SPACE SCIENCE INSTITUTE
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Mission Statement
The Space Science Institute (SSI) is shaping our future by enabling scientists to advance our understanding of Earth and the Universe; increasing science and technology literacy for people of all ages and backgrounds; and inspiring youth to pursue science-technology education and career opportunities.
About This Cause
SSI's History In the early 1990s, when Dr. Paul Dusenbery was conducting space physics research at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU), he recognized that, with regard to space science, a glaring divide stood between the academic world and the general public—and that there was a need for a better link between the two. In response, Dr. Dusenbery engaged other scientists in the field and founded a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Space Science Institute (SSI), in 1992. In its initial startup, SSI had a staff of three scientists who focused on advancing research and promoting space science education. By 2000, SSI was garnering national recognition for its advancements in space science. In 2003, SSI moved from the CU campus to its current location on Walnut Street in Boulder, creating more space for business operations and for on-site research scientists. Through collaborations with NASA and the European Space Agency, SSI scientists secured participation on prestigious space missions, including the Mars Exploration Rovers (2003), Rosetta (2004), Cassini (2004), Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005), Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (2009), Mars Science Laboratory (2011), Juno (2011), ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (2016), OSIRIS-REx (2016), and Mars 2020 Rover (to be launched in 2020). SSI has since expanded its impact in science and education through the creation of SSI’s National Center for Interactive Learning (2010), Center for Extrasolar Planetary Systems (2013), Center for Space Plasma Physics (2013) and Center for Mars Science (2014). SSI Today Currently, SSI manages ~70 scientists working in Colorado, nationally, and internationally. SSI also develops educational products and conducts outreach with an ever-expanding network of partners, and it creates exhibits and electronic games that make engaging with science accessible, meaningful and fun for people of all ages and backgrounds. These programs support SSI’s overall mission: to shape our future by enabling scientists to advance our understanding of Earth and the Universe; increasing science and technology literacy for people of all ages and backgrounds; and inspiring youth to pursue science-technology education and career opportunities. SSI’s role in advancing understanding and opportunity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has been recognized through competitive awards (all currently active) from: the National Science Foundation (STEM Learning in Libraries); the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; the Space Telescope Science Institute; the U. S. Department of Energy; and NASA. We Explore & Discover SSI researchers work on the cutting edge of international science. SSI’s Research Branch is home to the world’s experts in multiwavelength astronomy, Mars atmospheric and surface studies, cometary and outer Solar System research, and space plasma physics. Our researchers come to work here from across the U.S. and abroad, leaving prestigious jobs at universities and national labs (e.g., NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech and Los Alamos National Laboratory) to pursue the kind of creative freedom and work-life balance that SSI offers. SSI scientists are key team members on high-profile robotic and spacecraft missions for NASA and the European Space Agency, as well as for the exoplanet finding space observatory Kepler, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), and the Hubble Space Telescope. SSI is a pioneer in remote employment; nearly 75% of our employees do their scientific observations and calculations while telecommuting, offering freedom of movement to present at conferences around the world and flextime to work throughout the day and night to better collaborate and observe. SSI is also extremely proud of the work done by the Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem Instrument Operations team, based out of SSI’s Boulder office. Approximately 50 scientists from the United States and Europe comprise the imaging team that uses cameras from the Cassini-Huygens mission to investigate many unique features of Saturn, its rings and moons. The Cassini ISS team is arguably the most productive of the Cassini instrument teams in delivering its wealth of data and images to scientists and the general public, and continues to deepen our knowledge about Saturn and the processes by which planets – and whole planetary systems – form and develop with time. We Education & Inspire SSI is also home to the National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL), which leverages SSI’s successful experience in research, museum, science center and library educational programs, public outreach, and digital technologies into accessible and inspiring learning opportunities. We believe that the key to improving our science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce to meet 21st Century challenges is not just to focus solely on an individual student, or teacher, or even an individual classroom, but instead to explore how we can transform whole communities in how they view and support STEM. NCIL employs a strategy of transforming communities as a way of addressing two critical needs facing our country: 1) Enhancing general STEM literacy because public policy matters often involve complex STEM-related issues and 2) Increasing the number of young people pursuing STEM careers by providing opportunities and encouragement to those who are underserved and underrepresented in STEM disciplines. A small sample of our strategic project partners in these efforts include: American Geophysical Union; American Library Association; Association of Science-Technology Centers; Astronomical Society of the Pacific; Ball Aerospace & Technologies; Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Denver Museum of Nature and Science; EdLab Group/National Girls Collaborative Project; Engineers without Borders; Institute for Learning Innovation; LEGO; Lunar & Planetary Institute; NASA Astrobiology Institute; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; National Academy of Engineering; National Renewable Energy Laboratory; and the Universities of Arizona, California and Colorado. For over a decade, NCIL educators have also been exploring the potential of digital media, ranging from interactive experiences for museums and libraries to online games and now smartphone and tablet apps. The potential of digital media only increases as portable, connected devices become more commonplace, allowing us to reach people in a variety of different environments and contexts. This means an increased opportunity to impact formal education and to reach people in all walks of life raising the general science literacy of the public. Our approach is reinforced by NSF’s Cyberlearning Task Force, which recently recommended that educators “emphasize the transformative power of information and communications technology for learning, from K to grey,” and explore technologies that allow interaction with scientific data and visualizations while bridging multiple learning environments. SSI's Vision for the Future Ultimately, we at SSI believe that the present and future course of science and engineering in the United States rests on three pillars: 1. A strong research infrastructure; 2. A scientifically literate populace that supports investments in research; and 3. A pipeline of future STEM professionals. Pillar (1) poses a special challenge in the 21st century, as scientific fields are becoming too interdisciplinary to fit traditional research institutions and universities that in turn are currently struggling under the pressures of financial challenges and aging research facilities. By providing high quality organizational, legal, and administrative support, SSI makes it possible for researchers to do science wherever they are on the projects of their choice in scientific growth areas. Being smaller and more adaptable, SSI also offers a much higher scientific return on grant dollars invested than larger universities and laboratories: all funds received are spent on science and science education, not unnecessary frills. SSI is committed to sharing the joy of science and educating communities nationwide under Pillars (2) and (3). Continuing well into the future, there will be a transformation away from traditional classroom environments, toward a more engaging, “learning by doing” approach to youth education. 21st Century skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, STEM literacy, and collaboration are highly related to student success and are beginning to appear in curricula across the nation (in both formal and informal learning environments like science centers, museums, and public libraries). SSI and its research, education, and community partners are committed to addressing the 21st Century challenges facing our nation (e.g. decreasing biodiversity, access to clean water, threats to human health) by advancing scientific understanding, engaging the public in STEM learning opportunities, and inspiring youth to pursue STEM careers. The STEM workforce of tomorrow requires highly competent STEM professionals and a public that is sufficiently STEM literate to assess the choices before them. Beyond addressing the challenges of today, STEM achievement is an investment in tomorrow’s innovators and innovations.