November 3, 2003NSF Educational Outreach Proposal Review1 Outreach LIGO Overview of LIGO Science and Prior Outreach Activities Fred Raab LIGO Hanford Observatory

November 3, 2003 NSF Educational Outreach Proposal Review 1

OutreachLIGOOverview of LIGO Science and

Prior Outreach Activities

Fred Raab

LIGO Hanford Observatory

"Colliding Black Holes"

Credit:National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA)


OutreachLIGO

• LIGO’s quest, ~400 yrs after invention of optical astronomical telescopes, is to create a radically new way to perceive the universe, by directly listening to the vibrations of space itself

• LIGO consists of large, high-tech, earth-based, detectors that will act like huge microphones, listening for “space quakes” created by the most violent events in the universe

Scientific Mission of LIGO


OutreachLIGO

LIGO Hanford (LHO, Washington)

LIGO Livingston (LLO, Louisiana)

The Laser InterferometerGravitational-Wave Observatory

Funded by the National Science Foundation; operated by Caltech and MIT; the research focus for about 450 LIGO Science Collaboration members worldwide.

CIT

MIT


OutreachLIGOFocus on Making this Science

Accessible!• LIGO is 21st century science, rooted in an historic struggle

to understand the universe• Public finds Einstein, space, time, cosmology, astrophysics

very exciting• LIGO science is broad and multifaceted:

– General relativity / Astronomy– Optics / Lasers– Engineering (mechanical/electrical/computing/controls)– Environmental (seismic/acoustic/electromagnetic/cosmic-ray)

• Goal is to share the excitement and possibilities of this science and utilize it to meet critical needs in our communities


OutreachLIGOCustomer Base for LIGO

Outreach• Targeted the observatory communities, represented by

Local Educator Networks:– Pacific Northwest for Hanford Observatory

• Rural• Low-income pockets and migrant populations• Large Hispanic and Native American populations, traditionally

underserved and underrepresented in science– State of Louisiana for Livingston Observatory

• Rural• Areas of great poverty with “failing” schools• Large black population, traditionally underserved and

underrepresented in science

• Products to date:• Site tours and exhibits, internships, public lectures, pre-/in-service

programs, internet resources, media relations


OutreachLIGOStakeholders for LIGO

Outreach

• Local Educator Networks have been formed to represent community of stakeholders and to help tailor products to customer base

• Stakeholders include:– K-12 teachers and students

– College/University faculty and students

– General public, families, community organizations

– Public institutions, school systems, museums, etc.

– Professional scientific and engineering organizations

– Business community


OutreachLIGOCollege/University

Programs• Goals

– Create a vibrant and intellectually stimulating research environment in which undergraduate students and faculty can participate

– Welcome participation by regional universities in LIGO research program

• Accomplishments– “SURF” – Caltech’s REU program - implemented at LHO and LLO– Summer lecture series on LIGO related topics established for SURFers– SURF-a-rama (> 2 doz. REUs congregate at LHO)– Partnered with Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond to

arrange low cost on-campus dorm housing– In addition to strong participation of LSU, Louisiana Tech University,

Loyola University of New Orleans, Southeastern Louisiana University, Southern University have joined and become active members of LSC

– Salish-Kootenai College (tribal college in MT) active LSC member


OutreachLIGOServing K –12 students and

Teachers• Goals

– Become a regional enrichment resource for formal science education for K-12 teachers

– Inspire young people to achieve in science and engineering

• Accomplishments– Developed tours, visual displays, science lessons, hands on science

exhibits, and fun activities for students visiting LIGO– Sponsored activities involving youth groups – Boy and Girl

scouts, science clubs, etc.– Engaging teachers at regional science teacher meetings, making

contact with school district science curriculum coordinators– Partnered with already established organizations in Louisiana

(Audubon Foundation, Stennis Space Center, LSU, SLU, etc.) to speak and present at regional activities aimed at K-12



Teachers (part 2)

• Accomplishments (continued)– In Washington, partnered with Pacific Northwest National

Laboratory (PNNL) and Educational Service District (ESD) 123, Washington State University at Tri-Cities, Gladstone School District in Oregon, Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science & Technology, Association for the Advancement of Science Through Astronomy, Tri-City Astronomy Club

– In Louisiana, built a network of contacts with individuals and organizations with similar interests – LSU, Southeastern Louisiana Univ., Southern University, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Delta Rural Systemic Initiative.



