Chandra Astrophysics Institute
What is CAI?
The Chandra Astrophysics Institute (CAI) is a yearlong opportunity for students in grades 9-11 from a wide range of academic backgrounds to train for and undertake astronomy projects mentored by MIT scientists using observations from the Chandra X-Ray space telescope.
CAI consists of two parts:
- Summer training session: For 5 full weeks, participants develop employable communication and collaboration skills, as well as science/technology background. They do so by investigating astronomical systems with guidance from MIT educators and researchers.
- School-year astronomy project: Participants then apply these skills in groups of 2-3 to self-develop, research and communicate an investigative project in x-ray astronomy, with an MIT scientist mentor. Students answer their own questions in a paper and presentation during the Kavli Institute community showcase “Astronomy in the City”.
Past investigative projects:
- What types of objects can we identify and characterize from x-ray images of the region near the super-massive black hole at the center of our galaxy?
- What can we learn about supernova explosions by measuring the expansion of their leftovers?
- How are the structures of colliding galaxy clusters different from non-colliding clusters?
- See other projects here.
Who are our students and what do they say about CAI?
Since 2005, CAI has engaged 56 students from Lynn, Cambridge, and the Roxbury and Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston, with an overall retention rate of 65%.
“The most valuable thing I … got out of the CAI program is confidence. … I think this class helped me want to put my thoughts and ideas out there for everyone to hear.” “…finding the answer isn’t good enough anymore, explaining how you found the answer and even [sharing] what led you to ask that question in the first place matters more in this program.”
For more information on the Chandra Astrophysics Institute, contact Mark Hartman, Principal Instructor, at mhartman@mit.edu or 617 258 8258.