Education Sessions and Outreach Activities at AAS 247

On behalf of the AAS Executive Office, I’m looking forward to welcoming you to Phoenix for the 247th AAS meeting! I’ve worked with the AAS Education Committee to compile this schedule of nearly everything focused on astronomy education, outreach, and some adjacent topics at the Phoenix meeting. Feel free to browse the full meeting program here: AAS 247 Block Schedule.

Especially consider joining us for the following activities organized by the Education Committee and/or AAS education staff:

• The Reception for Astronomy Educators is on Monday night, 5 January, from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in Room 301 C. All astronomy educators are welcome; the event will be lightly catered with appetizers and will be a high-quality networking session.

• Special sessions organized by the Education Committee include The National Landscape of Undergraduate Astronomy Majors (Mon, 5 Jan, 2:00–3:30 pm), Bridging AAS Outreach efforts into the 2020s and Beyond: Eclipse Efforts, Shapley Lectures, and More (Wed, 7 Jan, 10:00–11:30 am), and Non-Federal Funding Mechanisms for Undergraduate Research Programs (Thu, 8 Jan, 10:00–11:30 am).

• Other special sessions of interest include AAS Working Group on Graduate Admissions Panel and Discussion (Tue, 6 Jan, 10:00–11:30 am), Disability and Accessibility in Education/Outreach (Tue, 6 Jan, 2:00–3:30 pm), and Transforming Astronomy Classrooms: Active Learning in Practice by APS/AAS/AAPT Faculty Teaching Institute Alumni (Wed, 7 Jan, 2:00–3:30 pm).

• Outreach Event: The Education Committee is organizing a public star party on Tuesday, 6 January, from 3:00 to 8:00 pm at Heritage & Science Park. Astronomers and AAS attendees interested in attending and/or helping with the event can express their interest using this form to get involved.

Please also join the plenary presentation by 2025 AAS Education Prize winner Raja GuhaThakurta: "The Creating Equity in STEAM (CrEST) Experiential Learning Programs," 3:40–4:30 pm on Tuesday, 6 January. Finally, there's still time (until 2 January) to register for a workshop — including workshops sponsored by the Education Committee.

We’re looking forward to seeing you in Phoenix! You may navigate the schedule below by clicking on the following table of contents:

• Saturday, 3 Jan
• Sunday, 4 Jan
• Monday, 5 Jan
• Tuesday, 6 Jan
• Wednesday, 7 Jan
• Thursday, 8 Jan

All times are given in Mountain Standard Time (MST), or UTC – 7 hours.

Saturday, 3 Jan

Saturday AM

How to give great presentations: a scientist’s guide to effective communication
Workshop (Register Here)
9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Neurodiversity, Neuroinclusion, and the Stengths of Neurodiversity in STEM: Finding and Cultivating Neurodivergent Potential
Workshop (Register Here)
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
(Supported by the AAS Education Committee via the Education & Professional Development Mini-Grant)

Note that all workshops at AAS meetings require pre-registration. You may add a workshop to your registration by logging back into your AAS account.

Sunday, 4 Jan

Sunday AM

Building Thriving Departments & Programs: Strategies to Promote Recruitment, Retention, and Career Preparation
Workshop (Register Here)
9:00 am –12:00 pm
(Supported by the AAS Education Committee via the Education & Professional Development Mini-Grant)

Teaching Strategies that Work: FTI Workshop for Astronomy and Physics Educators
Workshop (Register Here)
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
(Supported by the AAS Education Committee via the Education & Professional Development Mini-Grant)

Just and Inclusive Classrooms: Nontraditational Grades and Assessments
Workshop (Register Here)
9:30 am – 1:00 pm
(Supported by the AAS Education Committee via the Education & Professional Development Mini-Grant)

Student and Early Career Professional Development Workshop: How to Conference Successfully
Workshop (Register Here)
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Phoenix Convention Center, 121 C

Note that all workshops at AAS meetings require pre-registration. You may add a workshop to your registration by logging back into your AAS account.

