Reminder - Code of Conduct
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Harassment and unprofessional conduct is not permitted. If you experience or witness it, please reach out to one of the RCW's CoC contacts:
Use the confidential email rubin2024-covid@lists.lsst.org for anything covid related
Check name-tags for these contact comfort level stickers.
If someone is wearing a pin like this, and it indicates a low social battery, please give them their space or offer to restart the conversation at a later time.
Wear a mask if you want to!
Rubin Observatory adheres to the principles of kindness, trust, respect, diversity, and inclusiveness in order to provide a learning environment that produces rigor and excellence.
full code of conduct
Reminder - Virtual Participation
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In-person participants should speak into the room microphone(s), or the chair should repeat all questions into the microphone, so that the virtual participants can hear what is said.
Virtual participants should be muted when they’re not speaking.
In Zoom, use Share Screen to display slides in the room.
In Zoom, use the chat to:
- request to unmute to ask a question, or
- type your question so someone can speak it aloud.
The Zoom “raise hand” feature is generally harder for moderators to track, and is not preferred, but may be used at the discretion of the session chair.
In the Rubin 2024 Slack Space, all participants can use the session’s channel for Q&A and discussion.
The channel name convention is, e.g.:
#day2-tues-1600-rubin-undergraduate-network
The Rubin Undergraduate Network
Introduction
Matthew Wiesner
RUN: What is it?
Rubin Undergraduate Network is a group of scientists, many of whom are faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions, who are working to involve undergraduate students in early research involving Rubin Observatory and LSST.
RUN also includes undergraduate students and others. Everyone is welcome in RUN!
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RUN: What have we been doing?
We have met monthly since October 6, 2023. Meeting notes are here.
We have discussed our goals, how to recruit more members and resources that would be useful to get undergraduates involved.
We have met with several members of LSST-DA, who have been very supportive!
We would like to have a part of each meeting devoted to student research updates.
RUN introduction thread on the Community Forum
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How do I join?
Send an email to Matthew Wiesner (mwiesner@ben.edu) and I will add you to the email list. Or contact any RUN member!
We also have a Slack channel.
We currently have 30 people on the email list.
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A Brief History of RUN
Douglas Tucker (Fermilab) suggested starting a group to help faculty working with undergraduates to collaborate and find resources to get started with Rubin research.
Louise Edwards (Cal Poly) suggested the name Rubin Undergraduate Network with the awesome acronym RUN.
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What are some of the challenges that faculty at PUIs experience in involving students in research?
Lack of time: Many of us teach 4/4 loads with possible summer teaching as well.
Lack of funding: Most of us do not have large grants.
Student training: Students often need training to get started in astronomy research. This can be time consuming.
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IDEAS
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Unique Challenges for Undergrads
> Lack of prior research experience (especially for 1st/2nd year students and students from non-STEM-focus HS programs)
> Lots of non-research obligations, both academic and otherwise (required coursework, non-academic employment, etc.)
> Lack of substantial resources at non-R1 institutions
> Often require the most time-intensive mentorship
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Unique Opportunities at the Undergrad Level
> This is when students decide whether or not to actually commit to a research career
> Successful undergrad research can increase student options in choosing a graduate school program
> This is when they can initiate good research habits and there first networking contacts in the larger community
> This is when students can first be shown what “real research science” looks like
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What Are the Specific Needs of the Undergrad Rubin Community?
> Undergrad-specific tutorials?
> Mentoring materials?
> Undergrad-targeted funding sources?
> Collaborative tools?
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Contact Me
> If you’d like to join RUN and/or talk about undergrad-focused projects:
> We have two threads on the Rubin Community Forum (Introductions and Project ideas)
> I can be reached at: mark.pitts@eku.edu
> A slack channel has recently been created
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Discussion Questions
Is a sprint week something that would be plausible?
Where do we want to host a website?
If funding becomes available, what do we want to fund?
Should RUN apply to be an LSST-DA expansion member institution?
How can RUN help faculty at smaller colleges the most?
What does a good undergraduate research project look like?
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