CURE

CSLA ELAC LACC LASC PCC 
JPL

What is CURE?

CURE is collaborative effort between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and physics and astronomy faculty at five educational institutions: California State University Los Angeles (CSLA), East Los Angeles College (ELAC), Los Angeles City College (LACC), Los Angeles Southwest College (LASC), and Pasadena City College (PCC). The purpose of Consortium is to seek, recruit and train the students and teachers from the urban LA area who are interested in science, and involve them in research projects with the JPL astronomers.

The following JPL staff members are current or past research mentors for CURE program: Dr. Bonnie Burratti, Dr. Frank Carsey, Dr. Stephen D. Gillam, Dr. Michael Hicks, Dr. Arthur Lane, Dr. Ellis Miner, Dr. Neil Murphy, Mr. Ray Newburn, Dr. William Owen, and Mr. Brad Wallis. CURE projects at the 0.6m and 1.2m telescopes at the JPL Table Mountain Observatory are supported by James Young and Deronda Meyes.

The CURE funding came through grants from NASA Code –E Minority University Research and Education Division (MURED) and from the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) program.

CURE is one of only 13 NSF astronomy REU sites in the nation, the only one in California, and the only one that targets the metropolitan urban area.

The CURE predecessor, Physics Outreach Program (POP), was recipient of the 1997 NASA Group Achievement Award.

Through CURE and POP over 80 undergraduate students to date participated in the JPL led research projects. All but just a few of the students are from backgrounds typically underrepresented in the scientific community. The demographics, by percentage for the institutions participating in CURE are:
 
CSLA PCC LACC ELAC LASC
Hispanic 52 35 42 75 21
African-American 8 8 14 2 76
Asian/Pacific Islanders 21 30 21 15 1.4
Native Americans 0.5 1 0.4 0 0
Non-Hispanic white 18 22 22 3 0.7
Other 0 4 1 5 0
%Underrepresented students 60 43 56 77 97
% Female students 60 57 55 58 79
(Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding)

CURE students had nearly two-dozen presentations at regional student research symposia and participated as co-authors at 6 presentations at the American Astronomical Society (AAS) national meetings. They are also regular contributors to the International Astronomical Union comet and asteroid observing services.

BACKGROUND OF THE PARTNERSHIP
In late FY94, Don Young of the JPL, proposed the Physics Outreach Program (POP) to NASA’s Office of Equal Opportunity, Code E. The objectives of POP were:
Astronomy, because it includes many aspects of science, mathematics, engineering and technology, was used successfully to accomplish these objectives. The resources of the JPL Table Mountain Observatory (TMO) were used to conduct the astronomical observations. In FY95, California State University, Los Angeles (CSLA) and Pasadena City College (PCC) joined JPL. This brought together JPL's Young and Dr. Stephen D. Gillam, CURE Associate Director and Astronomy Team Leader at the JPL Table Mountain Observatory, with Dr. Milan Mijic (CSLA, CURE Program Director 1997-2001) and John Sepikas (CURE Associate Program Director at PCC).

In FY96,with Code E's concurrence, the program was expanded to include Los Angeles City College (LACC), represented by Dean Arvidson, LACC Associate Program Director.

In FY97, again with Code E's concurrence, the program was further expanded to include East Los Angeles College (ELAC) and Los Angeles Southwest College (LASC) represented respectively, by Jose Ramirez (CURE ELAC Associate Program Director) and Walt Jordan (CURE LASC Associate Program Director).

In FY98, CSLA was awarded a Faculty Award for Research (FAR) titled CURE, with Professor William Taylor (CSLA) as PI, and Mijic as Program Director. CSLA partnered with LACC, LASC and ELAC in this award.

Subsequently, in 1999 the Consortium was funded as the NSF REU astronomy site, with Dr. David Gregorich (CSLA and JPL) as PI, and Gillam and Mijic as Co-PIs and Program Directors.

For more information visit CURE website or call Dr. Stephen D. Gillam, Program Director (2001-), at (760) 249 6610.

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Questions or Comments?  Email Milan.