Blog 8: Independent Component 1 Proposal

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

What I plan to do for my first independent component is to stargaze using my telescope. I want to look at stars, comets, planets, etc and identify and document what it is without outside help. After, I will look up what I’m actually looking at and do a side by side comparison. If a special astronomical event would occur, I will document that as well.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

I will show my evidence by doing logs, online scrapbooking, and a powerpoint.

3.  Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

I’m basically doing what astronomy is based around, stargazing. By doing so, I will understand what and how astronomers do what they do.

4.  Update your Senior Project Hours log.

Blog 7 - Second Interview Preparation

1.  Who is your mentor and where do they work?  If their workplace does not reflect their expertise, what makes them an expert?

Mentor: Michael Hood

Work: Mt. Sac Astronomy Professor

2.  What five questions will you ask them about their background?

1. Where and how did you get your physics Ph.d?
2. What research/projects did you do in your past years?
3. Why did you choose astronomy as your field of interest?
4. Can you explain what the environment surrounding you felt like when you were working on your research?
5. What were some important events you would like to mention that happened to you through your work experience?  

Blog 6 - Advisory Prep

1. What has worked well for you concerning senior project this year?  What has made it a positive experience for you?  

What worked well for me is the fact that I’m am gaining a lot of knowledge about my topic whenever I go to mentorship. Every time I go to my mentorship, I learn a ton of new things that spark my interest. The experience, I think is okay. I’m satisfied with it.

2. What are you finding difficult concerning senior project?  How can you adapt to make that portion work better for you?  How might the senior team help?

The thing I am finding difficulty in is finding a sub-topic in astronomy to focus on. There is so much to learn and so little time that I can’t possibly talk about everything. I think the only thing I really need right now is time, time to look over everything and figure out what I what to focus on. I don’t see a way the senior team can help me on this situation.

Blog 5 - Interview 1 Reflection

Who: Michael Hood

Date of Interview: 9/14/15

City/State: Walnut, California

Employer: Astronomer Mt. San Antonio College

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  Is there anything I would do differently for other interviews?

The most important thing I learned in the interview is learning how he got his master’s degree in a year and a half after undergrad school. On top of that, the advice he gave on entering the field was very useful.

2. Did I get additional resources and contacts?  What is the most useful?  Why?

I was able to get additional contacts from him. The contacts he has given to me can help me get some more hands-on training with the telescope, as well as potential interviewees. I didn’t get that much resources from him because science astronomy is such a broad topic, it is hard to find a book that talks about everything in astronomy. But, if I do find a focus in astronomy, he will  be glad to help me look for some useful resources.

3. What makes my interviewee qualified to help me?

The reason why he is qualified to help me is because he is an experienced astronomer who worked in the astronomy field for years. He has done research and projects plus he teaches astronomy to people everyday at Mt. Sac, Since he has a lot of experience, he was able to help me understand astronomy as a whole, as well as help me understand some of the steps to get ahead astronomy/physics.

Link to the audio interview

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7vfamCjNJQ6R2t3cDhJTW5JX1U/view?usp=sharing

Blog 4 - House Advisory Prep 1

What I’m hoping to get through my senior project is a better understanding of what astronomy is and why we need it. I want to learn as much I can about the topic, which I hope will help me later on in the future. It’s a simple goal, but it’s something I want as a goal.

Blog 3 - First Interview Questions

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  Why?

I plan to interview my mentor, Michael Hood, because he is the person I am the most comfortable asking right now to interview. Another reason why I want to interview him is because this will give me a chance to get to know my mentor a bit better

2.  Five questions will be assigned to all seniors to ask.  What additional questions do you plan to ask?  Ask open-ended questions.  

1. What inspired you to study astronomy?
2. Why do you think astronomy is important in our society?
3. What do you hope to achieve through your profession?

Blog 2 - Summer Mentorship

1. List the contact name, phone number, and organization of the person with whom you volunteered.

Name: Michael Hood

Phone: (909) 274 - 4767

Organization: Professor Mt. Sac

2. What qualified this person as an expert in your topic choice?     

Michael Hood is qualified to be my mentor because he is a professor in astronomy and teaches people about it everyday.

3. List three questions for further exploration now that you've completed your summer hours.    

1. What are some other things I can do by myself to help me gain experience in the astronomy field?
2. Why is hard to find a clear border between astronomy and other science fields?
3. What are we, as a whole, hoping to accomplish with astronomy?

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

I actually haven’t gained much experience yet since I have barely started on my mentorship. hopefully later on I will gain some valuable skills and experiences that I can use later on in life.

5. What is your senior project topic going to be?  How did mentorship help you make your decision?  Please explain.

My senior topic is going to be about astronomy. The reason why I choose astronomy is because my mentor, Michael Hood, works in the astronomy field and was the only one who would accept me as a mentee.