Young stars and Educational outreach -- Oral Presentation

Educational Applications of Star Formation Research

William Waller, Tufts University and NASA/NESSIE

Cathy Clemens (CfA and NASA/NESSIE), Paul Green (CfA and NASA/Chandra)

Research into the formation of stars involves many exciting physical processes -- from vast magnetized clouds collapsing under their own weight, to thermonuclear reactions igniting inside dense stellar cores, to powerful jets being shot from proto-planetary disks. Star formation research also touches on many aspects of the educational enterprise that is ongoing in schools, museums, and other community venues. In this presentation, we will (1) show how the science of star formation relates to the various learning goals and standards that currently underlie formal K-14 science and technology education, (2) describe the various opportunities that exist for space scientists to get involved in educational outreach, and (3) provide some examples of available resources that support educational outreach involving star formation.