LBCC Physics Department Project Offers Student Internship Opportunities

Photo courtesy of Heather Hill, Heather Hill in front of students Austin Moon and Kyle Gourlie (right), Dr. Greg Mulder (left)

Under the Sun in Mexico

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Have you ever wanted to travel to Mexico? What if LBCC could make that happen, and cover the cost, too!

The Linn-Benton Community College Physics Department may be able to accommodate. Instructors Heather Hill and Greg Mulder are working on a grant project that culminates in a trip to Mexico, and they are looking for students to participate in a paid internship to join them. 

Six students with a science background or an interest in astronomy will be selected for the internship. The interns will meet once a month, during the full moon, to calibrate equipment at a private observatory.

The project is studying how light is bent due to gravity, called gravitational lensing, and is taking advantage of a solar eclipse occurring in 2024 to gather data. During the eclipse, when the sun’s light is blocked, researchers will take images with telescopes and see how the position of stars change near the sun. 

This project is being done in collaboration with NASA and the National Science Foundation.

LBCC Students Austin Moon and Kyle Gourlie are part of the first round of internships for the project. The two are developing the code for data analysis and image processing, as well as the code for the automount-controlled telescopes. 

Monthly, the group will meet at the private observatory in Dallas, Oregon of Richard Berry, former editor of Astro Mag.

“I’ve always admired astronomy,” said Hill, “and this project is a good opportunity to actually do astronomy.” 

The project’s goal is to confirm parts of Einstein's theory of general relativity. Astronomy is a competitive field that students may find difficult to break into. This grant gives undergraduate students an opportunity to participate. Being part of a project that is attached to NASA is a good opportunity to get your foot in the door.

The project culminates in a seven day trip to El Salto, Mexico. El Salto is located in the southwestern part of the state Durango. At 8,464 ft. above sea level, it is ideal for astronomy.

As part of the grant proposal, it will provide students a stipend and cover the costs for airfare, room, and board.

Internship details are still being determined, and applications will be considered summer 2023. If you’d like more information or application details email Heather Hill at hillh@linnbenton.edu.