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2012 Annual Report

PARI: where science excites the imagination

Highlights from 2012• State-of-the-artResearchBuildingdedicatedafter$1.3millionNSF-fundedand$200,000PARI-fundedrenovations• ExhibitGalleryexpandsmeteoritecollection,addsnewSpaceShuttleartifactsvaluedinexcessof$2million• EMCCorporationdonationsandinternsupportexceeds$2.6million• 13thannualSpaceDayattractshundredsofvisitors• MonthlySciGirlseventsatPARIengagegirlsages9-14inscientificpursuits• PARIhostsDukeTIP(TalentIdentificationProgram)SummerFieldStudyinAstronomy,PhysicsandAstrobiology

for11thconsecutiveyear• SpringandFallHomeschoolDaysprovideon-campuslearningexperiencesforhomeschoolers• PARIhostsStarPartyforprofessionalandamateurastronomers• APDAreceivesphotographicplatecollectionsfromtheUnitedStatesNavalObservatory• SeventhFriendsofPARIAnnualMeetingandSymposium• MonthlyEveningatPARIeventsattracthundredsofvisitors• PARIfeaturedinmorethan50articlespublishedinlocal,regionalandnationalpublicationsaswellasnumerouslocal

televisionandradioprograms• EMCCorporationproducesafive-minuteAPDAvideoforworldwidedistribution• PARIfeaturedatAstronomyDaysattheNorthCarolinaMuseumofNaturalSciencesinRaleigh,newkioskprovides

onlinelinkfromtheMuseumtoPARIinstrumentsandprograms• Foursummerinternsconductresearch,helpupgradeinstrumentsandassistasmentorsforhighschoolstudentsin

PARIsummerprograms• PARIhostsweeklongNASA-fundedAppalachianStateUniversityClimateCampforsecondconsecutiveyear• CuriosityMarsLandingeventco-hostedatPARIwithStarTrekClubAlaricofAsheville• NationalGirlsCollaborativeProject(NGCP)selectsPARItocoordinateNGCPprogramthroughoutNorthCarolina• PARIbeginsworktorestoreandactivate12mradiotelescopeforasurveyofwatermasersintheMilkyWayGalaxy• PARI’s“Smiley”radiotelescopefeaturedatUSAScience&EngineeringFestivalinWashington,DC• APDAstatusandplanspresentedtotheAmericanInstituteofPhysics• EngineeringstudentsfromWesternCarolinaUniversitycompleteacomputercontrolinterfaceforAPDA’s

AstrometricMeasuringInstrument(GAMMAII)digitizingmachine• 3-axisgeomagnetometerinstalledtomeasuretheEarth’smagneticfield• PARIawardedmembershipinNASA’sAllSkyFireballNetwork,camerainstalledoncampustoobservemeteors• UNC-AshevillescientistsandstudentsdeveloppointingmodelsoftwareforDIRVInterferometer• Acceptancetestingbeginsfor26Eand26WDIRVradiotelescopeinterferometer

Cover Image:SmileyandClemsonAeronomyExperimentBuilding,photographedbyRichardWrightAdditional Images Courtesy of:ThurburnBarker,DonCline,JimFarrey,JohnHalseyandMarkKrochmal

PARIisapublicnot-for-profitfoundationdedicatedtoprovidinghands-oneducationalandresearchopportunitiesforabroadcross-sectionofusersinscience,technology,engineeringandmath(STEM)disciplines.

JoCline,chairpersonandtreasurer,educationadvocateandphilanthropistDonCline,president,retiredbusinessownerandphilanthropistJanetParks,secretary,businesswomanKenJacobson,generalcounselandCFO,Reynolds,Smith&HillsWayneChristiansen,PhD,retiredprofessorofphysicsandastronomy,UNC-ChapelHillRitaFuller,PhD,retiredassociatedirector,NorthCarolina-MSEN,UNCRobertMcMahon,PhD,president,KetteringUniversity

AlexAlexander,FriendsofPARIVolunteerThurburnBarker,APDADirectorBetsyBennett,NCMuseumofNaturalSciencesJohnBoehme,President-FriendsofPARIDonandJoCline,PARIBoardMembersDr.WilliamCooke,NASA–MarshallSpaceFlightCenterLeeCraig,FriendsofPARIVolunteerDerekDennis,PARI/CISCOKenanFellowDr.BrianDennison,Professor–UNCAshevilleBryanDubois,PattonElectronicsDr.RitaFuller,PARIBoardMemberHunterGoosmann,ERCBroadbandBobHawkins,EMCCorporationDr.PaulHemenway,ProfessorEmeritus-UTAustinTommyJacobson,MCNCMarkKrochmal,FriendsofPARIVolunteerDr.BrianMason,USNavalObservatoryDr.JohnMeriwether,ClemsonUniversityJoanieMyers,AppliedResearchAssociates,Inc.JanetParks,PARIBoardMemberDr.JoeandKarenPhillips,FriendsofPARIVolunteersRonSpeer,FriendsofPARIVolunteerMichaelWebb,SmithPremierServicesRichardWright,FriendsofPARIVolunteer

