ERIC Number: EJ1330561
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Dec
Pages: 2
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-921X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Robotic Telescope Labs for Survey-Level Undergraduates
Reichart, Daniel E.
Physics Teacher, v59 n9 p728-729 Dec 2021
For the past dozen years, the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill has been developing a unique, survey-level astronomy curriculum, primarily for undergraduate students, with the goal of significantly boosting STEM enrollments on a national scale, as well as boosting students' technical and research skills. Called "Our Place In Space!" (OPIS!), this curriculum leverages Skynet--a global network of ˜20 fully automated, or robotic, professional-grade telescopes located at some of the world's best observing sites. We have recently received $1.85M from NSF's IUSE program to expand OPIS! nationwide and $3M from DoD's NDEP program to integrate a global network of 5-m to 30-m diameter radio telescopes into Skynet, and to develop a follow-up curriculum to OPIS!, called "Astrophotography of the Multi-Wavelength Universe!" or MWU! Both grants come with funding for participating instructors.
Descriptors: College Science, Undergraduate Students, Robotics, Laboratory Equipment, Astronomy, Science Curriculum, Science Instruction
American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://aapt.scitation.org/journal/pte
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: North Carolina
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1245383; 1640131; 2013300
Author Affiliations: N/A