Boyce-Astro

Sharing Astronomy through Education and Research via remote technologies.

Boyce-Astro — an extension of B.R.I.E.F

Boyce-Astro is the astronomy arm of B.R.I.E.F. with addressing education, community development, and national and international research and education programs in astronomy.

Latest Updates

Fall Python Course – Sign Up Now

Our Python for Astronomy short (5-week) course will start soon. It is time to sign up now. The flyer is here and you can go to our Seminars section for more information. Register at our Python for Astronomy page or click here for the...

BRIEF announces its 2023 offerings

BRIEF will continue its three-part online student research seminar program in 2023. The three online seminars in astrometry, photometry, and python are the core of the BRIEF program which began with DoubleSTARS in 2015.

BRIEF’s Executive Director elected to the AAVSO Board

In November 2022 Pat Boyce was elected to a three-year term on the Board of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). He founded BRIEF, a non-profit, in 2013 to introduce students to the scientific community through research in astronomy. He and his students have been active participants in the AAVSO and its programs.

BRIEF to support SDSU on new NSF grant

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a three-year grant to the San Diego State University (SDSU) Astronomy Department in September 2022. The grant, “Comprehensive Analysis of Period Changes in Eclipsing Binaries as a Probe of Stellar Astrophysics” will use changes in the orbital periods of eclipsing binary stars to measure their interior structure.

A new student research tradition

In June 2022 BRIEF joined InStAR to conduct a two-day student research experience at Mt. Wilson Observatory (MWO). Twenty Boyce-Astro students performed speckle interferometry observations of binary stars using MWO’s 60” telescope, the world’s largest just over a century ago.

Seminar Sign Up

Stay in Touch

If you would like to receive notices of upcoming  seminars or occasional newsletter, please sign up here to provide your email address.

IntroStars™ – Signup

IntroSTARS is our free self-paced online course to introduce you to astronomy and astrophysics. It’s our prerequisite for our other seminars. 

Alumni Roster

If you’ve participated in a class or workshop which resulted in a paper being published, you’re a Boyce Astro Alumni. To view our Alumni Roster please go to the Alumni Roster Page

Alumni Papers

If you have participated in one of our classes or workshops which resulted in a paper being published, Congratulations!

To view your paper please go to Student Publications

Advanced Research Programs

Students who have participated in a class or workshop which resulted in published research are invited to continue your involvement with Boyce-Astro by signing up for an Advanced Research Programs.

Tutorials

AAVSO Areas of Interest

The American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) serves as a dedicated research and outreach organization that allows both professionals and amateurs contribute to the vast and dynamic field of variable star research in countless unique ways.

Mission Statement

Provide Education & Opportunities in Science

The Boyce Research Initiatives and Education Foundation (BRIEF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that was founded in 2013 with this stated mission:

“The specific public, charitable, scientific and educational purposes of this corporation are to provide scientific and technical research opportunities to enhance the educational experience of students and to introduce them to the scientific and technical communities.”

BRIEF conducts seminars, research programs, workshops and conferences to accomplish its mission. BRIEF provides robotic observatories, information systems, and instructional support materials to instructors and students to enable the education through research experience. Our students who range from 7th grade to 70 are encouraged to become scientists through publication of their own research.

Your donations solely support our student scholarships and student STEM research programs. BRIEF (aka Boyce-Astro) is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes as a 501 (c) (3) corporation.

All donations are welcome.

Classes & Seminars
Signup to receive notices from BRIEF about upcoming classes and seminar opportunities.