In partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Institute for Astronomy, ARISE hosted a full-day, hands-on workshop that brought together local faculty, students, and community members to explore how SETI-themed activities can be used to teach topics across radio astronomy and satellite communications. The day included an introduction to the ARISE project, followed by interactive sessions on technosignatures through Mars orbiter signals, decoding real-time transmissions from geostationary satellites, and mapping the structure and motion of the Milky Way using the 21 cm hydrogen line. Throughout the workshop, participants engaged directly with classroom-ready activities and data, learned about opportunities for funded lab equipment and access to the Allen Telescope Array, and connected with the broader goal of making hands-on radio astronomy education more accessible.
The workshop began with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant in the nearby town of Burney. Instructors, students, and collaborators had the chance to introduce themselves, connect with one another, and start building relationships that would shape the rest of the week.
Our first full day of the workshop began with a warm welcome and introductions from the staff at the observatory. Dr. Vishal Gajjar kicked things off with an overview of the site and the ARISE project, followed by Alex Pollak's detailed introduction to the ATA and a guided tour of the antennas, control room, and other facilities. After the tour, Dr. Wael Farah, the project scientist for the ATA, gave a talk on the science currently begin done with the ATA, including studies of fast radio bursts, pulsars, and the search for technosignatures.
In the afternoon, we shifted focus to the classroom. Joel Earwicker introduced the goals and approach of the ARISE project, then led a session on setting up GNU Radio and other software tools used throughout the curriculum. Participants then jumped onto their first hands-on lab: using the ATA to explore the structure and dynamics of the Milky Way using the 21cm hydrogen line. The day wrapped up with a group discussion reflecting on how these activities could be integrated into participants' classrooms.
Day two of the workshop was focused on further lab testing and shared teaching strategies. We began the morning with a series of talks from the instructors where they shared their own approaches to hands-on learning, curriculum design, and engaging students in STEM. These talks led to thoughtful conversations about adapting the ARISE materials for different classroom environments.
The first lab session of the day focused on receiving and decoding real-time satellite imagery using software defined radios. Joel Earwicker walked the group though how weather satellites continuously transmit signals that can be captures, decoded, and turned into real-time images of Earth from space, an activity that students can perform outdoors using low-cost hardware and free software.
After lunch, Vishal Gajjar led a session on pulsars, diving into how these rapidly rotating neutron stars produce regular radio pulses that can be detected and analyzed by radio telescopes like the ATA. Participants explored how to visualize and sonify real pulsar data using GNU Radio, giving students a way to study astrophysical objects using signal processing tools. The afternoon wrapped up with another round of instructor talks, followed by a group trip to Burney Fall, a local hike where workshop participants had the chance to connect informally and take in northern California's scenery.
Our final day at Hat Creek began with a dive into one of the most exciting frontiers of SETI: the search for technosignatures. Joel Earwicker introduced the Mars orbiter lab, which uses the ATA to observe signals from active spacecraft around Mars as real-world analogs for detecting artificial signals from beyond Earth. This lab helped frame one of the central challenges in SETI, how to tell if a signal is natural, the result of human activity, or something we can't explain yet.
The morning continued with open time for participants to revisit labs, explore additional tools, or begin developing curriculum plans tailored to their own classrooms. After lunch, the group reconvened for a final session that included a talk from Dr. Sofia Sheikh on how ARISE and the ATA are being integrated into coursework at Foothill College. We then closed the workshop with a reflective discussion on what worked, what could be improved, and where the project should go next. The group offered thoughtful and constructive ideas for improving the curriculum and supporting instructors. We're grateful for their input and excited to carry it forward.
Ian Weaver - SETI Institute & NASA Community College Network, California
Katherine Auld - Northwest Arkansas Community College, Arkansas
JR Condosta - Norwalk State Community College, Connecticut
Rick Jesik - Elgin Community College, Illinois
Danny Mattern - Butler Community College, Kentucky
Alexander Pettitt - California State University Sacramento, California
Lauren Albin - Young Harris College, Georgia
Aaron Lee - Saint Mary’s College of California
Mehendra Thapa - Yuba College and Lassen College, California
Geoff Matthews - Foothill College, California
Christopher Best - Foothill College, California
Lynx Coleman - Foothill College, California
Derek Stacke - Foothill College, California
Joseph Tamer - Arizona State University, Arizona
Sally Watt - Glendale Community College, Arizona
Brandon Hasty - Arizona State University, Arizona
With Support from Amateur Radio Digital Communications
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