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Life As an Astronomer: 1

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Life As an Astronomer: 1 Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study? z Planets z Solar System z Stars z “Star Stuff” (Interstellar Medium) z Galaxies z AGN/Quasars z Clusters z Universe 1 Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study? zSolar System ySun ySolar Wind yPlanets yMoons yAsteroids/NEOs yKuiper belt objects yInterplanetary dust yetc…. 2 Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study? zStars yVariable stars yBinary systems yDwarfs, Giants, etc ySupernovae, yCompact Objects (black holes, white dwarfs, neutron stars) 3 Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study? z“Star Stuff” (Interstellar Medium) yStar formation & Protostars yChemistry yStructure, Phase, and evolution 4 Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study? zGalaxies yFormation & Evolution yStructure yPopulations yDynamics yEnvironment (voids, field, groups, clusters) 5 Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study? zAGN (Active Galactic Nuclei) & Quasars yFormation yClassification yFueling yEvolution yNumber Density 6 Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study? zClusters yFormation & Evolution yStructure yDark Matter Content yLensing 7 Life as an Astronomer: 1. What do Astronomers Study? zThe Universe yAge and Size yFormation & Evolution yContent (dark matter, cosmic strings, exotic particles) yTopology (shape) 8 Life as an Astronomer: 2. How do we Work? zObservations zAnalysis yground based (optical, yobjectivity near infrared, radio) yread & assimilate many ySpace based (rockets & forms of data space platforms; UV, x-ray) ylinear & non-linear zComputers thinking yanalyze data zWriting ysolve complex yresearch papers problems yproposals ynumerical simulations ypresentations 9 Life as an Astronomer: 3. Where do we Work? zAcademia yResearch University yTeaching University/College zResearch Facilities yGovernment Labs yNational Observatories zOther yplanetariums, telescope support, etc. zPrivate Sector 10 Life as an Astronomer: 4. How do we spend our time? (part 1 of 2) zAcademia: Research zAcademia: Teaching University University/College ybring in grant money yteach 3-4 classes/yr ypublish research papers yadvise students ysupport observing yrun observatory labs facilities/instruments/ ysupport public outreach programs yless emphasis on research ysupervise thesis projects yteach 1-2 classes/yr yserve on committees 11 Life as an Astronomer: 4. How do we spend our time? (part 2 of 2) zGovernment Lab or zOther/Private Industry National Observatory y planetariums y science writing ysupport user community y telescope operators ypublish research papers y science education ymanage people/projects y computer programming/ ygenerally little or no systems support teaching or grant raising y web design y defense industry y communications industry y “rocket scientist” on Wall Street 12 Life as an Astronomer: 5. Training High School course work: college prep physic, chemistry, math (pre-calc) Advanced placement helps College ~70 colleges/universities major: Astronomy, Physics, Astrophysics in U.S. offer Astronomy (others possible, e.g. Math, Chemistry) or Astrophysics degree Timeline: ~ 4 years to B.S. B average or better and decent GRE scores Support: Graduate School After M.S., attrition is mostly voluntary Teaching or Research Assistant 2 years of course work => M.S. long hours, but flexible schedule ~$15,000 - $20,000/yr Thesis research project extensive all-expense paid travel to exotic locations plus tuition waiver Timeline: ~4-6 years to PhD no or poor health and retirement benefits 13 Life as an Astronomer: 5. Job Timeline PostGraduate: ~10 years from High School largest attrition occurs 3-10 years post PhD 35% leave field, 20% "soft money", 45% potentially permanent Postdoctoral Appt: Postdoctoral Appt: Payscale: Research hired under grant proposal $35,000-$45,000 work on your own research ~50% of time on specific project geographically limited 1-3 year duration (terminal) 1-3 years duration (terminal) employment options ~16 years from no or poor benefits Postdoctoral Appt: Postdoctoral Appt: High School extensive all-expense paid Research Research travel to exotic locations work on your own research work on your own research long hours, but flexible 1-3 year duration (terminal) 1-3 year duration (terminal) schedule Support Scientist Tenure Track "Soft Money" Postions where: National Obs. or Gov't Lab where: Research or Teaching College where: at an agreeable host institute tenure track or contract 5-6 years for "tenure review" may have to perform other duties at host institute potentially permanent potentially permanent non-permanent. depends on ability to raise grant $$ Payscale: $45,000 - $70,000 at “Assistant” Rank geographically limited employment options $70,000 - $90,000 at “Associate” Rank extensive travel $90,000 - $170,000 at “Full” Rank long hours 14 ~22 years from High School before you know if you have a permanent position Life as an Astronomer: 6. What Astronomers don’t do zTell your horoscope zhave a special line to space aliens zmemorize the constellations zspend all their time looking through telescopes 15 Life as an Astronomer: 6. A Typical Day z Read dozens of e-mails z attend some inane meeting z teach a class or advise a student on a research project z listen to or prepare a presentation on current research z analyze some data or make a figure or plot z download relevant journal articles to be read “later” z work on a paper or a proposal for observing time or research grant 16.
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