Banneker Institute teaches astronomy to historically marginalized students
Some of the biggest lessons taught throughout the summer program are not about the endless expanse of the universe, but rather social issues closer to home.
By
Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and senior content editor
Published Feb 28, 2022 2:26 PM EDT
|
Updated Feb 28, 2022 2:26 PM EDT
Illustration of Benjamin Banneker, 1731-1806. American mathematician, astronomer, writer, and farmer. (Getty Images)
Children all across the United States often fantasize about growing up to be an astronaut or to work for NASA or NOAA, but making those childhood dreams become a reality can be more difficult than it may appear.
That is where organizations like the Banneker Institute can step in to help. The Banneker Institute is an astronomy program at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, tailored to undergraduate college students from backgrounds historically marginalized from academia.
The institute is named after Benjamin Banneker, who was a land surveyor and an accomplished astronomer in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Banneker wrote almanacs with his astronomical knowledge and wrote letters to Thomas Jefferson about racial equality.
Dr. John Asher Johnson is a professor of Astronomy at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the director of the Banneker Institute and recently talked with AccuWeather about the program and its success over the years.
Colorized title page of Banneker's Almanac for 1795. the cover features a woodcut portrait of American scientist, surveyor, and author Benjamin Banneker (1731 - 1806). (Photo by Science Source/Photo Researchers History/Getty Images)
"We started in 2015, and we've had six classes since then," Johnson said, adding that each class is typically comprised of six to 10 students.
Those selected for the annual summer program come from all across the country to expand their knowledge about the universe and to work on research in preparation for graduate coursework. Some past participants have been students at Harvard, while others have traveled thousands of miles to attend, including folks from the University of Arizona, University of Washington and the University of Puerto Rico.
"Our students have studied nearly every topic studied at the [Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics], including the sun, exoplanets, star formation, the Milky Way (Galactic Archaeology), black holes, galaxy formation and Cosmology," Johnson added.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was canceled in 2021 and 2022, but Johnson expects the program to resume in 2023.
(Original Caption) A 15-cent commemorative stamp honoring astronomer and mathematician Benjamin Banneker will be issued 2/15 in Annapolis, Maryland, during the nationwide observance of Black History month, the U.S. Postal Service said. Banneker free born in Baltimore County, Maryland, in 1731, was pioneer American scientist and mathmatician. (Getty Images)
The Banneker Institute is not only for students with diverse backgrounds but also for students in a wide range of financial situations. The cost of summer internships or programs and related expenses can deter some undergraduates from pursuing an opportunity that can help their career, but applicants have less to worry about when it comes to the Banneker Institute.
Students live on-campus throughout the summer, receive a stipend to cover food expenses and are reimbursed for travel, making it an affordable, equal-opportunity academic program for everyone that is accepted. This assistance allows students to remain focused on their research and training rather than the stressful financial details that could hold them back from participating in the program.
Some of the biggest lessons taught throughout the summer program are not about the endless expanse of the universe but issues closer to home.
UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 22: Benjamin Banneker: Surveyor-Inventor-Astronomer, mural by Maxime Seelbinder, at the Recorder of Deeds building, built in 1943. 515 D St., NW, Washington, D.C. (Photo by Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)
"Students also participate in the Social Science Seminar, where we cover topics such as the history of race and racism in the U.S., colonialism, capitalism and modern-day imperialism," Johnson told AccuWeather.
"We connect these topics to science and use these topics to provide context for the structure and practice of modern scientific research," he added.
Undergraduate astronomy students across the U.S. are welcome to apply, specifically those who are about to transition from their junior to senior year in college.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"While there is a preference for students of color, we welcome applications from students of all backgrounds," the institute explained on its website. "Our application review process considers historical disparities and the tendency for traditional application practices to reproduce racial disparities in academia."
