Astrophysics Missions E/PO Updates February 01, 2015 (For Period November 1, 2014 to November 30, 2014) Astrophysics Forum

Chandra X-ray Observatory Multi-Media, Social Media Products and Events 1 science release podcast: Colliding spiral galaxies (NGC 2207) 1 Space Scoop for Kids podcast (shock wave from SN 2010jl) 5 Blog entries: 2 on science releases; final installation from Chandra 15 th anniversary - STS93 crew on launch of Chandra; artistic representation of Chandra archive in award winning quilt on display at Smithsonian Ripley Center (Feb. 4-May1); launch of Hour of Code STEM project (see below and accompanying nugget). Outreach/Public Engagement HTE showed at Univ. St. Thomas, St. Paul MN in December. Developed 21 panel/42 image CXC IYL exhibit to focus on NASA Astrophysics content Education Activities “Hour of Code” coding programming initiative for gr students launched in collaboration with Google and Pencil Code. Provided science content, image files, and recorded video segments. 350 students participated on launch day. 1 presentation at Orlando FL regional NSTA conference Presented poster on Chandra education collaborations at NRC workshop Future Events/Activities HTE to show at Georgetown County Library, Georgetown SC for Jan “Light Behind the Bulb” IYL exhibits to show at Jan. AAS meeting in Seattle, opening ceremonies in Paris, IAU General Assembly, Chicago O’Hare Airport. Schedule established for CXC IYL exhibit, starting in April 2015 Submitted presentations for IYL and NASA education sessions at Jan AAS Agreed to participate in AAS education event at Jan AAS Set dates for PD collaborations with McAuliffe Center, Framingham MA: Teacher PD with HTE (Jan), McAuliffe Flight Director PD (March), Elementary teacher PD with Stop for Science (April). Contact: Kathy Lestition

STScI (HST/JWST) Hubble Science Briefing – Dr. Gabriel Brammer On November 6, a Hubble Science Briefing teleconference was held featuring Dr. Gabriel Brammer, an ESA/AURA astronomer at STScI. His talk titled “A Look Back - Galaxies at Cosmic Dawn Revealed in the First Year of the Hubble Frontier Fields Initiative,” discussed how first-year program observations have yielded insights into mass distributions in galaxy clusters and revealed some of the faintest, most distant galaxies known. Thirty-two people logged in to this telecon, representing 18 states across the U.S., including representatives from museums, planetariums, libraries and other informal education venues, as well as community college, university-level, and K-12 educators. Twelve of those who called in were first-time attendees. The Hubble Science Briefing teleconference series is hosted by NASA’s Museum Alliance, a gateway to NASA resources for museums, science centers, planetariums, zoos, and aquariums. Maryland Business Roundtable Annual Meeting On November 14, members of STScI’s education team attended the annual meeting of the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education (MBRT) that took place at the National Electronics Museum in Linthicum, Maryland. STScI is an active member of this organization that consists of a coalition of 100 leading Maryland employers that have made a long-term commitment to supporting education reform and improving student achievement in the state. This year’s meeting featured many representatives within the business community who visit classrooms throughout the state each year in order to motivate students towards STEM. As part of an ongoing partnership with MBRT, many STScI employees have been profiled in MBRT’s “Be What I Want to Be” career magazine as well as on their career website. MBRT programs reach about 75,000 students throughout Maryland each year, plus thousands of additional students nationwide who utilize the “Be What I Want to Be” website. Special Events On November 12, members of STScI’s education team participated in several special events and activities for the exhibition at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York, NY. Six of the STS-125 astronauts participated in a panel called “Last Mission to Hubble,” moderated by newsman Charlie Gibson. STScI staff attended the panel and VIP reception, speaking with each of the astronauts about Hubble education. They also worked with Intrepid curator Eric Boehm and education head Gerrie Bay Hall on planning future education events through September STScI Star Party for the Dream Academy On November 12, STScI’s education team hosted a star party for the families of Pimlico Elementary/Middle School’s Dream Academy program. Students engaged in explorations of light and color and learned how light and telescopes are important tools for studying and understanding the universe. Families also observed the night sky with telescopes and expertise provided by staff members from STScI’s Office of Public Outreach. The Pimlico Elementary/Middle School Dream Academy program serves at-risk and underrepresented students. It is one of ten such programs located in major cities throughout the United States. The program focuses its attention on students living in high crime and high poverty communities where family instability can be a serious problem. Unlike other after-school programs that focus solely on academics or recreation, the Dream Academy addresses such areas as, “Character Building, Skill Building, and Dream Building.” STScI’s education team will continue to partner with Dream Academy throughout the coming year. Public Lecture Series – Dr. Marc Kamionkowski On November 11, the STScI Office of Public Outreach (OPO) held its monthly Public Lecture Series. Dr. Marc Kamionkowski of the Johns Hopkins University was the featured speaker, presenting a talk entitled "A Telegram from the Early Universe" to members of the Baltimore community. OPO astronomer Dr. Frank Summers served as host and presented a short summary of recent astronomical discoveries called "News from the Universe.” Lithographs of the galaxy cluster Abell 2744 were distributed to the live audience of approximately 90 attendees. The event was webcast and the recordings are available in the STScI webcast archive. Contact: Hussein Jirdeh Bonnie Eisenhamer

Highlights and Nuggets The submission of E/PO highlights and nuggets to NASA HQ is a voluntary exercise that our community participates in on a monthly basis. Highlights are submitted by Astrophysics missions and program offices to help NASA stay up-to-date on these E/PO activities. Nuggets are sent separately, and are submitted by missions, program offices, ROSES awards, and Forums to assist SMD in communicating the accomplishments of its E/PO program. Below is a list of the Astrophysics missions and program offices that submit highlights and/or nuggets. The frequency of submissions is at the discretion of the E/PO lead. Advance Composition Explorer (ACE) Chandra X-ray Observatory Exoplanet Exploration Fermi/Swift/XMM Kepler NASA Goddard Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) Planck Space Telescope Science Institute (HST/JWST) Spitzer Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) WISE