Integrating remotely operated radio telescopes into an introductory astronomy curriculum provides students with unique opportunities to explore time-domain astrophysics and the physics of compact objects. In this workshop, participants will engage with a flexible, research-oriented curriculum developed around the 20-meter radio telescope at the Green Bank Observatory, accessed through the University of North Carolina’s Skynet Robotic Telescope Network. The activity guides students through the detection of pulsar periods and the analysis of polarized radio emission, introducing them to physical models such as the lighthouse mechanism and curvature radiation.

Participants will work directly with real pulsar datasets, including stereo-sonified light curves that allow students to hear and quantify polarization signatures. They will use tools such as Lomb-Scargle periodograms to refine pulse period measurements and interpret pulse profiles in the context of magnetic field geometry.