Space Explorers Program
Founded in 1991, the Space Explorers Program has provided deep and meaningful experiences to hundreds of high school students and over one hundred scientists-mentors. Space Explorers has been a signature program of the KICP since its inception as the CfCP in 2001.
The Space Explorers Program offers students from neighborhoods around the university, many of whom are underrepresented in STEM, a multi-year science enrichment opportunity. The program provides over one-hundred contact hours each year including weekly laboratories taught on campus, three-day winter and week-long residential summer science institutes. This sustained engagement offers the Space Explorers the opportunity to become familiar with the university research community and the culture of science. It also helps to cultivate future scholars by offering a variety of valuable teaching, communication and teamwork experiences to early-career scientists.
Participants are recruited by the Office of Civic Engagement’s College and Career Readiness Programs, our partner with deep community roots. Each year between 20-30 Chicago Public high school students participate. On average, students stay in the program for two to three years, and the results are impressive. Graduates of Space Explorers matriculate in college as science majors at a rate that is 500% better than is predicted by combined national and Chicago Public Schools statistics. Over 50% of Space Explorers graduates choose a STEM related field of study for their college degree.
Residential Science Institutes
The biannual institutes provide an immersive environment that encourages scientific curiosity and exploration. These institutes are taught on campus at the University. The residential program offers ample time for in-depth studies and for valuable informal interactions with the scientists.
Teaching Experiences
Each year a graduate student elects to lead the program and gains valuable pedagogical experience designing and implementing the curriculum. This student also leads a team of volunteers who work together to develop and implement the residential science institutes. Well over 60 Institute members have taught in residence at KICP science institutes. Many other members of KICP are involved in the program through designing laboratories for the institutes, weekly tutoring, and other enrichment activities.
Evaluation
The Space Explorers program was evaluated by the professional evaluation firm Rockman et al. in 2015. The executive summary of the evaluation is available here.
