Education
Contact
Dr. Rick Fienberg
Press Officer and Education and Outreach Coordinator
202-328-2010 x116
Email
The Society assists its members to develop their skills in the fields of education and public outreach at all levels. The Society promotes broad interest in astronomy, which enhances science literacy and leads many to careers in science and engineering.
Recent Posts
Spark is the AAS Education Newsletter. It consists primarily of original articles about or related to the education programs and activities of the American Astronomical Society and its members.
The American Astronomical Society (AAS), in partnership with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), members of the Center for Astronomy Education (CAE), and other organizations active in science education and public outreach (EPO), is creating a new program for young astronomers just starting their careers. The project involves a series of professional-development workshops and a community of practice designed to help improve participants’ communication skills and effectiveness in doing outreach to students and the public. Called Astronomy Ambassadors, this new program will provide mentoring and training experiences for new members of our profession, from advanced undergraduates to postdocs, providing access to resources and a network of contacts within the astronomy EPO community.
AstroZone - AstroZone is an open house held the Saturday prior to an AAS Meeting for the public to learn about the cool science currently going on in earth and space science.
NASA - NASA offers access to both its Education and Public Outreach resources as well as a support network for everything related Explanatory Guide to the NASA Office of Space Science Education and Public Outreach Evaluation Criteria (February 2002)
Astronomers apply equal measures of analytic thinking and imagination, logic and intuition, to answer the most fundamental questions about the cosmos: What are stars and planets? How did they evolve? Why does the night sky look the way it does? Does life exist among the stars? How did the universe get here? How will it end? If astronomy seems a rigorous science, it's because the objective of astronomers is nothing less than to understand the nature of the universe. It takes a special person to pursue this objective; one who likes to challenge and be challenged..
SPARK publishes original articles on astronomy education about or related to the education programs and activities of the American Astronomical Society and its members. Reading previous issues will give you an idea of the types of articles that appear in the Newsletter. Opinion pieces, reviews, letters to the editor, newsworthy items are all welcome, subject to the guidelines below.
The Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectureship Program of the American Astronomical Society is a program of two day visits by professional astronomers who bring the excitement of modern astronomy and astrophysics to colleges of all types. Participation is open to two-year colleges and four-year undergraduate institutions throughout North America including Canada and Mexico, and, especially institutions that do not offer an astronomical degree.