Outreach
Programs
WVU Planetarium and Observatory
Our Planetarium presents free public shows on alternating Friday evenings. The
shows provide a glimpse into the night sky, highlighting the wonders of the universe,
its origins and our place among the cosmos.
See the showtimes here. The observatory is located atop the physics department and is equipped with a 14-inch
Celestron telescope for public viewing in concert with the planetarium shows.
|
Contact:
Jason Ybarra
The PSC is an
NSF-ITEST
funded project run by the
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
and members of the WVU Department of Physics and Astronomy faculty. Since it
began in 2007, over 400 students have searched for pulsars at the Robert C.
Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), so far discovering four new pulsars and several bursts
of radio waves. The project has had a positive impact in encouraging underrepresented
students to follow careers in STEM disciplines. Program components
include FREE online training and the Annual PSC Capstone Seminar.
Get started here! |
Contacts:
Maura McLaughlin, Duncan Lorimer
The MARS program works with high school and middle school students
in north-central WV and is affiliated with the international FIRST robotics program. The middle school program works with over 40 robotics teams in partnership with
the Educator Resources Center at the NASA IV&V Facility and 4-H. The
high school program includes over 30 youth and 20 mentors from a variety
of
scientific, engineering, and non-technical
backgrounds
.
MARS is a public-private partnership with corporations
, foundations,
and academic institutions contributing to the support of the
program. |
Contact:
Earl Scime
Partnerships
Science Public Outreach Team (SPOT)SPOT recruits and trains student ambassadors to bring presentations about current West Virginia science, technology, and engineering to West Virginia K-12 children. WV educators can request Standards-based presentations and hands-on activities for their school or venue online. | Contact: Tobi Odeleye
The Department of Physics and Astronomy has a strong partnership with Spark! Imagination
and Science Center, the only science center and children's museum in a 90 mile
radius. Faculty and students assist with special events including Science
Day, Space Day, Robotics Day, and science night at schools in WV. Our faculty collaborated
on a unique hands-on permanent exhibit about
Space Weather. |
Contact:
Paul Cassak