Education Overview

The Fairborn Institute has been developing a hands-on, learn by doing, educational approach to science education since 2001. Starting in 2006, the Astronomy Research Seminar was developed in cooperation with Cuesta College and Arroyo Grande High School on California’s central coast. The Seminar featured astronomical observations, analysis, and publication of results. Being coauthors of published papers helped Seminar graduates with admissions and scholarships to colleges of their choice. The National Science Foundation funded the evaluation and expansion of the Seminar, and it has spread to many other schools. Over 200 Seminar team papers with over 700 student coauthors have been published to date. The Fairborn Institute is currently developing a series of three astronomy research workshops.

For your curiosity here is a link to a playlist of recorded Fairborn Institute meetings that discuss different parts of the research process: Click here!

The seven pioneering robotic telescopes at the Fairborn Observatory on Mt. Hopkins in southern Arizona in the late 1980s. The Fairborn Observatory was the predecessor to the Fairborn Institute.

Seminar students operating the 2.1-meter telescope from its warm room at Kitt Peak National Observatory during one of two week-long runs featuring multiple student teams.

Students at the summer Astronomy Research Seminar at Pine Mountain Observatory. The dome for a Boller & Chivens 24” telescope is in the background.

The first Astronomy Research Seminar, 2001. The seminars have now produced over 200 papers with some 700 student coauthors.

Fairborn Institute operations have been shifted to Hawaii every winter for the past 14 years. Many double star observations have been made with students at the Leeward College observatory located within yards of Pearl Harbor.

Leeward College and local high school students pose with the college’s 20-inch telescope and speckle interferometry camera use for observing close double stars.

Double star observing team from Waipahu High School in Peral City. They finished their first two years of college while attending their last two years of high school. Being published researchers helped them obtain scholarships to complete their college education.

Students operate the 2.1-meter telescope during a week-long run at Kitt Peak

Astronomy Research Seminar at Pine Mountain Observatory

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Student teams using the historic 60-inch on Mt. Wilson to observe binaries

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Student research team in Hawaii observed binary stars