Distinguished Student ScholarsRebekahDavid,UNC-AshevilleMatthewGrimes,UNC-AshevilleBethanyOwen,Homeschool,highschoollevelJoePeters,UNC-AshevilleEmmaTaylor,GuilfordCollegeMenelikZafir,GeorgiaStateUniversity

PARI’s Mission

Board of Directors

Distinguished Supporters

Friends of PARI President’s AwardLamarOwen,PARIChiefInformationOfficer

Research Building ContractorsAmericanCoating&InsulationSystems,Inc.BrevardElectricCompanyMacHeating&AirConditioning,Inc.SouthernPainting&MaintenanceSpecialists,Inc.

STEM Education Initiatives

Featuredonthesepagesarephotosfromsomeofourmorepopularprograms.Theyinclude:

North Carolina Girls STEM Collaborative (NCGSTEM)

A statewide effort to provide support to initiatives involving girls in STEM education. PARI is the North Carolina Collaborative Lead for NCGSTM.

SciGirlsA monthly science program for girls ages 9-14, affiliated with the PBS series sponsored by Twin Cities Public Television.

Homeschool DaysA full day of on-campus activities and learning for children schooled at home. Hosted twice a year at PARI.

Smiley trainingWorkshops for teachers, students and others learning to remotely control PARI’s Smiley radio telescope for hands-on learning.

PARIwasheavilyinvolvedinscience,technology,engineeringandmathematics(STEM)educationlongbefore theacronymbecamecommonusage. Wefillavital role inattractingstudents toSTEMinitiativesbymakingthesedisciplinesfunandinteresting.PARIdevelopsnontraditional,inquiry-based,hands-onprogramsthattakeeducationoutoftheclassroomandhelpstudentsofallages(K-12,undergraduateandgraduate)learnsciencebydoingscience.Youngerstudentsoftenbecomeexcitedbyscienceandbegin toseriouslyconsidercareers inscienceand technology.ThosealreadyinvolvedinSTEMareprovidedprogramsandopportunitiesnotavailableelsewhere.

1.HomeschoolDayparticipantslinktoGlennResearchCenterforaNASADigitalLearningNetworksession.2.SciGirlobservestheSunthroughasolartelescope.3.PARIScienceEducatorDerekDennisshowsoffSmileyduringAstronomyDaysattheNCMuseumofNaturalSciencesinRaleigh.

If we want to solve a problem that we have never solved before, we must leave the door to the unknown ajar. -Richard P. Feynman

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1.PARIstaffandareascienceeducatorsparticipateinShodor'sComputingMattersworkshop.2.SpaceScienceLabstudentscreatecolorfuldisplaysbybuildingLEDcircuits.3.WesternCarolinaUniversityEngineeringstudentscompleteCapstoneProjectatPARI.4.DevelopedbyinternRebekahDavid,newtouchscreeninteractivekiosklinksNCMuseumofNationalSciencesvisitorstoPARIinstruments.

Alternative energy (solar & wind)PARI's seven solar arrays and three wind turbines provide the opportunity to demonstrate to students, teachers and engineers how such systems can be designed and built to serve a practical application as an alternative to traditional electric power generation.

NC OPT-EDA statewide program to involve minority and underserved students in STEM education. PARI is a partner.

StarLabPortable planetarium taken to schools and other venues. StarLab has hosted more than 60,000 visitors.

InternshipsAn opportunity for college students to spend the summer on campus conducting research and serving as mentors to high school students. PARI hosted four in 2012.

Duke TIPDuke Talent Identification Program, a two-week on-campus learning experience for high school students from across the country. PARI hosted for the 11th consecutive year.

NASA Climate CampNASA-funded weeklong on-campus experience for homeschool students, co-hosted at PARI with Appalachian State University.

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...' -Isaac Asimov

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Research Initiatives

During2012ourprimaryresearchprojectsincluded:

Research BuildingState-of-the art Research Building recently received $1.5 million renovation. Now houses APDA, research programs, data center and office space.

