Dr. Andrea Ghez (University of California - Los Angeles), along with collaborators Marshall Perrin (University of California - Los Angeles) and Rachel Kuzio de Naray (University of California - Irvine) will organize and conduct the seventh annual symposium of the National Science Foundation Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship (AAPF) program. The symposium, to be held January 3-4, 2009 in Long Beach, California, will bring together the AAPF fellows, faculty mentors, prospective AAPF applicants, and interested members of the astronomical community. This will allow the fellows to present their research and educational activities, and to better establish ways to enrich the fellowship experience itself. Additionally, fellows will obtain opportunities to establish interdisciplinary projects with colleagues during the symposium.
The integration of educational activities into the research efforts of the fellows provides for a broad impact of the fellowship program. Many fellows participate in K-12/public outreach activities, leading to enhancement of the public's interest in science. The symposium will allow the fellows to share their ideas and experiences, not only among themselves, but also with faculty mentors and with others in attendance.
