The Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium (KNAC), eight predominantly undergraduate institutions in the Northeast that each have a small but active astronomy program, will host an REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) program in astronomy. Undergraduate students, drawn primarily from institutions in the Northeast with small or non-existent astronomy programs, will engage in a mentored research experience each summer with an astronomer at a KNAC institution. These students will join a rich and diverse cohort of students who remain at their own institution and students exchanged among consortium members. This supportive network of mentors gives students sense of belonging within the scientific community, and it greatly increases the likelihood that they will chose scientific or technical careers.
KNAC is a regional consortium of undergraduate-focused institutions whose mission is to promote astronomical research for students at member institutions and at other small Northeast institutions where exposure to astronomical research is limited. Faculty at all member institutions will work closely with individual students for 10 weeks each summer. During the subsequent fall semester, students and faculty from all these institutions will participate in the joint Undergraduate Research Symposium, with their results published in the Proceedings volume. KNAC acts as a virtual astronomy department. Its regional focus makes it an attractive option for students who can stay close to home, participate in the Fall Symposium, and continue to cultivate the relationship with their mentor well after the summer program has ended.
