AUI Overview & Introduction 1 Tim Spuck – STEM Education Development Officer

What is AUI? Associated Universities, Inc. was chartered in 1946 as an independent not-for- profit educational organization  to acquire, plan, construct, and operate laboratories & scientific facilities uniting resources of universities, research organizations, & the Federal Government  to support the development of a scientifically and technically literate society through education and public outreach 2 AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public. The AUI Mission:

AUI History In 1947, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission commissioned AUI to plan, build, and operate Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). – AUI managed BNL until 1998, building, and operating several major facilities, including the National Synchrotron Light Source and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. – 6 Nobel Prizes were awarded for research conducted at BNL under AUI 3

AUI and NRAO AUI proposed the establishment of a national radio astronomy facility to NSF in 1956, responding to the needs of the astronomy community NRAO has been managed and operated by AUI ever since Currently NRAO is comprised of the world-unique – Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) – Karl Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) – Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) – Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) – NRAO Central Development Laboratory (CDL) to support NRAO facilities, and maintain & advance radio science technology in partnerships with universities  Each is considered the best in its class; collectively NRAO is widely acknowledged as the premier radio astronomy observatory in the world AUI has submitted a proposal to NSF for management of NRAO through

Other Activities 5 AUI also Partnered with AURA in founding the Virtual Astronomical Observatory (VAO) Is a member of the CCAT collaboration, sits on its Board, responsible for Chilean activities Maintains liaison with the international SKA program Broadens participation via an array of education & outreach programs,

AUI served as the PI Institution for the Annual Conference of the NSBP 6

PING: Exploring the Cosmos with NRAO … A collaboration between NSBP, AUI, and NRAO. Now being lead by NRAO-Green Bank. Undergraduates get a research and education outreach experience Middle school students experience mentors that they can aspire to become The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) is a program initiated 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 into STEM or STEM-related careers.

8 Alamo Navajo Community School – New Mexico

9 Chile-US Astronomy Education Outreach Summit

10 Tim Spuck – STEM Education Development Officer John Mester - Vice President for Science & Programs or AUI is very excited to be part of the 2015 National Astronomy Consortium Workshop!! Thank You