An Overview of Ten Years of Student Research and JDSO Publications (Abstract)

Volume 45 number 2 (2017)

Rachel Freed

Sonoma State University, 416 4th Street, W. Sonoma, CA 95476; r.freed2010@gmail.com

Michael Fitzgerald

Edith Cowan Institute for Educational Research, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027 Australia; mfitzasp@gmail.com

Russell Genet

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 4995 Santa Margarita Lake Road, Santa Margarita, CA 93453; russmgenet@aol.com

Brendan Davidson

Desert Hills Middle School, 2564 E. 2150 S. Circle, St. George, UT 84790; bjrocket141@gmail.com

Abstract

(Abstract only) The astronomy research seminar, initially designed and taught by Russell Genet at Cuesta College over the past decade, has resulted in over 100 published student research papers in the Journal of Double Star Observations along with dozens of other papers and conference presentations. While the seminar began at a single community college, it has now spread to include students from dozens of institutions and instructors, reaching students from middle school through graduate school. The seminar has integrated the large community-of-practice of amateur and professional astronomers, educators, students, and hardware and software engineers while providing an important experience for student researchers. In this paper, we provide an overview analysis of 109 publications authored by 320 individual students involved in the astronomy research seminar over the last decade.