LIGO Education and Outreach: Listening to the Vibrations of Space

1. Education and Outreach at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatories Fred Raab LIGO Hanford Observatory

2. LIGO’s Mission is to Open a New Portal on the Universe • 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 Education and Outreach at LIGO

3. 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. Education and Outreach at LIGO

4. …despite a few difficulties, science runs started in 2002… Education and Outreach at LIGO

5. Focus on Making this Science Accessible! • 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 Education and Outreach at LIGO

6. Local Educator Network Focus Groups Advise Direction of Effort(Example: LHO LEN) • 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 Education and Outreach at LIGO

7. LHO LEN Focus Group Workshop on 1/8/03 • 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 Education and Outreach at LIGO

8. Programs to Date for K-12 Students and Teachers • K-12 programs in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Educational Service District (ESD) 123 in southeast Washington, Washington State University at Tri-Cities, 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 Education and Outreach at LIGO

9. Scientist-Student-Teacher Program with Gladstone High • 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 high-speed computing capacity • Gladstone High School supplies commitment to long-term monitoring & data trending • Program migrating to Louisiana schools Education and Outreach at LIGO

10. Gladstone High School Contributions to LIGO Research • 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 • 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 Education and Outreach at LIGO

11. 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) Education and Outreach at LIGO

12. Internet-Accessible Resources for Teachers, by Teachers Education and Outreach at LIGO

13. Web Lesson Plans Tied to State Standards in WA & OR Education and Outreach at LIGO

14. Integrated In-Class and Field Trip Activities Education and Outreach at LIGO

15. College Students and Faculty • LIGO REU/SURF program involves ~20-30 undergrad research interns/yr; LHO typically supports 5-6 + hosts SURF field trip for students from CIT • 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. • Visitors program • U. Michigan, U. Oregon collaborators on long-term appointments • Oregon Institute of Technology visiting professor developed ideas for Laser Institute courses Education and Outreach at LIGO

16. Informal Education • 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 • 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 • Cooperative “happenings” w/ other outreach groups • Wheeler book signing at CREHST museum, Richland, WA • B-Reactor reunion • Mars Madness with Tri-City Astronomy Club • LIGO Video (~20 minute) RFP by NSF Education and Outreach at LIGO

17. Targeting Underserved Populations • 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 Education and Outreach at LIGO

18. LIGO WA LA Salish-Kootenai U. of Washington School District(s) Community Colleges Southern U. Louisiana State U. School Districts Community Colleges LIGO Hopes to Widen Doorway into Science for Native- & African-Americans Education and Outreach at LIGO

19. Proposing Major Education/Outreach Expansion in Louisiana • 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 Education and Outreach at LIGO

20. Working toward a regional science center for the inland Northwest • 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. • Plan to develop alliance over next few years Education and Outreach at LIGO

21. National Outreach Effort • 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 Education and Outreach at LIGO