Research: CAMPARE

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CAMPARE | Program Details | Arizona | SETI | JPL/Caltech | Apply

Program Description
LEFT PHOTO (above): Students at Astronomy Camp observe sunset through the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope, the largest solar instrument in the world, located at Kitt Peak, Arizona. The Director of Astronomy Camp, Dr. Donald McCarthy of the University of Arizona Steward Observatory, is at right.

RIGHT PHOTO (above): Three Cal Poly Pomona students, Mike Errico, Gregory Villar, and Stephanie Zajac, who were working at JPL posing with a full size model of the Mars Science Laboratory (Mars Curiosity Rover). Participate in cutting edge research in astronomy, planetary and space science, astrobiology, and astronomy education and public outreach at one of four world-class research institutions the University of Arizona Steward Observatory, JPL, Caltech, and the SETI Institute. The CAMPARE program is a network of community colleges and comprehensive universities in California from which students are recruited to participate in undergraduate research projects for 10 weeks in the summer. Students are paid a stipend, and travel and housing expenses are included.



A chart showing the CAMPARE network: the arrows represent the flow of students from their home institutions (blue rectangles) to the research institutions (purple rectangle) where they participate in astronomy and space science research. Selected projects at some of the participating CSU campuses may also be available for summer research, indicated by arrows returning to the left.

Students from 6 different majors (Physics, Geology, Biology, Aerospace, Computer and Electrical Engineering) have participated in CAMPARE. Other majors in science and engineering are also encouraged to apply. Projects students have worked on include:

Program Details

In the SETI lab, Ashley Curry adds liquid nitrogen to cool the apparatus used to prepare samples of ethane or ethane/water mixes for infrared spectral analysis. Matching these laboratory spectra with astronomical spectra of objects in our outer Solar System will help determine if these objects contain ethane. Liquid nitrogen is very cold, only 77 degress above absolute zero or 321 degrees below zero Farenheit (77 K = -196 C = -321 F).

What is it?
Students will work for 10 weeks in the summer with scientists at the University of Arizona Steward Observatory, the SETI Institute, or JPL/Caltech on projects spanning the fields of astronomy, planetary and space science, astrobiology, and astronomy education and public outreach.

Who should apply?
Applicants must be United States Citizens or Permanent Residents. Students may not have graduated before the beginning of the summer internship.

To be eligible for the program, students must be have completed a full year of college level physics by Summer 2013. Preference will be given to students with additional physics coursework.

TOP: Jason Alonzo preparing an OREOcube sample inside the deposition system, placing an optical SiO2 window on the disk.

BOTTOM: Gabriela Serna posing in front of Kitt Peak telescopes.

When
Applications are due Friday, February 1, 2013; successful students will be notified in March. The research program runs Monday, June 10th to Friday, August 16th 2013 (10 weeks). The dates of the education/public outreach program at the University of Arizona will determined by the dates of Astronomy Camp and in consultation with the Director, Dr. Don McCarthy.

Financial support
$5000 for the full 10 weeks - in addition, participants will be provided with housing. Travel reimbursement is up to $600 for travel from home or campus to the relevant research site.

» Express Interest

If you have any questions about the program, please contact the CAMPARE Director, Professor Rudolph.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. AST-0847170.