Monthly Archives: May 2019

Willa Kopp-DeVol, a Junior at Animas High School in Durango, Colorado, recently served a 3 week internship at the Space Science Institute (SSI) in which she worked with both the research and education departments. Her school’s Leading Internships for New Knowledge (LINK) Program takes students beyond the classroom walls in order to clarify personal, college and career goals while teaching invaluable professional skills and life lessons. Over the next few weeks and starting with this blog, we'll be posting her personal thoughts on her internship experience. Research Department of SSI By Willa Kopp-DeVol (April 22, 2019) Today was the first day of my [...]

The Space Science Institute (SSI) is home to the STAR Library Network (STAR Net) and its NASA@ My Library program. The STAR Net team in partnership with the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) are working together to share science- and technology-related activities and resources to libraries across the nation as part of CSLP’s 2019 summer learning program called “The Universe of Stories.” To help inspire children to reach their full potential we have asked leaders in space exploration and Erin Teagen (author of the Luciana Vega series) to be Summer Reading Champions. Each Champion recorded a short HD video (60 – 90 [...]

Libraries Reduce the Opportunity Gap By Linda Kekelis What do libraries have to do with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)? These days, plenty. You can find preschoolers and their caregivers engaging in hands-on science and math activities, girls and mothers tinkering with tools and technology, and families learning to code at summer lunch programs all at their local public library. These experiences spark new interests in kids, build confidence in parents, and can even have lasting impact on career interests. What makes these library programs so important is how they help reduce the opportunity gap in STEM. While not every [...]