formal and informal educators for all education levels are encouraged to apply.
• Educators should be reasonably familiar with the basics of astronomy, mathematics and computers.

See details on the program website.

Visit the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program website and fill out the online application.

http://nitarp.ipac.caltech.edu/

For general inquiries, contact:
NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program
nitarp@ipac.caltech.edu