About Polaris

What is Polaris?

Polaris is a partnership between undergraduate and graduate physics and astronomy students at The Ohio State University dedicated to fostering a more welcoming and community oriented undergraduate physics experience in the OSU Departments of Physics and Astronomy. We are a student-run organization developed in collaboration between graduates and undergraduates.

Our focus lies in the augmented retention of non-traditional groups and students who have had less access to physics and astronomy by providing professional and academic mentorship for those groups. We seek to aid undergraduate students in creating and maintaining a supportive learning community. 

 

Our Goals

Polaris strives to improve aggregate retention of all students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at OSU. As your academic journey continues to unfold, you’ll encounter numerous opportunities, obstacles, and successes. Polaris is a student-led and student-focused program open to all, which can help you through these challenges by fostering a supportive community and giving everyone the resources they need to succeed in their STEM future. Polaris is an especially great resource for students who have had less access to physics, for example, if you identify as: 

• Low-income (e.g., Pell Grant eligible) 

• First-generation (if your parents don’t have education beyond high school) 

• Non-traditional 

• Community college or transfer student 

To do this, we hope to improve three key factors that lead to increased student retention:

1. Self-Perception as a Scientist
2. Self-Efficacy
3. Sense of Belonging

Polaris Initiatives

To achieve our goals, Polaris currently runs two programs within the Physics and Astronomy Departments at OSU.

The Undergraduate Residential Summer Access (URSA) Program

The URSA Program is a two-week residential early-arrival program for incoming students who have had less access to Physics and/or Astronomy. During URSA, students are introduced to OSU’s campus, participate in cohort-building activities and social events with peers, engage with interactive lessons and workshops, and complete a mini group-project.

URSA takes place during the first few weeks of August prior to the Fall semester. For more information about URSA, including how to apply, follow the link to the URSA page.

The application cycle for URSA has ended. Check back in Summer 2025 for the next URSA!

The Polaris Mentorship Course

The Polaris Mentorship Course is a year-long course (1 credit for each semester) which pairs 1st & 2nd year undergraduate students who have had less access to Physics and Astronomy with graduate student mentors. In the fall semester, we address topics including imposter syndrome, science communication, and belonging as a scientist. In the spring, students are exposed to topics in professional development and work with their mentors on a mini project culminating in a poster session at the end of the semester.

To enroll in the Mentorship Course, look for PHYSICS 2050.01 (Fall) and PHYSICS 2050.02 (Spring) when registering for courses. For more information, follow the link to the Mentorship Course page.

Polaris Supporters

Polaris is a member of the Access Network, a consortium of similar student groups at nine universities. We are supported by the Physics Department, the Astronomy Department, The College of Arts & Sciences, Professor Laura Lopez, Professor Annika Peter, and Professor Chris Hammel.

Getting Involved

The Polaris leadership team is involved in many projects within the Physics and Astronomy Departments, and we are always looking for members of the academic community (undergraduates through faculty) to aid in advancing our goals.

If you are aligned with our goals of improving retention of non-traditional students in Physics and Astronomy, committed to cultivating a welcoming and supportive academic environment within these Departments, and interested in advancing Polaris initiatives, please follow the link to the Polaris – Getting Involved subpage.

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