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MIT Haystack Observatory will host two local high school science teachers for 7–8 weeks in summer 2018, to be paid under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation. Located 40 miles northwest of Boston, MIT Haystack is a research center engaged in atmospheric science, radio astronomy, geodesy, computer science, and engineering. Teachers will work with staff scientists on a project using observational instruments and will receive hands-on experience. The goal of the program is for STEM teachers to develop a series of inquiry-based introductory lesson plans for a particular high school level. PROJECT FOR 2018: REMOTE SENSING IN THE AIR The digital revolution has made it possible to produce remote sensing devices cheaply and quickly using single-board computers and commodity parts. The availability of inexpensive small unmanned aerial vehicles (sUAVs), also known as drones, has opened up the skies to allow sensors to be deployed wherever needed. Drone technology is readily available today and offers an easily accessible way to provide experience very relevant to today’s all-important STEM job opportunities. The goal of this RET project is to produce materials that will give students experience in designing and building instruments that will bring practical experience to the equations that they see in the classroom. Over the summer, Haystack Observatory staff will also host an undergraduate student to create an open-source drone platform for software radio applications at the state-of-the-art Haystack sUAS facility in Westford. The RET teachers will work with the team on a combination of contributing to the technical development of the system and creating classroom materials to integrate technology into their curriculum. Interest in drones, computer programming, software-defined radio, or single-board computers such as a Raspberry Pi, along with motivation to incorporate one of those components into a high school class, is highly desirable. A meeting will be held at Haystack Observatory on March 22, 2018, at 4:00 p.m. to provide more information and answer any questions related to this program. Directions to Haystack can be found at http://www.haystack.mit.edu. Attendance is encouraged but not required. More information about the program and application process is available at http://www.haystack.mit.edu/ret. Questions can be e-mailed to [email protected]. APPLICATION DEADLINE: APRIL 9, 2018 SUMMER 2018 STEM EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) MIT Haystack Observatory Westford, Massachusetts www.haystack.mit.edu/ret application deadline: April 9, 2018 PLEASE POST
