The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC)

Link to:

Interested in applying to the 2025 NAC program?

Please visit the new NAC website: https://public.nrao.edu/odi/nac/

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About the NAC

The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) is a program led by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and Associated Universities Inc., (AUI) in partnership with the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), and a number of minority and majority universities to increase the numbers of students from underrepresented minoritized groups and those otherwise overlooked by the traditional academic pipeline into STEM or STEM-related careers.

Primary Goal: to increase the number of students, who otherwise would have been overlooked by the traditional academic pipeline, in STEM and STEM careers by placing them in a cooperative, diverse team over the summer and beyond.

The National Astronomy Consortium (NAC) is an innovative, competitive program designed to provide research opportunities, and long-term mentoring support, to underrepresented students in STEM fields. The NAC program expands upon the traditional summer research experience by creating an expectation of long-term mentoring, along with engagement in a strong, national-level peer and mentor network. NAC students are selected for grit* and are partnered with world-class scientists, engineers, technicians, and other professionals, for research activities that extend beyond the summer into the academic year. Peer mentoring and support is an important component of the NAC, and is fostered through placement in thoughtfully-developed cohorts at leading observatories and universities.

Highlights of the NAC program include:


Summer, and extended, research experience In 2021, NAC sites include NRAO-Charlottesville, NRAO-Socorro, Princeton University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Michigan State University. Summer stipend, and travel assistance Long-term research mentoring Peer mentoring and support Academic and professional development Year-round, monthly virtual ‘hangouts’ to maintain peer support and continue professional development Weekly cohort meetings during summer Participation in American Astronomical Society winter meeting Participation in annual NAC Workshop in Washington, DC Opportunities to present research to prominent members of professional societies, universities, and governmental agencies Travel support Membership in professional societies

Summer, and extended, research experience
In 2021, NAC sites include NRAO-Charlottesville, NRAO-Socorro, Princeton University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Michigan State University.
Summer stipend, and travel assistance
Long-term research mentoring
Peer mentoring and support
Academic and professional development
Year-round, monthly virtual ‘hangouts’ to maintain peer support and continue professional development
Weekly cohort meetings during summer
Participation in American Astronomical Society winter meeting
Participation in annual NAC Workshop in Washington, DC
Opportunities to present research to prominent members of professional societies, universities, and governmental agencies
Travel support
Membership in professional societies

To contact the NAC please send an email to odi@nrao.edu.

** Students with ‘grit’ exhibit passion for a particular long-term goal, along with powerful motivation for achieving their objectives.

Link to:

Interested in applying to the 2025 NAC program?

Highlights of the NAC program include:

Connect with NRAO

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.