July 14-18, 2025
What we know about the world, and how we know about it, is changing at breakneck speed. The goal of SATTAA2025 is to support STEM teachers with astrophysics content that includes the proverbial "tools-of-the-trade." Our sequence provides four foci as we aim to support the integration of scientific and engineering practices for classroom contexts:
- Development of STEM content specific to astrophysics.
- Exploration of current technology tools, including Al.
- Interactions with STEM professionals located in the USA and elsewhere in the world.
- Teacher-led sessions supporting lesson development and exchange.
Participant Stipends
We are grateful to our friends at B.E.A.T. for sponsoring participant stipends this year.
2025 Team
Jennifer Becerra, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Nieves Castro Rodriguez, Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC)
Dr. Chris Combs, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)
Dr. Thayne Currie, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)
Sergio Fernandez-Acosta, Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC)
Dr. Carmen Fies, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)
Rachel Fuechsl, McDonald Observatory
Dr. Lindsay Fuller, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)
Cuauhtémoc Méndez Rosas, Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec)
Judith Meyer, McDonald Observatory
Dr. Chris Packham, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)
Martinique Pautzke, McDonald Observatory
Dr. Swara Ravindranath, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Dr. Kurt Retherford, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
Justine Schaen, National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab)
2025 Schedule
| Date | Time | Activity | Facilitator |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 14 | 9:00 | Meet and Greet; Logistics | Chris Packham & Carmen Fies, UTSA |
| 10:00 | Light, Color, EMS | Lindsay Fuller, UTSA | |
| 11:00 | Europa Clipper | Kurt Retherford, SwRI | |
| 12:00 | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 | Teachers sharing favorite astronomy lesson resources | Carmen Fies, UTSA | |
| 2:00 | NOIRLab's Teen Astronomy Cafe | Justine Schaen, NOIRLab | |
| July 15 | 9:00 | Solar System | Chris Packham, UTSA |
| 10:00 | Optics | Chris Packham, UTSA | |
| 11:00 | Space Telescopes | Swara Ravindranath, NASA | |
| 12:00 | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 | Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Online Investigations | Justine Schaen, NOIRLab | |
| 2:00 | Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Online Investigations | Justine Schaen, NOIRLab | |
| July 16 | 9:00 | Ancient Astronomy in Mexico 4.0 | Cuauhtémoc Méndez Rosas, Tec |
| 10:00 | Integrating AI | Carmen Fies, UTSA | |
| 11:00 | Virtual Fieldtrip: Dark Skies | Judith Meyer, Rachel Fuechsl, & Martinique Pautzke, McDonald Observatory | |
| 12:00 | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 | Virtual Fieldtrip: Dark Skies | Judith Meyer, Rachel Fuechsl, & Martinique Pautzke, McDonald Observatory | |
| 2:00 | NASA STEM | Jennifer Becerra, NASA | |
| July 17 | 9:00 | Telescope Design | Chris Packham, UTSA |
| 10:00 | Climate Change, Terrestrial | Lindsay Fuller, UTSA | |
| 11:00 | Climate Change, Other Planets | Lindsay Fuller, UTSA | |
| 12:00 | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 | Hypersonics | Chris Combs, UTSA | |
| 2:00 | Q&A | Chris Packham, UTSA | |
| July 18 | 9:00 | Ground-Based Telescopes | Nieves Castro Rodriguez & Sergio Fernandez Acosta, GTC |
| 10:00 | Exoplanets | Thayne Currie, NASA AMES & UTSA | |
| 11:00 | Eyes on Exoplanets; Planet Search | Thayne Currie, NASA AMES & UTSA | |
| 12:00 | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 | AI Resources at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) | Carmen Fies, UTSA | |
| 2:00 | Closure and Final Paperwork | Chris Packham & Carmen Fies, UTSA |
2025 Contacts
Dr. Carmen Fies
UTSA College of Education and Human Development
Carmen.Fies@utsa.edu
Dr. Chris Packham
UTSA Department of Physics and Astronomy
Chris.Packham@utsa.edu
