University of South Carolina ISEE Chapter
The University of South Carolina is ISEE’s newest collaboration. This chapter is currently focusing on the professional development of graduate students and postdocs from a broad range of disciplines, including the physical sciences, math engineering, and computer science.
Steven Rodney, 2007 and 2008 Professional Development Program (PDP) alumnus, is an Assistant Professor at USC in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and is the Chapter Lead.
Recent USC Chapter PDP Teaching Activities
- The 2019 USC team was composed of Thomas Richardson (DTL), Georgina Anderson, and Justin Roberts-Pierel. The team focused on having learners use the concept of atomic and blackbody spectroscopy to identify physical characteristics of a star. The Honors Astronomy 101 non-major students were particularly engaged in using connecting evidence to claims being made during the activity.
- USC's first-ever PDP team, led by Austin Barnes in 2018, consisted of Thomas Richardson (USC), David
Edwins (USC), and Kristen Dage (Mich St.). The team's inquiry tasked students with explaining how they interpreted a star's lightcurve towards developing a conceptual model of a planetary system. Throughout the activity, students were developing and using models to infer system properties. The students were non-science majors in an Astronomy 101 lab.
Opportunities to participate in ISEE’s Professional Development Program
Graduate students and postdocs at the University of South Carolina can apply for PDP fee waivers and travel support from ISEE (via PDP application), which is available through USC’s chapter participation in the Advancing Inclusive Leaders in Astronomy project funded by the National Science Foundation (AST#17431117) and supports participants in astronomy and physics fields. Applicants are encouraged to secure some of their own institutional or grant funding, which will increase
Graduate students and postdocs with the above affiliations who are interested in applying for the Professional Development Program should contact the USC Chapter Lead, Steven Rodney: srodney@sc.edu
Others in the region interested in applying to the Professional Development Program (including junior faculty), or seeking general information about ISEE, should contact the University of South Carolina Chapter ISEE program manager, Rafael Palomino: rpalomin@ucsc.edu
