Brooding in star and moonlight is something people from all places and ages share.

Where we are and how we fit into the scheme of the universe is among our most basic curiosities and has given birth to one of our most ancient and important sciences: astronomy.

Nurturing this fascination with astronomy and other sciences is the goal of an innovative UW program called Pre-MAP (Pre-Major in Astronomy Program), now in its third year at UW.

Professor Eric Agol and several graduate students created Pre-MAP in 2005, and Agol continues to supervise the program.

"We're trying to increase the diversity of astronomy, with the goal of increasing the pool of scientists both in astronomy and other sciences," Agol said.

Traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education (women, ethnic minorities, and those from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds) are becoming more prevalent in the college setting, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Web site.

However, enrollment in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) disciplines is still predominantly white males with a wealthy background, Agol said.

"We're going to have to recruit from a wider variety of backgrounds," he said. "White males represent a decreasing portion of our population. ... More minorities and women will need to be attracted to the sciences for science to continue to advance."

As a student, Agol came from a poorer family than his coevals and believes that diverse classrooms make for better learning environments.

"Diverse settings have proven to be more creative and get more done than homogenous ones," Agol said. "[Diversity] will make others feel more comfortable in science."

According to the American Council on Education, 46 percent of students who intend to obtain a degree in a STEM field finish in a STEM field. Twenty-seven percent of underrepresented students who intend to obtain a STEM degree do so.

"Undergraduate classes don't grab them," said Nick Cowan, a TA and recruiter for Pre-MAP. "We take math and science and make it look good."

The reason many students don't take science courses or don't continue with a science-oriented academic path is that they perceive it as being too difficult and can't imagine a career in science, he said.

Pre-MAP offers an alternative approach to science education with smaller classes and a more hands-on curriculum. Program recruiters attract underrepresented students through e-mail and other promotional campaigns. In fact, all but one of the students in Pre-MAP this year said they wouldn't have known about the program without these recruitment efforts.

Students who take Pre-MAP are placed as a group into Astronomy 102 and Astronomy 192 concurrently. In Astronomy 102, students learn the theories of astronomy while applying them to research projects in the seminar class, Astronomy 192.

Pre-MAP gives its students the unique experience of doing research early in their academic careers, allowing them to taste what professional science entails.

The research is not just for practice; the goal with each project is to eventually have the research published. Each project is taken on by a pair of students with guidance from faculty and graduate students. This gives students the opportunity to learn astronomical principles, math skills and technical skills (i.e. computer programming) through one-on-one mentorship.

"Starting off with research is a great way to learn about what science really is," said Oliver Fraser, a graduate student who helps in the Pre-MAP classroom.

He said the best way to get students interested in astronomy is to expose them to its "intrinsic coolness."

Last year, Pre-MAP students Amy Rose, Amber Almy, Kenza Arraki, AJ Singh and Kathryn Smith discovered 1,300 new asteroids in our solar system that obscured their view of supernovae.

This year, there are eight Pre-MAP students working on four projects: Edward Charles and Monica Huang (searching for eclipsing binaries); Jeanne McKeever and Deborah Tugaga (variable stars and planetary nebula); Samir Rajani and Ivan Huang (searching for hot jupiters); and Joel Leigh and Lauren Pope (merging supermassive blackholes).

Pre-MAP students also have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with cutting-edge technology such as the Apache Telescope in New Mexico, where most of their data comes from.

The class will take a field trip later in the year to see the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) facility in eastern Washington.

"I love Pre-MAP," said McKeever, who has hopes of becoming a researcher and professor of astronomy. "It's an excellent way to get right into research."

Like a number of current and former Pre-MAP students, McKeever plans to use her research experience in Pre-MAP to get jobs in the lab throughout her undergraduate studies.

Pre-MAP gives students a unique opportunity to expand their curiosities about astronomy and get an inside look at professional science.

"'Why is the sky blue?' is a good place to start," Pope said. "And then what happens when galaxies collide."

[Reach contributing writer Cody Curtis at development@thedaily.washington.edu.]