Teachers (part 3)– Scientist-Student-Teacher program started in 1999, involved ~120

students on projects related to LIGO research in AY2003

– LIGO featured in “The Scientific Method on the Job” video for Middle/High School science; NSF 20-min video in progress

– Distance learning initiative with ESD 123, developed interactive science program for WA K-20 teleconferencing network

– Teacher interns developed exhibit guide, lesson plans, K20 scripts and internet resources during summers

– District-level workshops for science teachers

– Teacher internships in summer at LHO and LLO

– Web-disseminated classroom resources for science teaching, coupled to state standards in Louisiana, Oregon and Washington


OutreachLIGOScientist, Student, Teacher (SST)

At Hanford• Collaborative research – remote

monitoring of seismic sensors and wave-height sensors to determine spectral content of low frequency ground motion (“microseism”)

• Objective: address the Essential Academic Learning Requirement (EALR) on “the nature and methods of scientific inquiry” by involving classes in real scientific research

• With Gladstone High School in Portland, Oregon since 1999

• Last year more than 120 students participated in grades 9-12; presented work to community on annual “Science Night”

First annual “Science Night”at Gladstone High School


OutreachLIGOGladstone High School

Contributions to LIGO Research• Now have multiple-year record of microseism

• Seasonal variability on high end traced to ocean wave activity using specific NOAA buoys– students also measured the wave propagation velocity between buoys by

using a cross-correlation technique

• During quiet season, searched for potential correlation with local weather patterns

• Demonstrated general insensitivity of microseism band to human-generated noise by studying day/night statistics

• Reports on Gladstone High School physics web page at http://www.gladstone.k12.or.us/ghs/users/ingramd/Physics

• Annual community science night draws parents, business leaders, state legislators and ~100 student presenters


OutreachLIGOResearch Internships for Teachers at Livingston

• Two teachers participate in summer research with interferometer commissioning and development of enrichment materials to use in classroom

• Materials are web based so that they can be shared over the internet.

• See – http://www.ligo-la.caltech.edu/teach.htm

– http://www.ligo-wa.caltech.edu/teachers_corner/lessons.html

• Use LIGO to reinforce classical concepts – wave motion, harmonic motion, Galilean relativity, properties of light, etc.


OutreachLIGOInformal Education

• Observatory tours draw 1000s of visitors/yr both in WA and LA– Einstein, interferometers, astrophysics and the work that we do.– Audience comes from professional groups, schools, teacher associations,

boy and girl scouts, families, bicycle club, Model T club, etc.– Recent “Mars Madness” night drew 20 telescopes and ~1500 skygazers

• Public talks and LIGO Public Lectures– Annual public lectures bring breaking science to diverse audiences

(typical attendance of several hundred/lecture)– Rotary/Kiwanis clubs & professional societies– Adler Planetarium public lecture, as part of “Cosmic Happenings” series

• Cooperative “happenings” w/ other outreach groups– Wheeler book signing at CREHST museum, Richland, WA– B-Reactor reunion– Mars Madness with Tri-City Astronomy Club

• LIGO Video (~20 minute) RFP by NSF


OutreachLIGOMaking site visits meaningful

• We want students and teachers to see more than just a building and equipment when they visit, so we have devised various activities and lessons to engage children (and adults) on many levels:


OutreachLIGOTargeting Underserved

Populations

• Hispanics and Native Americans are largest groups near LHO that are typically underserved by science education and underrepresented in technical fields

• Salish-Kootenai College (SKC) - near Flathead Lake, Montana – member, LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC); provides detector characterization software, establishing Tier-3 GRID center for LIGO data analysis

• African Americans are largest underserved/underrepresented community near LLO, with larger Hispanic populations in neighboring states

• Southern University of Baton Rouge is historically black college near LLO, member LSC, large in-service program in LA

• University of Texas, Brownsville, member LSC, large Hispanic student body, involved with LLO


OutreachLIGOOutreach to Minority

Students at LLO• Unique opportunity for outreach to the African-

American community in Louisiana• Strong LIGO connection with Southern

University – nation’s largest HBCU system – through LSC and adjunct appointment to SU Physics Dept.

• This has provided opportunities to partner with SU’s own science outreach programs to African-American community:– community groups, churches, Boy and Girl

Scouts, as well as SU students

• We have used this connection to involve Southern students in the REU program, and to reach minority teachers through recommendations from Southern


OutreachLIGO

Summary

• LIGO Science is broad, exciting and needs to be shared with the public

• LIGO has initiated active outreach efforts and built strong partnerships in the observatory communities

• We now wish to use this foundation to launch a major concentrated effort in Louisiana, bringing together best experience in science, in education, and in exhibiting science to enhance educational capabilities

• We believe that we have built a collaborative effort that has the requisite capabilities to deliver educational outcomes that match the exciting science to come in the future

Documents

November 3, 2003NSF Educational Outreach Proposal Review1 Outreach LIGO Overview of LIGO Science and Prior Outreach Activities Fred Raab LIGO Hanford Observatory