Speaker: Nicholas J. McConnell
Institution: UW-Madison
Title: Strengthening our profession through structured learning experiences
Abstract: Ingredients for a successful career in astrophysics include (but are not limited to) talent, opportunity, committed effort, knowledge, resilience, and mentorship. We all have roles in cultivating and strengthening these ingredients for ourselves, our students, and our colleagues, while relying on training structures that often aren’t effective at balancing and integrating them. While learning physics and astronomy content in a high school or college class is the entry point for many future researchers, a narrower cross-section will access on-the-job development for crucial skills like research design, adaptive planning, and leadership. With intention these skills can be incorporated into astrophysics curricula and practiced early on, so they can bear upon students’ persistence in the discipline. I will share two case studies: one scaffolding research practices and mindsets in a UW-Madison astronomy course, and AstroTech – a summer program broadening undergraduate and graduate students’ participation in astronomy instrumentation.
Tea and cookies start at 3:15 PM. Zoom option available here.