Summer programs welcome highest-ever number of incoming students and mentors
The summer research programs at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) kicked off in May 2021 with a significant increase in participation. This year’s program welcomed 65 students across all partner locations, a nearly 67-percent increase over the prior year. NRAO and the Green Bank Observatory (GBO) also welcomed 45 mentors to the summer programs—a record number—many of whom are first-time or early-career mentors.
Each year, NRAO and GBO provide research experiences through internships for both undergraduate and graduate students across several programs, including the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), National Astronomy Consortium (NAC), National and International Non-traditional Exchange (NINE), and Physicists Inspiring the Next Generation (PING). These programs give participating students the opportunity to learn from scientists and engineers at NRAO, GBO, and their partner facilities. They provide hands-on training and career development opportunities for the next generation of astronomers and STEM professionals, many from groups underserved by traditional academic pipelines.
For summer 2021, 55 students are hosted by NRAO and GBO mentors in Charlottesville, Virginia; Socorro, New Mexico; and Green Bank, West Virginia. Ten additional students in the NAC program are mentored by program partners at Princeton University, the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Michigan State University.