Observational Astrophysics Research through Cross Institutional Research Partnerships
Kristen C. Dage, Linda Strubbe, Rhianna Taub, Amna Khalyleh, Malu Sudha, Teresa Panurach, Muhammad Ridha Aldhalemi, Zainab Bustani, Dominic DeYonker, Mariam Ismail Fawaz, Hans J. Harff, Timothy McBride, Jesse Mason, Anthony Preston, Cortney Rinehart, Ethan Vinson, Vanessa Wilson, Edward M. Cackett, William I. Clarkson
Published: 2025/9/19
Abstract
Undergraduate research in STEM can be a transformative experience, especially for Community College students, many of whom come from under-represented backgrounds. However, undergraduate research at Community Colleges is relatively rare, due in part to their focus on teaching excellence. Research partnerships with four year colleges about exciting and accessible science topics, facilitated by researchers such as postdoctoral fellows, can be a powerful path forward. We describe our program, the Dead Stars Society (DSS), as a successful example of such a research partnership, focused on the topic of observational astronomy, specifically stellar science with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, and X-ray astronomy with Chandra, NICER and NuSTAR.