Research Science and Education: The NSFs Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship

Astro2010 State of the Profession Position Paper Research Science and Education: The NSF’s Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship March 2009 Dara Norman (NOAO), Marcel Agueros (Columbia Univ), Timothy M. Brown (LCOGT), Matthew Browning (UC, Berkeley), Sukanya Chakrabarti (Harvard CfA), Bethany Cobb (UC, Berkeley), Kim Coble (Chicago State Univ.), Christopher Conselice (Univ. of Nottingham), Kelle Cruz (Caltech), Laura Danly (Griffith Obs.), Peter M. Frinchaboy III (Univ of Wisconsin, Madison), Eric Gawiser (Rutgers Univ.), Joseph Gelfand (NYU), Anthony Gonzalez (Univ. of Florida), Jennifer L. Hoffman (Univ. of Denver), Dragan Huterer (Univ. of Michigan), John Johnson (Univ. of Hawaii), Roberta M. Johnson (NCAR). Sheila Kannappan (UNC), Rachel Kuzio de Naray (UC, Irvine), David Lai (UC, Santa Cruz), Douglas C. Leonard (San Diego State Univ.) Makenzie Lystrup (Univ. of Colorado, Boulder), Sera Markoff (Univ. of Amsterdam), Karín Menéndez-Delmestre (OCIW), Stephan Muchovej (Caltech), M. Virginia McSwain (Lehigh University), Katherine Rhode (Indiana Univ.), Tammy Smecker-Hane (UC, Irvine) Malcolm Smith (CTIO), Jennifer Sokoloski (Columbia Univ.), Kim-Vy Tran (Texas A&M) Primary Contact Dara Norman NOAO 950 N. Cherry Ave Tucson, AZ 85719 dnorman@noao.edu, 520-318-8361 The Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship - 1 - Abstract The NSF’s Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship (AAPF) is exceptional among the available postdoctoral awards in Astronomy and Astrophysics. The fellowship is one of the few that allows postdoctoral researchers to pursue an original research program, of their own design, at the U.S. institution of their choice. However, what makes this fellowship truly unique is the ability of Fellows to lead an equally challenging, original educational program simultaneously. The legacy of this singular fellowship has been to encourage and advance leaders in the field who are equally as passionate about their own research as they are about sharing that research and their passion for astronomy with students and the public. In this positional paper we address the importance of fellowships like the AAPF to the astronomical profession by identifying the science and educational contributions that Fellows have made to the community. Further, we recommend that fellowships that encourage leading postdoctoral researchers to also become leaders in Astronomy education be continued and expanded. 1) What is the AAPF? The basic description of the Fellowship is best summarized in the NSF’s program synopsis. We reproduce it here: The “Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships provide an opportunity for highly qualified, recent doctoral scientists to carry out an integrated program of independent research and education. Fellows may engage in observational, instrumental, theoretical, laboratory or archival data research in any area of astronomy or astrophysics, in combination with a coherent educational plan for the duration of the fellowship. The program supports researchers for a period of up to three years with fellowships that may be taken to eligible host institution(s) of their choice. The program is intended to recognize early-career investigators of significant potential and to provide them with experience in research and education that will establish them in positions of distinction and leadership in the community.” 1 While this synopsis is descriptive, below we point out the combination of elements of this fellowship that make it truly unique among all others offered in Astronomy or Astrophysics. a. Postdoctoral fellowship to pursue independent research The fellowship provides a realistic simulation of the mix of responsibilities that are given to university faculty and has allowed the AAPFs to demonstrate that postdoctoral researchers are capable of simultaneous excellence in research and education activities. The AAPF program produces alumni who have successfully navigated the NSF grant process from start to finish. It offers an important alternative to other prize fellowship programs where letters of recommendation are given high priority; the AAPF grant rewards those who are scientifically mature enough at this stage of career to propose and conduct frontier independent research. The vagaries and potential abuses represented by

1 Full program details can be found at www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5291 The Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship

• 2 - confidential letters of recommendation2 make it critical for the profession to have prestigious career paths available for people who have greater talent than their letters might imply. b. Research can be done in any astronomical/astrophysical subfield Recipients of this fellowship have pursued research in a wide variety of astronomical subfields. Work has ranged from instrumentation to theoretical to observational, across wavelengths from X-r

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