Integrating Undergraduate Research and Faculty Development in a Legacy Astronomy Research Project. (arXiv:1907.06754v1 [astro-ph.IM])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Koopmann_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">Rebecca A. Koopmann</a> (Union College), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Balonek_T/0/1/0/all/0/1">Thomas J. Balonek</a> (Colgate University), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Cannon_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">John M. Cannon</a> (Macalester College), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Craig_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">David Craig</a> (West Texas A&M), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Durbala_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">Adriana Durbala</a> (University of Wisconsin Stevens Point), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Finn_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">Rose Finn</a> (Siena College), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Hallenbeck_G/0/1/0/all/0/1">Gregory Hallenbeck</a> (Washington & Jefferson College), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Haynes_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Martha P. Haynes</a> (Cornell University), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Lebron_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Mayra Lebrón</a> (University of Puerto Rico – Riío Piedras), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Leisman_L/0/1/0/all/0/1">Lukas Leisman</a> (Valparaiso University), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Miller_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Jeff Miller</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Odekon_M/0/1/0/all/0/1">Mary Crone Odekon</a> (Skidmore College), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+ODonoghue_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">Aileen O'Donoghue</a> (St. Lawrence University), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Ribaudo_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Joseph Ribaudo</a> (Providence College, Utica College), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Rosenberg_J/0/1/0/all/0/1">Jessica Rosenberg</a> (George Mason University), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Troischt_P/0/1/0/all/0/1">Parker Troischt</a> (Harwick College), <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Venkatesan_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">Aparna Venkatesan</a> (University of San Francisco)
The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA Team (UAT) promotes long-term
collaborative research opportunities for faculty and students from 23 U.S.
public and private primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) within the
context of the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind legacy survey project. Over
twelve project years of partnering with Arecibo and Green Bank Observatories,
the UAT has had a demonstrable impact on the health of a legacy astronomy
project, science education, and equity/inclusion in astronomy, with successful
outcomes for 373 UAT students (39% women; ~30% members of underrepresented
groups) and 34 faculty (44% women). The UAT model is adaptable to many large
scientific projects and can be supported by relatively modest funding. We
recommend that granting agencies identify funding resources to support the
model, either as an add-on to legacy grant support or as a stand-alone funding
source. This could include encouragement of UAT-like components in large scale
projects currently being developed, such as the LSST and TMT. By doing this, we
will recognize the high numbers of astronomy research-trained
heavy-teaching-load faculty at PUIs as an under-utilized resource of the
astronomy community (see also White Paper by Ribaudo et al.). These members of
our community have the skills and the strong desire to contribute meaningfully
to their field, as well as the ability to encourage and interact closely with
many talented and motivated undergraduate students from all backgrounds.
The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA Team (UAT) promotes long-term
collaborative research opportunities for faculty and students from 23 U.S.
public and private primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) within the
context of the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind legacy survey project. Over
twelve project years of partnering with Arecibo and Green Bank Observatories,
the UAT has had a demonstrable impact on the health of a legacy astronomy
project, science education, and equity/inclusion in astronomy, with successful
outcomes for 373 UAT students (39% women; ~30% members of underrepresented
groups) and 34 faculty (44% women). The UAT model is adaptable to many large
scientific projects and can be supported by relatively modest funding. We
recommend that granting agencies identify funding resources to support the
model, either as an add-on to legacy grant support or as a stand-alone funding
source. This could include encouragement of UAT-like components in large scale
projects currently being developed, such as the LSST and TMT. By doing this, we
will recognize the high numbers of astronomy research-trained
heavy-teaching-load faculty at PUIs as an under-utilized resource of the
astronomy community (see also White Paper by Ribaudo et al.). These members of
our community have the skills and the strong desire to contribute meaningfully
to their field, as well as the ability to encourage and interact closely with
many talented and motivated undergraduate students from all backgrounds.
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