AST 301 Projects
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The goal behind the project is for you to investigate and answer an astrophysical question.
To that end, you are expected to present your research to the class.
The presentation can take a variety of forms, such as a
formal presentation to the class, a video clip, a web page the class can read. The conventional
route might be something along the lines of a PowerPoint presentation but I don't want
to restrict your creativity. You can work by yourself or in groups with a maximum of three people.
The project consists of three steps each with its own due date:
- Choice of question: (20%)
Pick something that excites you, or, failing that, something that you think the class would want to hear about.
Possible questions are "How can they measure such-and-such?" or "Is it possible to do such-and-such?"
Be prepared to discuss your intentions in class. This part of the project should consist of a one paragraph email to me describing the question, why it's of interest to you, and how you'll answer it.
- Preliminary Results and Outline: (30%)
At most two pages, you should explain the progress you've made and the sources you've consulted in addressing
your question. In addition, you should provide a rough outline of what you'll present and write up. Turn this
in to me by emailing me (in plain text; no Microsoft Word documents!). Except in unusual circumstances, you should
have at least three legitimate references sited.
- Presentation:(50%)
If you want to do something a bit more unusual that does not
involve an oral presentation (e.g. a webpage), you must turn it in to me the class before the scheduled presentations
so that students can view/experience it before presentations. You should then be available for questions during
the presentations.
Your grade for the project will be based on your creativity, the quality of the research, the thoroughness
of the paper, and the appeal of your presentation. The work you turn in must be that of your group only. References used
must be adequately cited, and verbatim quotes must be identified as such. The weights of your total project grade are
shown above.
Sample Project Ideas
Straight Astronomy
- How do quasars form and what powers them?
- What was the significance of person (so-and-so) on the field of Astronomy?
- Is space travel beyond the Moon feasible (e.g. cosmic rays, time dilation, fuel, etc)?
- What progress can we expect in astronomy in the next ten years?
Interdisciplinary Astronomy
- To what extent has astronomy influenced the world of art?
- What do art and science have in common?
- Does the moon really affect biological cycles?
- What role have women played in the development of Astronomy?
- How has astronomy affected sci-fi and vice versa?
- What is the current and future role of computing in astronomy and in science in general?
- What funds astronomical research and who does it?
- How does current astronomical research compare to ancient observations? Did ancient governments
fund such research?
- What progress in astronomy will come from future particle detecters (e.g. LHC, ILC)?
Cosmology
- What's the fate of Earth? Which is more likely, that a GRB or an asteroid destroys Earth?
- Is interstellar travel feasible? Faster than light travel?
Public Policy and Astronomy/Science
- Is there sufficient return on our NASA budget to justify the expense?
- Is science under attack? Or instead, is science doing better than at other times?
- Has space travel and research benefited health policy?
- Does space exploration benefit or hurt international relations?
Science in General
- What specific criteria can be used to establish whether something is science or not?
Last updated Sept. 1, 2006.
Steve Liebling (home)