AstroTech is an initiative to make the field of astronomical instrumentation more inclusive, beginning with a one-week summer school for undergraduates and graduate students.
The AstroTech community comes together every summer for a 1-week series of workshops that includes new participants, returning participants, and instructors. Participants work in small teams to design, build, and test an optical instrument that meets their own science goals. Everyone at AstroTech becomes part of a community committed to advancing the field of instrumentation and the workshop is just the beginning.
The AstroTech 2026 program will be held at the University of California, Berkeley
Program dates: Monday June 22 – Friday June 26, 2026
“Amazing, seeing so many diverse people, with different backgrounds and are currently in different paths within instrumentation was so important to me, and it helped me see the diversity that should continue to be in this field.”
Unique aspects of AstroTech
Astronomical Instrumentation:
A Hands-On Approach
AstroTech broadly covers all aspects of astronomical instrumentation, including principles of optics, instrument development, career development in instrumentation, effective teamwork and collaboration. Participants work in teams to design, build, and test a spectrograph in an optics lab.
Career Networking
AstroTech summer school includes a career networking session and a partner event with people working in instrumentation: industry, academia, and government sectors. AstroTech leadership hosts events for alumni at SPIE and AAS conferences to keep the community thriving and engaged long after summer school.
Part of a Community
Participants who join AstroTech become part of a community that values access for all. Our field needs talent from across our country and globe. We continue to innovate astronomy education through partnership with a variety of community partners. The AstroTech team reflects some of the diverse experiences we value in the AstroTech summer school and community. Learn more about the AstroTech instructional team.
Opportunity and Access for All
AstroTech has a specific goal of increasing opportunities, access, and participation of all individuals within astronomical instrumentation. One of the unique pieces of AstroTech is a session on effective teamwork. Participants and instructors learn strategies for how to be heard and valued as team members and how to ensure teammates are valued and heard as well.
Professional Development for Instructors
AstroTech supports instructors, early career scientists and engineers, in their career development. AstroTech provides funds for instructors to attend the ISEE Professional Development Program. Instructors that attend the PDP learn about and practice: curriculum design, effective teamwork, assessment, and facilitation
AstroTech Leaders
Jessica Lu
Co-Director
Associate Professor of Astronomy, University of California (UC) Berkeley; instrumentalist, including Project Scientist for the Keck All-Sky Precision Adaptive Optics (KAPA) instrument.
Candice Brown Pacheco
Co-Director
Assistant Director, Institute for Scientist & Engineer Educators (ISEE) at University of California Observatories; ISEE has been developing and offering programs like AstroTech for 20 years, and has earned the highest U.S. award for STEM mentoring .
AstroTech Funding
AstroTech is funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation.
Past funding has come from the National Science Foundation through the Keck All-Sky Precision Adaptive Optics(KAPA) project (AST#1836016)
ISEE
Led by the Institute for Scientist & Engineer Educators (ISEE) at University of California Observatories
https://uc-isee.org/
Contact Us
Individuals with questions about AstroTech should contact: astrotech@ucsc.edu