1 PIERRE AUGER OBSERVATORY Education and Outreach Gregory Snow University of Nebraska DPF 2011, Providence, Rhode Island 9-13 August 2011 DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

2 Outline Introduction to the Auger Observatory and Goals of the Education and Outreach Task Efforts in Mendoza Province, Argentina Public Lectures Building Open House Celebrations Visitor Center in Office Building Rural Schools Program Science Fairs James Cronin School in Malargüe Other Education/Outreach Efforts Online Resources New video documentary Michigan Technical University Scholarship DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow Highlights of 10+ years of outreach activities

3 Malargüe is a small town on the high plains, the foothills of the Andes. Mendoza Province is also the wine making region of Argentina. We are here. The Pierre Auger Observatory

4 Observatory Layout Surface Detector (SD) Array 1600 detector stations 1.5 km spacing 3000 km 2 Fluorescence Detectors (FD) 4 Telescope enclosures 6 Telescopes per enclosure 24 Telescopes total DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

5 The Hybrid Design – 2 detector techniques employed Nearly calorimetric energy calibration of the fluorescence detector transferred to the event gathering power of the surface array. A complementary set of mass sensitive shower parameters. Different measurement techniques force understanding of systematic uncertainties Determination of the angular and core position resolutions Surface detector array + Air fluorescence detectors Glow represents UV fluorescence light emitted by N 2 in atmosphere

6 Education and Outreach paper and poster presented at each ICRC along with science papers DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow ICRC 2011, Beijing, August 2011 Proceedings contribution

7 Goals of the Education/Outreach Task Use the Auger Observatory and international collaboration to enhance science literacy and technology skills in the regions of the Auger sites and internationally Increase public awareness and support for basic research in physics, astrophysics, and all areas of science Encourage and support a wide range of education/outreach projects which link schools, community groups, and the public with the science and scientists of the Auger Observatory Provide technical and non-technical information on Auger to a wide range of audiences – students, public, government officials, scientific colleagues Recruit and encourage the participation of groups underrepresented in science in Auger education/outreach activities DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

8 Auger collaborators participating in Malargüe Day parade – a tradition !! DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

9 Auger collaboration participates in Malargüe Day parades 2010

10 Public Lectures in Malargüe Nightly science talks given to student and adult groups during collaboration meetings DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

11 Auger Office Complex Inauguration October 2001

12 Visitor Center at Auger Office Building Visitor Center 10  12 m 2 Data Acquisition DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

13 Seats 60 people Quarter-size FD mirror set-up from Karlsruhe Visitor Center at Auger Office Building Spark Chamber from Portugal PC and multimedia projection DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

14 Visitor Center Hosts Many School Groups 57 7th graders from General Alvear 60 elementary students from Malargüe 50 7th graders from Maipu DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

15 Visitors logged since 2001 by year Over 65,000 total, about 6000 per year DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

DPF 2009, Detroit, July 28, 2009 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow 16 Collaboration instrumental in Malargüe’s new planetarium, the 2 nd in Argentina. On Scientific Council

17 Rural Schools Program Observatory staff members volunteer their time to bring cosmic ray science and infrastructure improvements to remote schools which have difficulty visiting the Observatory Supported by donations from collaborating institutions and individuals to an Education Fund Science presentation Donation of electric heaters DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

18 The Collaboration has sponsored three Science Fairs in its Assembly Building 2005 Science Fair Poster for advertising 25 student-teachers teams from all over Mendoza Province DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

19 November 2007 Science Fair drew 42 participating teams Jim Cronin with first-place team in Technology DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

20 November 2010 Science Fair drew 22 participating teams Youngest team and farthest distance traveled Collaborators serve as judges Prizes awarded DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

21 Close Contact with Malargüe Schools

22 Diplomas for students with names on SD tanks Tank names solicited from Malargüe students November 2003 “Ezra” DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

23 Collaboration members present frequent courses for local science teachers Rebeca Lopez (Mexico) explains hands-on optics experiments to Malargüe teachers Beatriz García (UTN Mendoza) presents an astronomy course to Malargüe teachers Rebeca Lopez presenting hands-on course to teachers in General Alvear, 200 km from Malargüe Malargüe teachers demonstrate their own experiments to other teachers

24 James Cronin School Inauguration New school opened November 2007 Funding from Malargüe, Mendoza Province, U.S. Grainger Foundation DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

25 Google Earth Model of the Observatory 3D images of Observatory buildings and detectors with fly-over capability DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

26 Release of event information to public Since October languages Wikipedia links Google site statistics, 4000 hits per year DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

