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 Astronomy
from the Ground Up is a growing community of informal science educators
actively enhancing and expanding their capacity to address astronomy
topics for their visitors. The program was created and is being
presented by three major partners, each with their own expertise:
Astronomical
Society of the Pacific (ASP): For nearly 120 years, the ASP
has been helping people understand, appreciate, and enjoy astronomy.
Founded in 1889, the ASP has become one of the nation's leading
organizations devoted to astronomy education. It has members in
all 50 states in the US and in 70 other countries around the world.
(www.astrosociety.org)
National
Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO): NOAO has its headquarters
in Tucson, Arizona. The mission of NOAO is to provide leadership
in the establishment and operation of premier ground-based astronomical
research facilities, to promote the public understanding and support
of science, and to advance all aspects of US ground-based astronomical
research.
(www.noao.edu)
Association
of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC): ASTC is an organization
of science centers and museums dedicated to furthering the public
understanding of science among increasingly diverse audiences.
ASTC provides professional development for the science center
field, promotes best practices, supports effective communication,
strengthens the position of science centers within the community
at large, and fosters the creation of successful partnerships
and collaborations. Founded in 1973, ASTC now numbers more than
540 members in 40 countries. Science Center and Museum Members
include not only science-technology centers and science museums,
but also nature centers, aquariums, planetariums, zoos, botanical
gardens, space theaters, and natural history and children's museums.
(www.astc.org)
We
are also partnering with a number of informal science institutions
around the country who help by hosting workshops, and with astronomers
and other educators who help provide content for our workshops and
materials.
 There
is also a major Research Component to
the Astronomy from the Ground Up program that is being evaluated
by the Institute for Learning Innovation (www.ilinet.org),
a not-for-profit learning research and development organization,
established in 1986, that is dedicated to changing the world of
education and learning by understanding, facilitating, advocating
and communicating about free-choice learning across the life span.
The Institute provides leadership in this area by collaborating
with a variety of free-choice learning institutions such as museums,
other cultural institutions, public television stations, libraries,
community-based organizations (such as scouts and the YWCA), scientific
societies and humanities councils, as well as schools and universities,
striving to better understand, facilitate and improve their learning
potential by incorporating free-choice learning principles.
Contact
us for information about the Astronomy from the Ground Up team
and our partners.
Is
AFGU Right for Me and My Institution?
AFGU Workshops and How to Apply
to Become a Participant
The AFGU Toolkit
The AFGU Online Community
The Research Component
How to Help Support the Project
Frequently Asked Questions
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