Resources
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Coding:
Code Academy - Free resources and courses to learn how to code in several different languages, including Python, C, and Java.
Anaconda - Easy-to-use software to download and update Python packages and customize your coding environment.
Stack Overflow - Online community about coding that provides answers to millions of questions. Search their history to see if someone found a fix to any of your coding bugs!
GitHub - Development platform that allows you to publish your own code or search through other contributions.
Physics Help:
Khan Academy - Free online videos teaching a range of topics, including college math and physics.
Physics Tutoring Center - Free Physics tutoring at GMU, provided through our Physics and Astronomy Department.
Math Tutoring Center - Free Mathematics tutoring at GMU, provided through the College of Science.
Astronomy Paper Seminar Participation Guide and Reading Walkthrough: Introduction to effectively reading and presenting scientific papers, geared to astrophysics research, but can be applied to other disciplines
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Career Planning:
SPS Careers Toolbox - Information about careers available to undergraduate physics students and how to find the right job for you.
Grad School Planning:
Grad School Shopper - Provides program and admission information for those interested in going to grad school for Physics.
Alex Lang’s Website - High GRE scorer and former NSF GRFP winner provides studying tips, resources, advise, and examples of winning applications.
Case Western Reserve Flashcards - Available for free through request, Case Western provides an exhaustive list flashcards for Physics GRE studying.
Grad School Application Organizer - Spectrum made and approved, use the link to make a copy of the provided grad school application spreadsheet organizer! Share your letter writers into this document to keep them and yourself organized and stress-free
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Mental Health
Headspace - Free meditation app that offers free daily meditations. Offers a student discount to Premium version to unlock more ($10/year).
CAPS Mind Spa - On-campus relaxation resource with massage chairs and games to help with mindfulness and emotion regulation.
FitOn - Free app that provides workout videos of varying lengths and styles, including yoga, dance, HIIT, and strength building.
Time Management
MarinaTimer - Browser app that offers Pomodoro method and custom timers to schedule work and breaks.
Todoist - Free to-do list that includes sorting with folders, scheduling, and assigning tasks. Available as a mobile and browser app.
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Conferences:
OSCAR Celebrations of Student Scholarship - Mini-conferences at GMU held throughout the year to highlight undergraduate research being done on campus.
GMU Science Slam - Competition for students to prepare an entertaining presentation on their research geared at the general public, with a monetary prize.
CADC International Meetings List - List of astrophysics conferences around the world compiled by the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre.
Various professional associations host their own conferences as well. Information can be found on their meeting pages:
American Physical Society (APS)
American Astronomical Society (AAS)
Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP)
National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP)
Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP)
Society of Physics Students Zone Meetings (SPS) - GMU is in Zone 4
Publications:
Overleaf - Online LateX software that has a helpful, detailed tutorial here.
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Awards:
American Physical Society - List of sponsored and external scholarships and awards compiled by APS, some specifically geared to members of under-represented groups.
Undergraduate Student Travel Fund - GMU travel fund for undergraduates presenting their research at a conference, offering up to $800 depending on the location of the conference.
Graduate Student Travel Fund - GMU travel fund for graduate students presenting their research, offering up to $500 depending on the location of the conference and the type of presentation, with an additional $1,000 available for international conferences.
Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research - Grants for undergraduate and graduate students of up to $1,000 ($5,000 for astrophysics research, $2,500 for vision-related research) to help fund research projects.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) - 5-year graduate fellowship that provides full funding for 3 years. Undergraduates about to enter grad school, and first year grad students are eligible to apply.
Internships:
NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REUs) - research internships, often with a stipend, available to undergrads at universities and other academic institutions.
NASA Internship Program - Internships, often with a stipend, at NASA facilities, available for the spring, summer, or fall. NASA Goddard is closest to GMU.
