The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) is a program led by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and Associated Universities Inc., (AUI) in partnership with the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), and a number of minority and majority universities to increase the numbers of students from underrepresented groups and those otherwise overlooked by the traditional academic pipeline into STEM or STEM-related careers. This is NOT a program only for minority students Nor is this program like any regular REU Think of it as a REU++ program (but I really don’t like associating the word REU with our program)

: Partnership with Howard University Marcus Alfred / James Lindesay visit UVa / NRAO Aaron Evans / Kartik Sheth  colloquia at Howard Summer students: first 2 students, then 3, then 5.. Funded primarily by grants from AUI / personal grants Marcus visits and works w/ Kartik on radio data From the beginning – informal get-togethers important part of the program Professional development / “straight talk” important “Being a minority in a majority “ talk…

Partnership between NRAO, NSBP and AUI Brings together 12 MSIs and 5 majority institutions to discuss how to build the next generation of future leaders The National Astronomy Consortium is born!

The “Posse” Model The “Posse” story Aims to reach students who are leaders but who normally be removed from the traditional academic pipeline Recognizes that primary pitfalls for attrition are: Little / no cultural context for doing STEM Lack of support within social circle Lack of mentoring – peer and advisory Local high school teachers recommend students  pre-program mentoring  attending school as a cohort  mentoring, mentoring, mentoring + development of leadership skills Obama: “We should double the money for programs like Posse”

Primary Goal: To increase the number of students, who otherwise would have been overlooked by the traditional academic pipeline, into STEM and STEM careers by placing them in a cooperative, diverse team over the summer and beyond. We seek to accomplish this by: Providing research / internship opportunities at partner sites across astronomy and related fields Providing a framework to engage students in research / STEM activity throughout the year Providing long term / career mentoring Mentoring contracts!

New this year

Post-bacc opportunities (partners w/ STScI / GSFC) Grad Opportunities – Majority Serving Institutions Constantly growing / learning – AstroCOM, GRADMAP, new partners / new ideas “I am not leaving the NAC! ” – Moiya McTier

Cohort building – peer mentoring for students / mentors Weekly group meetings / group work Provides the Cultural Context for STEM Discuss expected obstacles & techniques to overcome them Demand excellence + provide support Multiple mentors ( no single points of failures ) Continued engagement / Monthly hangouts / periodic meetings.

K – 12: PING (Physics Inspiring the Next Generation) Undergraduate: - Faculty partners recruit students for STEM - GRAD-MAP (Recruitment + U. Maryland winter school) - NAC Cohorts (Year 1, 2,..)  Bannekar? - Student exchange CAMPARE? AstroCOM NYC - Annual NAC Workshop + AAS / NSBP meetings - Continued mentoring / career mentoring! - Post-Baccaulaurate opportunities (STScI / GFSFC) Placed Bryan Brooks / STScI interviews - Graduate school opportunities (UM, Wisc)

ALUMS all doing great (~15 or so) GroupME working well / connected to each other Amazing talks at NSBP by Moiya, Brianna, Myles! Diana Powell – UCSC for her PhD Sinclaire Manning – U. Texas for her PhD Tierra Candelaria – NMT for her PhD Jonathan Barnes – Cal State LA Ajamu Abdellah – employed in DC area Bryan Brooks – employed by STScI 8 students returned to NAC for a second summer 5 went to Bannekar / CfA summer program TODO: Need to build / track alumni network

Lessons Learned from 2015 NAC Cohort For the first time we were truly National We were independent – Entrance criteria / application different than traditional REU! Sites / coordinators: – Betsy Mills (NRAO-Socorro) - 5 students – Drew Brisbin (NRAO-Charlottesville) – 5 students – Lou Strolger (STScI) – 3 students – Padi Boyd (GSFC) – 4 students – Bob Benjamin (U. Wisconsin) – 2 students

2015 Cohort Build Up 43 applicants (many foreign students) Applications from 31 institutions (partners: Howard, SCSU, Tougaloo, TSU, Wisconsin, UMaryland) – NAC partner institution applicants rare – 1 or 2 apps from CAMPARE, Astro-COM, GradMap each Feb 2 deadline not well adhered to! Individual site issues needed to be dealt with Applications sent to sites / site coordinators sent short lists 30 interviews (15 minutes each) done over a few days looking for GRIT!

2015 Cohort Process Multiple offers made to same student – Decision left to site coordinators as all 30 were excellent choices Ultimately: 19 students (10 W / 9M) – 57 % AA (7M / 4 W) – 21% LA (1 M / 3W) – 9 from partner schools – 6 returning to NAC Mentors: 2 AA, 2 LA, 2 AsA (out of 24 mentors / site coordinators)

2015 Cohort Activities 2 pre-NAC 2015 hangouts using Zoom – 25 person limit (running up to that) Mentor trainings at STScI, GSFC, Cville, Socorro (?) – Finding good mentors who understand, can implement the NAC model and understand our NAC students is the single biggest challenge! Speakers for diversity series – Betsy / Drew KS visited all east coast sites – at least twice – Prof Development talk – Individual meeting w/ students at Cville / STScI – Alum touch base (individual Skype / phone calls) – AARG meeting

2015 NAC Activities East Coast Weekend Get-Together: – Networking in practice at my house – Baseball game – First Star Wars Themed Games – Training for visit to Congress – Visit to Congress (learning to be scientists / citizens) – Visit to GSFC and U. Maryland 2014 Alum – skype + phone calls AARG meeting at Wesleyan Alums (inc class) + RSA  monthly hangouts to continue

NAC TODAY 7+ Majority 17+ Minority

Lessons Learned so far… Support from the highest levels is critical! – There have been many naysayers, saboteurs and obstacles so far.. I hope they are behind us now.. – Thanks to Beasley, Jewell, NSF (Dana + Phil + Dan + Pat), AUI (Mester + Spuck) for their support! – Thanks to Arlene, John John, Johanna, Caitlin, Astro community, NAC advisory, Jarita, Hakeem – Thanks to Faye, Lyndele, Tania, Drew, Betsy, Aaron, Dana.. +

Lessons Learned so far… The myth of meritocracy: – “It worked for me so it should work for everyone” – “Let’s treat everyone the same” Encourage asking questions and listening rather than assuming one’s own paradigm! – Critical for mentors – Critical for power brokers

Growing partnership between NRAO, NSBP, observatories / institutions, minority and majority serving institutions (17 MSIs + 7 majority univ) Faculty – NAC Mentor long term partnerships critical We aim to prepare future STEM leaders Cohort model (not your “typical” REU program) Yearlong  Career long partnerships / mentoring

K – 12: PING (Physics Inspiring the Next Generation) - NSBP / NRAO – 40 middle schoolers + 4 PING/NAC Undergraduate: - Faculty partners recruit students for STEM - GRAD-MAP (Recruitment + U. Maryland winter school) - NAC Cohorts (Year 1, 2, 3..) - Workshops / continued mentoring - Post-Baccaulaurate opportunities (STScI / GFSFC) Graduate: Majority partners

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