Education and Outreach at the Laser
Interferometer Gravitational-wave
Observatories
Fred Raab
LIGO Hanford Observatory
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LIGO’s Mission is to Open a New
Portal on the Universe
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In 1609 Galileo viewed the sky through a 20X
telescope and gave birth to modern astronomy
LIGO’s quest, 400 yrs later, 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 the “space quakes” created by the most
violent events in the universe
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The Laser Interferometer
Gravitational-Wave Observatory
LIGO Hanford
(LHO, Washington)
LIGO Livingston
(LLO, Louisiana)
Brought to you by the National Science Foundation; operated by Caltech and MIT; the
research focus for about 450 LIGO Science Collaboration members worldwide.
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…despite a few difficulties,
science runs started in 2002…
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Focus on Making this Science
Accessible!
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LIGO is 21st century science, rooted in age-old struggle to understand universe
Public finds Einstein, space, time, cosmology, astrophysics very exciting
Goal is to share the excitement and possibilities of this science and utilize it to
meets critical needs in our communities
Targeted 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
» State of Louisiana for Livingston Observatory
– Rural
– Poor with “failing” schools
– Large black population
Products
– Site tours and exhibits, internships, public lectures, pre-/in-service
programs, internet resources, media relations
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Local Educator Network Focus Groups
Advise Direction of Effort
(Example: LHO LEN)
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Royace Aikin, Science Education Programs, Pacific Northwest National Lab
Terri Andre, Science Education Programs, Columbia River Exhibition of History,
Science & Technology
Rene Corrales, Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Lab
Lynne Dolph, Teacher, Yakima Nation Tribal School (High School)
George Garlick, President, Garlick Enterprises
Roy Gephart, Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Lab & Alliance for the
Advancement of Science Through Astronomy
Stan Hughes, Teacher, White Swan High School
Dale Ingram, Teacher, Gladstone High School
Mary Moore, Teacher, Jason Lee Elementary School
Judy Morrison, Faculty in Education, Teaching, and Learning at Washington
State University, Tri-Cities
Tim Olson, Faculty in Computer Science and Engineering, Salish-Kootenai
College
Keith Plewman, Teacher, McLaughlin Middle School
Brock Wells, Teacher, Robert Olds Junior High School
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LHO LEN Focus Group Workshop
on 1/8/03
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Identified Needs, Concerns & Opportunities
» Unanimous: bring schools, families, clubs and other groups to
observatory for contact with real science and scientists
– Increase community awareness and student motivation
» Internships felt to be strong educational vehicles
– REU program attractive for college students in sciences
– SST program attractive for high school and maybe middle school
– Strong voice for adding in-service and pre-service training
» Given limited resources, focus on students in grades 6-20 with
observatory visits, especially grades 8-12
» Grade K-5 educational needs best met by immersion of teachers in
science methods and scientist interactions
» Encouragement for joint programs with WSU, CREHST, AASTA and
other community groups
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Programs to Date for K-12
Students and Teachers
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K-12 programs in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory (PNNL) and Educational Service District (ESD) 123
in southeast Washington, Washington State University at TriCities, Gladstone School District in Oregon, Columbia River
Exhibition of History, Science & Technology, Southern University
of Baton Rouge, Louisiana Board of Regents.
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
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
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Scientist-Student-Teacher
Program with Gladstone High
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Objective: address the Essential Academic Learning
Requirement (EALR) on “the nature and methods of scientific
inquiry” by involving classes in real scientific research
Problem: analyze seismic data taken at LIGO Hanford
Observatory (LHO) and produce long-term study of microseism
Why? The microseism produces the fastest changes of the
LIGO baseline, but there are no historical records of microseism
near the Hanford site
Instrumentation: LIGO has 5 triple-axis seismometers on site
connected to a data acquisition system and significant highspeed computing capacity
Gladstone High School supplies commitment to long-term
monitoring & data trending
Program migrating to Louisiana schools
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Gladstone High School
Contributions to LIGO Research
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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
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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
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Long-term microseism connection
to ocean-wave activity
Seasonal trend in microseism
identified in early analysis (left) found
to agree qualitatively with ocean-buoy
wave-height data (below)
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Internet-Accessible Resources for
Teachers, by Teachers
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Web Lesson Plans Tied to State
Standards in WA & OR
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Integrated In-Class and Field Trip
Activities
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College Students and Faculty
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LIGO REU/SURF program involves ~20-30 undergrad research
interns/yr; LHO typically supports 5-6 + hosts SURF field trip for
students from CIT
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Betsy Weaver developed/commissioned vac-prep facility
Eric Morganson wrote earth-tides prediction software
Tom Corbitt developed automated laser sideband analyzer
Brian Cameron simulated periodic source analysis
Typically 2-4 grad students doing research
» U.Rochester, U. Oregon, U. Michigan, Caltech, MIT, Penn.St.
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Visitors program
» U. Michigan, U. Oregon collaborators on long-term appointments
» Oregon Institute of Technology visiting professor developed ideas for Laser
Institute courses
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Informal Education
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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, boy scouts, families,
bicycle club, Model T club, etc.
» Hosted WA State Science Teachers in 2001
» Recent “Mars Madness” night drew 20 telescopes and ~1500 skygazers
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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
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Cooperative “happenings” w/ other outreach groups
» Wheeler book signing at CREHST museum, Richland, WA
» B-Reactor reunion
» Mars Madness with Tri-City Astronomy Club
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LIGO Video (~20 minute) RFP by NSF
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Targeting Underserved
Populations
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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
Blacks 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
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LIGO Hopes to Widen Doorway into Science
for Native- & African-Americans
LIGO
WA
LA
Salish-Kootenai
Southern U.
U. of Washington
Louisiana State U.
School District(s)
School Districts
Community
Colleges
Community
Colleges
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Proposing Major Education/Outreach
Expansion in Louisiana
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Based on experience and partnerships developed,
we hope to significantly expand local outreach
» $5M over five years
» Major Science Center at Livingston Observatory
» Exploratorium-developed exhibits for teaching science for
Livingston & Hanford
» Integrated with teacher training and service internships at Southern
University of Baton Rouge
» Integrated with Louisiana’s GEAR-UP program through Board of
Regents
» Local Educator Networks for guidance by outreach consumers
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Working toward a regional science
center for the inland Northwest
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Partners/Resources
» Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science & Technology
– Access to non-classified Hanford DOE artifacts
– Active K-6, summer & other programs in science & environment
– “Gateway” to Hanford Works & Hanford Reach Nat’l Monument
» Alliance for Science Teaching Through Astronomy
– Robotizing 0.8-m observatory atop Rattlesnake Mountain for internet
use in classrooms
» B-Reactor Museum Society
– World’s 1st production nuclear reactor; hope to open to public
» Economic, Community and Tourism Development Agencies
– Hungry to develop economic independence from D.O.E.
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Plan to develop alliance over next few years
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National Outreach Effort
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Caltech public relations coordinates national media
inquiries into LIGO (print, radio and TV)
NSF video will provide “PBS half hour” material for
presentations, incorporation into other program
LSC has many independent efforts at member
institutions
As LSC tech-development programs coalesce into
advanced LIGO upgrade project, hope to unify LSC
outreach efforts into a coordinated national program
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