The National Youth Science Foundation and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory jointly operate the West Virginia Governor’s School for Mathematics and Science at the NRAO in Green Bank, West Virginia. Both organizations have a long-standing commitment to and a well-established history of strengthening science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and research within West Virginia, around the nation, and throughout the world.
The GSMS program leverages the strengths of and maximizes synergies between the individual organizations. The NRAO contributes substantial and invaluable educational and research experience along with access to unique scientific facilities and a national pool of outstanding teachers who exemplify the best practices in STEM Education. The NYSF provides organizational leadership, staff capability, and experience in operating comprehensive residential youth science education programs. The NYSF operates the National Youth Science Camp®, a program that has served the nation’s brightest graduating high school students since its inception in 1963, and the Youth Science Discovery Experience, a West Virginia focused project-based program. The NRAO is a national research center, home to the world-class Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), and a well-equipped science education center. The specialized expertise and experiences of these organizations produces an ideal team to operate the GSMS in a unique and irreplaceable way that would be impossible to replicate in another setting or under different oversight.
The formal GSMS program consists of several components: a central research theme of radio astronomy research, science talks, directed studies, and enrichment activities. Teachers, mentors, and scientists support small groups of students, as they complete research projects in radio astronomy and related STEM fields. After receiving instruction in the operating and safety procedures of the 40-foot radio telescope, student teams are given access to the instrument to observe and collect data. Teams determine their own observing schedules and modify their research strategies as students gain experience and begin to analyze their data.
Each student research team is paired with an NRAO staff scientist who acts as an advisor to the team, guiding the students by asking questions rather than by giving answers. In order for the students to truly experience research, GSMS staff members do not tell the students what to do, but rather encourage them to consider various concepts and procedures. Although this may be frustrating to the students at first, it is an effective approach that successfully promotes a thorough understanding of the nature of science and instills a level of intellectual confidence in the team members.
At the conclusion of the GSMS, the student research groups present their findings to each other, GSMS staff, and NRAO scientists and guests in a formal academic colloquium that reinforces the need for ongoing research and exploration. Poster versions of their presentations are prominently displayed in the NRAO Science Center throughout the following year.
The GSMS Outdoor Adventure Program is an integral component of the GSMS experience. Well positioned in the heart of the Monongahela National Forest, the GSMS offers activities that include backpacking, regional field trips, and mountain biking. Along with more traditional recreational activities, the outdoor adventure program allows students and staff members to interact in a relaxed atmosphere that encourages life-long physical activity.