Intro
CIERA programming and resources to engage the public, enrich communities, and support teachers & classrooms.
Interact with CieraLessons & TrainingINDEPENDENT EXPLORATIONBeyond CIERA
The Center for Interdisciplinary Education & Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) leads in astrophysics theory, observation, and data science, but we’re so much more! We train and empower the next generation of scientists, we’re growing our programs in K-12 STEM education, and we cultivate the public’s enthusiasm for astronomy with our outreach initiatives.
CIERA is committed to STEM outreach and education that serves the broader community – empowering women & minorities and creating a more diverse, inclusive and equitable society and STEM community. Towards that end, CIERA education and outreach follows these guiding principles:
- Maximize accessibility and remove barriers
- Reach and respond to the needs of underprivileged communities
- Foster a diverse and active community of volunteers
Upcoming Events for the Public
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Jan 31, 2025
8:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
Magnetic Attraction: From Solar Storms to Binary Orbits
Feb 13, 2025
7:00 PM
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Feb 28, 2025
8:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Mar 28, 2025
8:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Apr 25, 2025
9:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
May 30, 2025
9:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Jun 27, 2025
9:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Jul 25, 2025
9:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Aug 29, 2025
9:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Sep 26, 2025
9:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Nov 07, 2025
8:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Dec 05, 2025
8:00 PM
Dearborn Observatory
Interact With CIERA
Whether virtually or in-person, once in a while or every few weeks, there are plenty of ways to interact with CIERA! Check out some of the options below.
Annual Public Lectures
Every year, CIERA hosts a prominent astronomer to give a free public talk on the most essential and timely topics in astronomy. Past speakers have included many astronomers of great renown, including several Nobel laureates.
Astronomy Night Out
CIERA’s Astronomy Night Out series brings campus and the Chicagoland community together to hear a CIERA astronomer speak on a fascinating, timely topic.
CIERA Astronomer Evenings
Attend a monthly astronomer evening at the historic Dearborn Observatory. In addition to the opportunity to observe through the telescope, Astronomer Evenings provide the chance to learn from one of CIERA's astronomers during a short presentation/demonstration, followed by a Q&A session.
Astronomy on Tap
Attend an astronomy trivia night, hangout, and join a Q&A session with CIERA astronomers at a local bar.
CROCS
CIERA REACHes Out to Chicago Schools (CROCS) is a free CIERA-led program designed for Chicago-area high school teachers to bring space scientists into their classroom for a day.
Dearborn Observing Sessions
Attend a weekly tour and observing session at the historic Dearborn Observatory, led by experienced Northwestern astronomy students. Tour the observatory, learn about its history, view observing footage, and (weather permitting) use the telescope!
Lessons & Training
CIERA develops a variety of training programs for high school students, teachers, undergraduates, graduate students, and the general public. Lesson plans and Python programming tutorials are available for public, non-commercial use.
REACH Summer Program
Research Experiences in Astronomy at CIERA for High School Students (REACH) is a highly interactive, 3-week program that provides high school students with intensive training in the Python programming language in the context of astrophysics research. Students practice necessary research skills and gain a background in a variety of astronomy topics. A limited number of students will be eligible to continue working 1-on-1 with a CIERA scientist on a research project.
Python Programming Tutorials
In astronomy, a working knowledge of a programming language is essential for much of our day-to-day work – from analyzing telescope data or running simulations to generating fancy visualizations. For this reason, CIERA has developed programming tutorials for beginning scientists and the public.
Research Experiences for Teachers (RET)
CIERA’s RET program provides high school teachers opportunities to engage in cutting-edge astronomy research, and help them translate their research experiences into innovative curricula aligned with the national Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
LSSTC Data Science Fellowship Program
The LSSTC Data Science Fellowship program is a two year training program designed to teach skills required for LSST (Large Synoptic Survey Telescope) science that are not easily addressed by current astrophysics programs. The LSSTC Data Science Fellowship Program is a supplement to graduate education in astronomy, intended to teach astronomy students essential skills for dealing with big data.
Independent Exploration
We have created a variety of ways to explore and interact with CIERA science on your own! This includes everything from brochures about astronomy topics to participating in the science itself via citizen science projects. CIERA is also active on several media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Citizen Science
Citizen science is an exciting and growing enterprise where professional scientists team up with the public to analyze data and contribute to scientific research. Apply what you learn and contribute to science by participating in a citizen science project!
Interactive Visualizations
See and explore beautiful simulations of a galaxy, the final moments before a neutron star collision, the family of black holes detected from gravitational wave merger events, and more! Check out interactive visualizations made by scientists at CIERA.
Pathfinder Brochures
Gallery
Stop by the CIERA gallery to view many exciting science videos, images, interviews, talks and more!
Beyond CIERA
While CIERA runs many of its own dedicated public and K-12 outreach programs, there are many excellent programs run by other organizations, many of which CIERA members are also involved in. Some of these include: