Taking a break from the Stretching the Rainbow program for a group photo, in front of the MDM Observatory in Arizona, are (l-r) Mangala Sharma, research assistant professor; teachers Melissa Whitley-Huff, David Pentecost, Randall Dunkin and Judith Gardner; and Joe Shields, professor and chair of the Ohio University Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Local teacher is Stretching the Rainbow
Andrea Gibson Ohio University Office of Research Communications
Even at Kitt Peak, one of the world's best spots for stargazing, astronomers can get frustrated. Clouds, rain and hail can obscure views of the cosmos. The vast array of computers that operate modern observatories occasionally encounter a glitch. But when it works, when the skies clear and the technology is humming, the payoff of a close peek at the universe is well worth it.
That's what four high school science teachers from Ross, Adams and Brown counties in southern Ohio learned when they traveled to Ohio University's MDM Observatory near Tucson, Ariz. last month. Their visit was part of a program, funded by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and organized by the university's Astrophysical Institute, that aims to offer teachers first-hand experience with conducting astronomical research.
The program, "Stretching the Rainbow," introduced the teachers to multi-wavelength astronomy. Telescopes at astronomical observatories are designed to view the cosmos in specific parts of the spectrum, such as X rays, optical light or radio waves. Today's scientists are learning to use all of these technologies to get a more comprehensive view of the universe, explained Mangala Sharma, a research assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy who organized the program.
Sharma, who specializes in public outreach, connected with the teachers through her work in the university's BEEFS (Building Exemplary Elementary Foundations in Science) program for area educators. Through an existing Smithsonian grant awarded to Joe Shields, a professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Sharma was able to secure additional funding for the teachers to participate in a series of workshops on multi-wavelength astronomy and to travel to two major national observatories - the MDM, which houses two optical telescopes, and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory facility at Green Bank, W. Va.
The program not only briefed the teachers on the latest developments in astronomy, but allowed them to step into the shoes of the researchers. They learned how to request telescope time, operate an observatory, use high-powered cameras to cull images of galaxies and stars and analyze data.
"The idea is to send them off, knowing that they can do astronomy themselves," Sharma said.
The chance to conduct research at a world-class observatory at Kitt Peak attracted several of the teachers to the "Stretching the Rainbow" program. Dave Pentecost, a self-described "astronomy junkie," jumped at the opportunity to move beyond basic backyard observing and use the tools of professional astronomers.
"The simple act of using a major research instrument to image (through various filters) distant objects took astronomy out of the realm of the abstract and made it very real," he said.
Fellow educator Randall Dunkin, of Adams County, noted that most high school science teachers don't have the time or money to travel to a major astronomy observatory - and even if they did, they might only get to tour the facility, not use it. But the teachers, whose trip expenses were totally covered by the Smithsonian grant, performed every step of real observatory research, from powering up the telescope and positioning the dome to processing images, he said.
"There is no book that can offer anything remotely close in value to the immersion experience we had at the observatories. And even if such a book existed, it would still lack the joy that comes from personally imaging the cosmos," said Dunkin, who also was impressed by the zeal of his guides, Sharma and Shields, for their work.
Though clouds and hail shut down the MDM Observatory for a few hours on the visit nights, the teachers were able to observe an array of cosmic phenomena, from colliding galaxies to new star formation.
"They got to see for themselves how exciting, tedious and exhausting it can be, and how amazing it is to get a picture of a galaxy far, far away," Sharma said.
Dunkin said it was exciting to use the MDM telescope to image an irregular galaxy (one of three types of galaxies in the universe - the other two are elliptical and spiral). Pentecost got a thrill out of spotting the Sombrero Galaxy, a spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo that bears an uncanny resemblance to the hat. "When that image appeared on the computer screen," he said, "it was the high point of the trip."
Both teachers said the experience will be useful in teaching lessons on astronomy and helping their students meet state and federal requirements for science testing next school year. Pentecost said his students also will be interested in learning more about the group's trip to the University of Arizona Mirror Lab, which builds some of the world's largest telescopes, as they're highly interested in new technologies.
That's one of the goals of "Stretching the Rainbow," Sharma said. She and Shields hope that the science teachers' enthusiasm for astronomy research will have a ripple effect in the classroom, engaging more young people in science.
Formerly a science teacher at the Ohio Valley Career and Technical Center, Dunkin has transferred to North Adams High School for the coming school year. He will be teaching astronomy, honors biology, and anatomy and physiology.
"My students will be accessing the 40-foot radio telescope at Green Bank, W. Va. to do their own imaging of our galaxy when school begins this year," Dunkin wrote in a recent email to the Defender. "There is nothing like doing it yourself to truly gain an understanding and appreciation of science and our world.
"On other fronts ... I have been awarded a Hach Scientific Foundation Grant for $1,500 to pursue my student-centered Radon Outreach Project Proposal, which I am eagerly anticipating," Dunkin added. "We will also be pursuing a 'biocomplexity' project that links science with the world of public policy and decision-making.
"This summer I am working with the Astrophysics Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory," said Dunkin. "My assignment is to assist Dr. Michael Smith with sensitivity studies in nucleosynthesis. Students in my astronomy class will also be using a similar set of numerical codes for probing the elemental abundances of our Universe, as I am designing a Web module with Dr. Smith that will allow them an authentic inquiry experience. It is meticulous work, and there is a lot of work to be done. But I think it holds the promise of offering my students a memorable and successful experience in research."
It's great to see that Randall Dunkin is still doing such a fabulous job promoting the Sciences to his students. I credit Mr. Dunkin in influencing my decision to obtain a Bachelors of Science Degree in Dietetics I now work in Seattle to promote health and nutrition for the senior population. Thanks for all the hard work, keep it up at North Adams!
