The Cosmic Pathfinders Program

Furthermore, a unique aspect to the activities of the program will be technical hack-a-thons that offer participants the opportunity to learn relevant tools and techniques for analyzing NASA mission and archival datasets.

Cosmic Pathfinders will maintain a presence at professional society events that are supported by the Cosmic Origins Program Office.

Notably, these societies include the American Astronomical Society (AAS), National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), American Physical Society (APS), Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), and other societal organizations that regularly interface with NASA.

Chapters are modeled after similar campus organizations such as the Society of Physics Students.

Members of the program who are at the same university may self-organize into student chapters. Such groups further galvanize the engagement of students with NASA astrophysics. Chapters may host regular meetings to discuss relevant prevailing academic and professional issues and focus on developing essential scientific, mathematical, and interdisciplinary skills. They present a unique opportunity for students to connect with a national network of astronomers, astrophysicists, and space scientists, and foster a sense of belonging within the larger scientific community.

Membership in the Cosmic Pathfinders Student Program is open to the national and international scientific community without regard to institutional affiliation, education, or career status.

Students from designated countries, in accord with NASA policy, will not be admitted into the program. Membership is identified by subscription to a dedicated email distribution list for the program that is maintained by the Physics of the Cosmos Program Office. Membership has no fixed duration and may be withdrawn at any time. Program membership recruitment will be primarily focused on undergraduate, graduate, and post-bac students, in addition to early-career scientists in industry.

University chapters will go through a charter submission period before the start of each fall and spring academic semester and are approved after review by the Physics of the Cosmos Program Office representative in consultation with the student leadership.