APDAAstronomical Photographic Data Archive, the North American archive for historic astronomical images, now contains more than 200,000 photographic plates and films.

Faculty Research AffiliatesInvitation-only program fosters collaboration with university faculty, allowing researchers to take full advantage of infrastructure and research labs at PARI.

UNAVCO PBO & seismometerGPS sensor installed at PARI measures geologic movements in the Earth’s crust as part of the NSF-funded EARTHSCOPE project.

Astronomyis theflagshipscienceatPARI,butourresearch initiativeshavegrownto includeatmospheric science, environmental science, computer science and engineering. ResearchprogramsmaytakeadvantageofexistinginfrastructureandinstrumentsatPARI,orresearchersmayaddinstruments.Internetaccessisavailableacrossthe200-acrecampus,soexperimentsmaybecontrolledremotely.Visitingscientistsmaybeindividuals,postdoctoralresearchers,ormembersofaconsortiumorobservingcampaign.Labs,officesandhousingarealsoavailable.

If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? -Albert Einstein

1.AstrometricMeasuringInstrumentTeammeetsinAPDA.2.Dr.ReneHudecfromtheAstronomyInstituteoftheAcademyofSciencesoftheCzechRepublicvisitsPARItostudyAPDAphotographicplates.3.JohnHalsey,PARIDirectorofRSAS,andinternJoePetersemploythe26mradiotelescopeDedicatedInterferometerforRapidVariabilitystudy.

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1.NewlyrenovatedResearchBuildinghousestheRFLab,AeronomyLab,APDA,DataCenterandoffices.2.ShownwithEMC-donateddatastoragesystem:InternMattGrimes,EMCsponsorBobHawkins,PARICIOLamarOwenandScienceDirectorDr.MichaelCastelaz.3.FriendofPARIvolunteerRonSpeer,shownherewithCIOLamarOwen,developedageomagnetometertostudytheEarth’smagneticfield.4.2012PARIsummerinternsandmentors.5.PARI’sNASAMSFCmeteornetworkcameraimagesabrightmeteor.

PARSEC/InterferometerScientists from UNC-Asheville are working with PARI to combine our 26m radio telescopes into a single instrument, an interferometer capable of studying the deep reaches of outer space.

Clemson University high velocity wind monitoring

Upper atmospheric wind detector, the Clemson Fabry Perot Spectrometer, is part of an array spanning the globe from Alaska to Peru.

NSF-NSDL Research projectsStellar classification and Internet access to PARI’s 4.6m radio telescope are now part of the National Science Digital Library (NSDL) collection of labs and hands-on activities.

American Astronomical Society meetings, papers & posters

PARI staff, scientists and interns attend biannual AAS conferences, present research findings.

Research toolsWell suited for astronomy, atmospheric science, environmental science, computer science or engineering projects, PARI hosts tools in all areas and offers the opportunity for visiting scientists to locate instruments on campus.

Do you realize if it weren't for Edison we'd be watching TV by candlelight? -Al Boliska

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Public Outreach and Special Programs

Ourpublicoutreacheffortsandspecialprogramsinclude:

Evening at PARIMonthly event includes a campus tour, presentation and night sky observations with PARI telescopes.

Public toursDocents provided by Friends of PARI offer campus tours every Wednesday.

NC Grassroots Science Museums Collaborative

A collaborative group of 32 science museums in NC. PARI is a member and VP Dr. David Clavier serves on the board of directors.

1.26Eradiotelescope.2.Youngscholarsexplorestellarspectraonastronomicalphotographicplates.3.APDADirectorThurburnBarkerdemonstratesresearchtoolstoDr.MegLowman,DirectoroftheNatureResearchCenterattheNCMuseumofNaturalSciences.4.JohnL.Mackay,President&CEOofDiscoveryPlaceinCharlotte,andSteveSaucier,ExecutiveDirectorofNorthCarolinaGrassrootsScienceMuseumsCollaborativeenjoyavisittothePARIcampus.

PublicoutreachisacornerstoneofthePARImission,andwehavebeenabletogreatlyexpandoureffortsovertheyearsbecauseofthededicatedeffortsofourmanyvolunteers.FriendsofPARIvolunteersconductweeklypublictoursandassistwithmanyofourpublicoutreachinitiatives.