27 Using Auger data released to public Lamar, Colorado, high school students win regional science fair DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

28 New Auger Video Documentary “Voces del Universo”, 26 minutes Features detectors and work at the site, plus activities at collaborating universities, interviews in native languages English and Spanish subtitles DVD and video stream at Surface detector and signage along Route 40 Fermilab’s Carlos Hojvat with Geiger counters DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

29 Michigan Technological University Scholarship Dave Nitz and Angelo Chialva at MTU One student from Malargüe supported for 4-year program every other year Tuition, room and board, fees covered Students selected by Malargüe’s school principals and mayor 1 st student enrolled Autumn th student graduated May 2011 Students have embarked on engineering or science careers in the U.S. or Argentina 5 th student to started in the Autumn 2010 DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

30 Conclusions Outreach in the local community and beyond has been instrumental to the success of the Auger Observatory Close contact with the community and schools has fostered a sense of ownership and being part of the experiment’s scientific mission DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

31 Backup Slides DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

32 The Auger Collaboration 67 Institutions, 369 Collaborators ArgentinaNetherlands Australia Poland Bolivia * Portugal Brazil Slovenia Czech RepublicSpain France U.K. Germany USA Italy Vietnam * Mexico * associate U.S. Institutions (17) ArgonneNYUN. Mex. Case WesternNortheasternPenn Colo. School of MinesOhio StateUtah Colo. State Penn StateWisconsin FermilabUCLA Louisiana StateChicago Michigan TechNebraska Alan Watson Jim Cronin DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

33 Aerial Photos of Fluorescence Buildings November 2006 LIDAR Enclosure

34 Some nights in Spanish 40 students and teachers in attendance Hans spoke Spanish Many collaborators participate Hans: Welcome Beatriz: Physics intro Ingo: SD status Alberto: FD status Tere: Results Tere got inspired DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

35 Some nights in English 68 people in attendance, mostly students of English Question to Alan: “What do cosmic rays have to do with the origin of the Universe?” DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

36 Mendoza Province’s only Planetarium in Malargüe Auger collaboration and city of Malargüe worked together on the idea of a planetarium DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

37 Press coverage, press releases DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

38 Forum with Teachers and Students 120 participants 8 Auger collaborators Discussion of future programs requested by teachers and students Many good ideas: future course topics, coordination with School Board, science fair, … DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

39 Eureka Science Park in Mendoza Parque de la Ciencia y la Tecnología Two years of planning and logistics led to the public inauguration of an Auger Observatory exhibit on November 22, 2003 Outside: 2 Mexican SD tanks outdoors with explanatory signs Inside: Italian FD prototype from Los Leones, posters, brochures, PC with interactive activities, small displays

40 Eureka Science Museum Mexican prototype SD tanks Outfitted by UTN, Mendoza, group DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

41 Eureka Science Museum Former Los Leones prototype mirrors donated to Eureka by Torino group/INFN Children are fascinated by it! DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

42 Eureka Science Museum Electronics displays PCs, brochures, posters Beeping Geiger counter display DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

43 Eureka Science Museum History of cosmic ray physics in Argentina and Auger details DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

44 Auger Exhibit Inauguration Governor elect of Mendoza Province, Ing. Julio Cobos Press coverage DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

45 The James Cronin School of Communication, Art and Design Naming ceremony New building needed Funding initiative in progress 1 st graduation festival Nov Visits with students

46 Three students place 11 th (out of 300) in Mendoza Science Fair with their Auger exhibit and accompanying posters Collaborators help with local student science projects DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

47 Press coverage, press releases Mendoza Eureka exhibit opening DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

48 Rumbos Magazine (Los Andes) Press coverage, press releases DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

49 December 2003 Press coverage, press releases Professors, students part of effort to learn about cosmic rays The mention of Argentina conjures any number of exotic or dramatic images... Eva Peron... dancing the tango... gauchos riding the plains... falling high-energy cosmic rays ….. Louisiana State, Jim Matthews January 2004 DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

50 Visitor Center Web Site Home page News postings Monthly news and events bulletin DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

51 Inauguration, November 2008 Mendoza Province Governor Celso Jacque (left) Over 200 dignitaries attended from all over the world DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

52 Inauguration, November 2008 Argentina Vice President Julio Cobos (right) “Asado” with traditional dancers and music DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

53 Inauguration, November 2008 Mendoza Province Governor Celso Jacque (left) Over 200 dignitaries attended from all over the world Judy! DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow

54 Inauguration, November 2008 Pier Oddone Fermilab director Robert Aymar then CERN director DPF 2011, August 9, 2011 Auger Education and Outreach – G. Snow