Undergraduate Research for Majors and Non-Majors

Abstract

It is becoming well recognized that undergraduate participation in the research process is an important part of the educational experience of students in the sciences mcluding astronomy. In the past, some colleges ran outstanding pro~rams of involving their undergraduates in astronomical research by using the facilities of the national observatories. Unfortunately these facilities are no longer available. Institutions desiring to involve undergraduates in astronomical research have adopted several means of replacing these facilities including refurbishing telescopes at Kitt Peak and other observatories for use by consortia of smaller institutions. Another approach which we have adopted is to augment campus facilities with both an automatic telescope at a prime site and membership in the National Undergraduate Research Observatory.