| Presentation Title: | Understanding the Student Impacts of A Solar Physics/Astrophysics Research Experience for Undergraduates |
| Author(s): | Rhiannon Fleming |
Abstract:
During the summer, Montana State University (MSU) located in Bozeman, Montana hosts a number of research experience for undergraduates (REU) programs. There are various benefits to entering an REU program as a sophomore or junior year undergraduate student: increased knowledge of specific subject matter, introduction to research, and entry into a larger scientific community. Undergraduates who are already in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program are increasingly likely to graduate with a STEM degree and continue to graduate school. The Physics Department at MSU has one such program focused on Solar physics/Astrophysics which has run for 23 years. In 2024, the program received 7 students from around the United States. This REU is structured as a course-based research program where students have class two days out of the week with the rest of the time devoted to research. Classes are physics-based, with a solar/astrophysics focus, at the start of the REU and then shift toward professional development. The future of solar physics needs new minds and an REU can be a great introduction to the field. For this year, I built and implemented formative assessments to track student progress over their time at the MSU solar physics/astrophysics REU. Formative assessments are a new classroom-based technique to check student understanding. These assessments are not traditional exams and focus on deeper knowledge gained over memorization. Additionally, I reintroduced an outreach component after a hiatus caused by the COVID 19 pandemic. Students were taught different facets of public outreach and had help to develop a collaborative program which focused from the Sun and beyond to present to teenagers at the Bozeman Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). Anticipated results are feedback on course-work understanding, integrating formative assessments for future summers, and possibly sparking an interest in public outreach.