Workshops and How to Apply to Become a Participant

Please note that at this time, due to current funding restrictions, we can only accept applicants working in the United States. Applications are being accepted for the following workshops: 4-Week Online Workshops: Possible Future Online Workshops (TBD) 3-Day Onsite Workshops: California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA - November 17-19, 2008 (Application Deadline extended to September 30, 2008) Possible Future Onsite Workshops (TBD)

Astronomy from the Ground Up workshops are designed to help informal science educators learn fun techniques to present astronomy topics and to interpret current astronomical events and discoveries for their public audiences. We are offering three-day onsite workshops and multiple online workshops. You can indicate your preferred workshop on your application.

How Can I Apply and What is Expected of Me?

Before Applying

Before applying, it is probably a good idea to first review our Frequently Asked Questions, which include the following:

What Will I Experience?
What Will I Learn?
How Can I Utilize My Training?
What Costs Can I Expect?

In addition, you should also:

A. Know Who Can Apply

If you haven't already, you should click here to determine if the program is right for you and your institution.

B. Review the Sample Application

The official workshop application is online and takes roughly 20 minutes to complete. To prepare properly before starting the online application, you should download and review the sample application.

Download the Sample Application now by clicking here. (in pdf format; click here to download Acrobat Reader)

C. Know What will be Expected of You

All Astronomy from the Ground Up applicants who wish to be selected to participate in the program should be ready and willing to:

• Incorporate informal astronomy education into the educational programming back at their home institution.
• Train/mentor at least one additional staff or volunteer at your institution after attending the AFGU workshop.
• Participate in the online AFGU community, a support network of peers from all over the country that have participated in similar AFGU training.
• Submit regular online activity reports and participate in evaluations of the program.

D. Obtain an Endorsement to Participate from Your Institution

We believe that administrative support leads to more successful partnerships between informal educators and the Astronomy from the Ground Up team. Therefore, as part of the Astronomy from the Ground Up application, we will ask you to submit an Institutional Endorsement Form signed by the appropriate administrator (e.g., supervisor, director) from your institution. All AFGU workshop applications will be considered incomplete until the AFGU Selection Committee has received a completed Institutional Endorsement Form.

Please note that the Institutional Endorsement Form is included in the Sample Application referenced above. Be sure to fill in your name at the top of each page of the form where indicated before giving it to an administrator to sign. Instructions are included for submitting the form. The form is also available as part of the official online application.

E. Understand What It Means to Participate in AFGU

We want all applicants to fully understand what it means to participate in the Astronomy from the Ground Up program. Therefore, if you still have questions after reviewing the information above and the other sections of the AFGU web site (see the links below), please Contact Us before applying so that we can be sure we have answered all your questions.

Applying

Click here to be taken to the Official AFGU Application.

Is AFGU Right for Me and My Institution?
The AFGU Toolkit
The AFGU Online Community
The Research Component
Frequently Asked Questions

Return to the AFGU Home Page

*Astronomy from the Ground Up is based upon work supported by the Informal Education Division of the National Science Foundation under Grant no. ESI-0451933. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation

Privacy & Legal Statements | Site Index | Contact Us

Copyright ©2001-2008 Astronomical Society of the Pacific