Sunday PM

Student and First Timers Orientation
Attendee Event
4:30–5:30 pm
Phoenix Convention Center, 301 C Pre-function Area

Grad School & REU Fair
Attendee Event
5:30–7:00 pm
Phoenix Convention Center, 301 C

Monday, 5 Jan

Monday AM

9:00–10:00 am (iPoster Sessions):

Accessible Observatories: Small-Telescope Instrumentation for Education and Community Science
iPoster Session
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

Participatory Astronomy: Student Engagement, Citizen Science, and Networked Support
iPoster Session
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

Astronomy Literacy
iPoster Session
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

10:00–11:30 am (Parallel Sessions):

CSMA Panel on Grassroots Outreach & Mentorship in Today's Climate
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 224 B

Climate Change in the Classroom
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 226 B

How to Create and Advocate for Departmental Change with the EP3 Guide
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 232 A
(Supported by the AAS Education Committee via the Education & Professional Development Mini-Grant)

Bridging the Skies: Constellations Across Cultures Through Science, Art & Story
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 226 A

Monday PM

Leveraging the Power of Cosmic Messengers with Rubin, LIGO, and Gemini
Splinter Session
12:30–3:30 pm
Phoenix Convention Center, 131 C
(Supported by the AAS Education Committee via the Education & Professional Development Mini-Grant)

2:00–3:30 pm (Parallel Sessions):

The National Landscape of Undergraduate Astronomy Majors
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 226 B

Community Models of Astronomy: Relationship Building Between Kitt Peak National Observatory and the Tohono O’odham Nation
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 224 B

Inclusive Astronomy: Partnerships, Access, and Accessibility Across Communities
Oral Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 227 B

Planetarium Event: Experience Rubin Observatory
Offsite Event (RSVP required)
6:00–8:00 pm
Arizona Science Center (map from PCC)

Reception for Astronomy Educators
Attendee Event
7:30–9:00 pm
Phoenix Convention Center, 301 C

Tuesday, 6 Jan

Tuesday AM

Disability and Accessibility in Education/Outreach
iPoster Session
9:00–10:00 am
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

AAS Working Group on Graduate Admissions Panel and Discussion
Special Session
10:00–11:30 am
Phoenix Convention Center, 226 B

Tuesday PM

2:00–3:30 pm (Parallel Sessions):

Disability and Accessibility in Education/Outreach
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 226 A

Cultural Astronomy in the American Southwest
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 226 B

Outreach and Education Engagement: Rubin, Roman, and Beyond
Oral Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 221 B

AAS 247 Public Star Party
Outreach Event
3:00–8:00 pm
Heritage & Science Park (map: walking directions)

Plenary: Raja GuhaThakurta, The Creating Equity in STEAM (CrEST) Experiential Learning Programs
Plenary
3:40–4:30 pm
Phoenix Convention Center, West Building 301AB

Working Session for Community-centered Design and Implementation
iPoster Session
5:30–6:30 pm
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

Wednesday, 7 Jan

Wednesday AM

10:00–11:30 am (Parallel Sessions):

Bridging AAS Outreach efforts into the 2020s and Beyond: Eclipse Efforts, Shapley Lectures, and More
Splinter Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 131 A

Team Science, Trust, and Inclusive Pathways in Astronomy
Oral Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 230

Wednesday PM

2:00–3:30 pm (Parallel Sessions):

Transforming Astronomy Classrooms: Active Learning in Practice by APS/AAS/AAPT Faculty Teaching Institute Alumni
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 225 B

Working Session for Community-centered Design and Implementation
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 226 A

Get Involved with NASA Citizen Science
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 226 C

Beyond Academe: Exploring Astronomy-powered Career Paths
Splinter Session
2:00–3:00 pm
Phoenix Convention Center, 126 C

Get Involved with NASA Citizen Science
iPoster Session
5:30–6:30 pm
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

Thursday, 8 Jan

Thursday AM

9:00–10:00 am (iPoster Sessions):

Building Pathways: Rural Outreach, Teacher Professional Development, and Undergraduate Experiences
iPoster Session
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

Scaling Impact: Programs, Networks, and Research in Informal Astronomy Outreach
iPoster Session
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

Lowering Barriers to Authentic Student Research in Astronomy
iPoster Session
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

NITARP and IRSA: Authentic Classroom Research Tools, Lessons, and Impact
iPoster Session
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

Targeted Pathways: Internships and Research Broadening Astronomy Participation
iPoster Session
Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B/C/D

10:00–11:30 am (Parallel Sessions):

Global Networks and Pathways in Astronomy Education and Citizen Science
Oral Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 230

Evidence-Based Undergraduate Astronomy Teaching and Research Experiences
Oral Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 221 B

Non-Federal Funding Mechanisms for Undergraduate Research Programs
Special Session
Phoenix Convention Center, 226 B

Thursday PM

Under the Radar: Supporting Post-Bacs in an Increasingly Challenging Environment
Special Session
2:00–3:30 pm
Phoenix Convention Center, 224 B