Students who want to learn more about the Banneker Institute and are thinking about applying for the 2023 program can click here to view the Banneker Institute website.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Astronomy
Banneker Institute teaches astronomy to historically marginalized students
Some of the biggest lessons taught throughout the summer program are not about the endless expanse of the universe, but rather social issues closer to home.
By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and senior content editor
Published Feb 28, 2022 2:26 PM EDT | Updated Feb 28, 2022 2:26 PM EDT
Illustration of Benjamin Banneker, 1731-1806. American mathematician, astronomer, writer, and farmer. (Getty Images)
Children all across the United States often fantasize about growing up to be an astronaut or to work for NASA or NOAA, but making those childhood dreams become a reality can be more difficult than it may appear.
That is where organizations like the Banneker Institute can step in to help. The Banneker Institute is an astronomy program at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, tailored to undergraduate college students from backgrounds historically marginalized from academia.
The institute is named after Benjamin Banneker, who was a land surveyor and an accomplished astronomer in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Banneker wrote almanacs with his astronomical knowledge and wrote letters to Thomas Jefferson about racial equality.
Dr. John Asher Johnson is a professor of Astronomy at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the director of the Banneker Institute and recently talked with AccuWeather about the program and its success over the years.
Colorized title page of Banneker's Almanac for 1795. the cover features a woodcut portrait of American scientist, surveyor, and author Benjamin Banneker (1731 - 1806). (Photo by Science Source/Photo Researchers History/Getty Images)
"We started in 2015, and we've had six classes since then," Johnson said, adding that each class is typically comprised of six to 10 students.
Those selected for the annual summer program come from all across the country to expand their knowledge about the universe and to work on research in preparation for graduate coursework. Some past participants have been students at Harvard, while others have traveled thousands of miles to attend, including folks from the University of Arizona, University of Washington and the University of Puerto Rico.
"Our students have studied nearly every topic studied at the [Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics], including the sun, exoplanets, star formation, the Milky Way (Galactic Archaeology), black holes, galaxy formation and Cosmology," Johnson added.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was canceled in 2021 and 2022, but Johnson expects the program to resume in 2023.
(Original Caption) A 15-cent commemorative stamp honoring astronomer and mathematician Benjamin Banneker will be issued 2/15 in Annapolis, Maryland, during the nationwide observance of Black History month, the U.S. Postal Service said. Banneker free born in Baltimore County, Maryland, in 1731, was pioneer American scientist and mathmatician. (Getty Images)
The Banneker Institute is not only for students with diverse backgrounds but also for students in a wide range of financial situations. The cost of summer internships or programs and related expenses can deter some undergraduates from pursuing an opportunity that can help their career, but applicants have less to worry about when it comes to the Banneker Institute.
Students live on-campus throughout the summer, receive a stipend to cover food expenses and are reimbursed for travel, making it an affordable, equal-opportunity academic program for everyone that is accepted. This assistance allows students to remain focused on their research and training rather than the stressful financial details that could hold them back from participating in the program.
Some of the biggest lessons taught throughout the summer program are not about the endless expanse of the universe but issues closer to home.
UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 22: Benjamin Banneker: Surveyor-Inventor-Astronomer, mural by Maxime Seelbinder, at the Recorder of Deeds building, built in 1943. 515 D St., NW, Washington, D.C. (Photo by Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)
"Students also participate in the Social Science Seminar, where we cover topics such as the history of race and racism in the U.S., colonialism, capitalism and modern-day imperialism," Johnson told AccuWeather.
"We connect these topics to science and use these topics to provide context for the structure and practice of modern scientific research," he added.
Undergraduate astronomy students across the U.S. are welcome to apply, specifically those who are about to transition from their junior to senior year in college.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"While there is a preference for students of color, we welcome applications from students of all backgrounds," the institute explained on its website. "Our application review process considers historical disparities and the tendency for traditional application practices to reproduce racial disparities in academia."
Students who want to learn more about the Banneker Institute and are thinking about applying for the 2023 program can click here to view the Banneker Institute website.
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For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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