Space isn't remote at all. It's only an hour's drive away if your car could go straight upwards. -Fred Hoyle

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1.FriendofPARIvolunteerRichardWrightinspectsaSpaceShuttleantennarecentlydonatedtoPARI’sExhibitGallerybyNASA.2.FriendsofPARIvolunteersJohnBoehmeandMarkKrochmalarrangedisplaysofnewlyacquiredNASASpaceShuttleartifacts.3.EducationDirectorChristiWhitworth,PresidentDonCline,andDistinguishedFriendofPARIDr.JoePhillipsinspectthenewlydonatedSpaceShuttlewingsegment.4.EducationDirectorChristiWhitworthleadsacampustour.

Exhibit Gallery Recently expanded, now houses a large meteorite collection and Space Shuttle artifacts donated by NASA.

NC Museum of Natural Sciences Astronomy Days

PARI is a featured part of the annual event in Raleigh. Participation led to a permanent kiosk at the museum linking visitors to PARI programs and instruments.

NC Astronomers meeting exhibit PARI staff and scientists exhibit work and present research findings at NC Astronomers’ annual meeting.

Across the sea of space, the stars are other suns. - Carl Sagan

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1.SpaceDayvisitorsobservesunspots.2.Ahappycamper.PARIprogramsaretailoredtoallages.3.MarsCuriosityLandingevent.4.Youngastronomersexaminingmeteoriteparticles.

Astronomy? Impossible to understand and madness to investigate. - Sophocles, c. 420 BCE

Friends of PARIVolunteer organization provides help with public outreach, PARI programs and scientific instrument development.

Space DayAnnual open house attracts hundreds of visitors the first Saturday in May.

SCOPE (Stellar Classification Online-- Public Exploration)

Software developed at PARI allows citizen-scientists to access and analyze spectral star images from part of the APDA collection.

Community and educational talksPARI staff and scientists are active in dozens of events annually, both in North Carolina and in other venues across the country.

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Copernicus' parents: "Copernicus, young man, when are you going to come to terms with the fact that the world does not revolve around you?"

1.ViewoftheSunwithanewtelescopesolarscreen.2.VisitorsobservethetransitofVenus.3.PARIAstronomer/EducatorDr.BobHaywardshowsthetransitofVenusfromdowntownBrevard,NC.4.PARICIOLamarOwen,right,isinterviewedforEMCcorporatevideo.5.VenusasitpassesacrossthefaceoftheSunonJune5,asimagedbyaPARIopticaltelescope.

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Surroundedbyahalf-millionacresofthePisgahNationalForest,PARIislocatedinanaturalbowlbetweenridgesandshieldedforgenerationstocomefromman-madelightpollutionandradiointerference.Duringtheearlydaysofthenation’sspaceprogram,NASArecognizedtheintrinsicvalueofthelocationand,in1962,builttheRosmanResearchStationtobetheprimaryeastcoastfacilityfortrackingsatellitesandmonitoringmannedspaceflights.In1981,theNASAfacilitywastransferredtotheDepartmentofDefense(DOD)andusedforsatellitedatacollection.Atitspeak,about350peoplewereemployedatwhatisnowthePARIcampus. In1995,thefacilitywasclosedandDODoperationswereconsolidatedelsewhere.Afterseveralyearsofinactivityatthesite,thegovernmentwasplanningtodismantlethefacility,butGreensborobusinessmanDonClineledanefforttosaveitforpublicscienceeducationandresearch.A501(c)(3)not-for-profitfoundationwasestablishedinSeptember1998.InJanuary1999,thesitewasacquiredbyDonandJoClineandgiftedtothefoundation.ThePisgahAstronomicalResearchInstitutewasborn:a200-acreinfantwithaproudheritage,

untappedpotentialandvastneeds.Ofthegovernmentinvestmentovertheyears,itisestimatedthatwhatwasleftatthePARIcampusrepresentsavalueofabout$200million.Since1999,PARIhasinvestedmillionsofdollarsintorestoringthefacilityanditsinstrumentstothelevelnecessaryforscientificandeducationalpurposes.Forexample,PARIinvestedaboutamilliondollarstoupgradetheelectronicdrivesandcomputercontrolsforthetwo26meterradiotelescopesandrecentlycompleteda$1.5milliondollarrenovationoftheResearchBuilding,muchofitfundedbyaNSFgrant.Overall,theprivatemonetaryinvestmentinthefacilityis

morethan$15millionandthetimeinvestmentbyliterallyhundredsofpeopleisbeyondcalculation.Today,PARIhasafulltimesalariedstaff,severalparttimeemployees,anetworkofconsultantsandanactiverosterofseveraldozenvolunteerworkers.

Pisgah Astronomical Research InstituteOnePARIDrive,Rosman,NC28772

Phone:(828)862-5554Fax:(828)862-5877www.pari.edu

Origin and development