Office of Student Scholarship, Creative Activities, and Research (OSCAR) - GMU office that helps undergraduate students get involved in research and offers funding for research positions
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Astrobetter’s Equal Opportunity Astronomy - A list of resources compiled by Astrobetter discussing diversity and equity in STEM, from both popular and scientific journals
GMU John Mitchell Jr. Program - Video series by the John Mitchell Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race at GMU
(Un)conscious Bias in the Astronomical Profession - White paper from scientists at STSCI discussing unconscious bias in STEM and providing recommendations to mitigate its effects
‘Dear Professor’: On Anti-Blackness and Learning - From Learning Scientists for Racial Justice, a group of non-black scholars present concrete actions for faculty to take to dismantle systemic inequities and racism in academia
Anti-Racism Daily - Daily newsletter of contributed articles relating to various anti-racism topics, and providing action items and resources to learn more
The Urgency of Intersectionality - Ted Talk on intersectionality given by civil rights advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw (content warning: police brutality)
What Does My Headscarf Mean to You? - Ted Talk given by mechanical engineer Yassmin Abdel-Magied discussing implicit bias and the power of mentorship
Lucky Zip Codes - Ted Talk given by Amy Hunter discussing a wide range of relevant topics, including critical race theory, the wealth gap, and racial profiling, in the light of the Ferguson protests of 2014
33 Microaggressions that Educators Commit Daily - List of actions and behaviors to avoid to ensure an inclusive classroom
White papers on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility topics - papers submitted to the Decadal Survey to highlight work that needs to be done to make astrophysics a more equitable field, as well as these on ethics in space exploration
Ethics in Space Exploration - written by GMU alumni Monica Vidaurri, these highlight the extra thought and care that must be taken to ensure that our voyages into space are done responsibly and equitably
Space Science in Context - recorded talks from 2020 virtual conference on policy and equity in astrophysics
Allyship - Here are several popular articles and a Ted Talk on how to be a good ally to members of under-represented groups
White papers on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility topics
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GMU:
Astrophysics of Exoplanets Instrumentation Lab
Black Hole - Galaxy Connection Group (BGC)
Quantum Science and Engineering Center (QSEC)
Center for Computational Fluid Dynamics
Center for Collision Safety and Analysis
Around the World:
Arxiv - Free distribution service providing pre-prints of scientific papers from diverse fields, including astrophysics, condensed matter, quantum physics, etc.
Astrophysics Data System - Database for free scientific papers on various fields within astrophysics, operated by Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and Center for Astrophysics at Harvard.
Astrobites - Daily posts presenting interesting, recently-published astrophysics papers in short, easy to read blurbs geared at undergraduates interested in getting into research.
AAS NOVA - Daily astrophysics research highlights from AAS Journals
Quantumapalooza - List of free resources and online events to learn more about quantum materials and quantum computing
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Professional:
American Physical Society (APS)
American Geophysical Society (AGU)
Society of Physics Students (SPS)
American Astronomical Society (AAS)
Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP)
National Society of Hispanic Physicists (NSHP)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
GMU:
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National Air and Space Museum:
Explainer’s Program: The Explainers Program hires high school and college students to help visitors better understand the Museum’s artifacts and exhibitions through hands-on programming. Explainers work at either the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC or at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.
Internships:
Positions are available in areas such as aviation or space history, planetary science, exhibits, communications, museum management, and education. During the 10-week program, each intern is assigned a supervisor and works on an internship project and other tasks. In addition to their projects, interns also meet virtually as a group for presentations, professional development opportunities, enrichment activities, and tours.
Fellowships:
The museum offers a variety of fellowships for predoctoral, postdoctoral, and non-academic researchers. Every Fellow appointed at the Smithsonian must have a Smithsonian principal advisor. Identify in the proposal the member(s) of the Smithsonian's research staff who might properly serve as your principal advisor(s), as well as those who might be suitable as consultants:
Department of Space History Staff
Center for Earth and Planetary Studies (CEPS) Staff
Volunteering:
The Museum has a number of volunteer opportunities such as the Astronomy Education Program. This opportunity is only available at the Washington, DC location of the National Air and Space Museum. Volunteers engage visitors in observing the Sun, Moon, and planets through telescopes at the Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory. On days when it's cloudy, volunteers interact with visitors at Discovery Stations inside the Museum. Your training will include how to facilitate inquiry-based learning in museums, how to use telescopes, and how to communicate about astronomy with the public. Volunteers are needed weekdays, weekends, and occasional evenings.
Other Resources:
Astronomy Festival on National Mall: This free public festival is organized by Hofstra University. The Astronomy Festival on the National Mall (AFNM) features solar, optical, and radio telescope observations; hands-on activities, demonstrations, hand-outs, posters, banners, and videos; a planetarium show under a 25-foot blow-up dome. GMU students help out with the setup and teardown, have a table set up for demonstrations, and get a chance to mingle with astronomers.
George Mason Observatory: Get involved at the GMU Observatory by becoming a Tour Guide. Tours are hosted to the general public, private events, and students in introductory astronomy courses. Contact the observatory at gmuobservatory@gmail.com
Astronomy on Tap, D.C.: Now hosted by DC9 and is organized by Steph LaMassa, an astronomer who works at Space Telescope Science Institute. Each free event features professional astronomers giving short, engaging talks, prize giveaways, and AoTDC merch available for a small donation.
Science Comedy Night: Hear comics, scientists, science writers, and science enthusiasts perform funny science-themed jokes, stories, songs, and whatever else they can come up with that will make you laugh! The show occurs quarterly and sells out.
Inspiring Communicators to Follow:
John Kroon: Astrophotographer. Subscribe to his YouTube channel, and learn how to start your own astrophotographer journey!
Karen Sauer: FOCUS Program, reach out via email!