REU Site: Research in Radio/Radar Astronomy and Atmospheric Sciences at Arecibo Observatory

Universidad Metropolitana, San Juan PR

Investigators

Abstract

This project supports summer undergraduate research experiences at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Supported students are drawn from Puerto Rico and the mainland US. Students will engage in research using data from the Arecibo Observatory. Projects will be related to studies of the Earth's atmosphere, studies of the Sun and space weather, studies of neutron stars, and studies of galaxies. Many projects are interdisciplinary and will train students in science, data taking, data management, and communicating science. Students are also introduced to career options, and lectures on Puerto Rican geology, culture, and history. The project will involve hands-on research in radio astronomy, space and atmospheric sciences, electronics, computing, mechanical engineering, and big data analysis. Specific research projects will include the study of pulsars, initiation and propagation of coronal mass ejections, studies of the mesosphere and lower atmosphere, the response of the ionosphere to geomagnetic storms, asteroid radar, and machine learning. The project will target women undergraduates from underserved populations in Puerto Rico, but will also engage students from across the US. Students will obtain professional development instruction to prepare them for graduate school and careers in STEM. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.