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The Summer Science Program (SSP) is a residential enrichment program in which gifted high school students from around the world complete a challenging, hands-on research project in celestial mechanics.
By day, students learn college-level astronomy, physics, calculus, and programming.
By night, working in teams of three, they take a series of telescopic observations of a near-earth asteroid, and write software to convert those observations into a prediction of the asteroid's orbit around the sun.
Stimulating guest speakers and field trips round out the curriculum.
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This venerable program has inspired young scientists for over 50 years, accelerating their intellectual and personal development, and motivating them to seek equally challenging educational and career paths.
Many SSP alumni have gone on to distinguish themselves at selective universities, then to positions of leadership in their chosen careers.
Established in 1959 at Thacher School in Ojai, California, SSP became an independent non-profit in 2000. It now takes place at two campuses: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, and Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.
"SSP remains the most academically cohesive and intense educational experience I have ever had. That, I suspect, is true for most who are fortunate enough to attend it. If it weren't for SSP my vision would be narrower, my aspirations less ambitious, and my life less rich. I don't exaggerate."
--Dr. E.C. Krupp SSP '61, Director, Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles
"What surprised me was that it wasn't the rigors of learning orbit determination that had the greatest impact in shaping my outlook on life and my future career - but the social experiences. Pulling an all-nighter after your own work was completed, just to help your friends. Keeping team (and TA!) morale high at 3 am. Academically SSP is both rigorous and unique, but what makes it very special and very dear are the social, 'coming-of-age' experiences that I am absolutely certain cannot be had anywhere else. The bonding, the late night discussions, and the whole experience, are unparalleled even years later."
--Ryan Kabir SSP 2000
[read more quotes from alumni, young and old]
The Summer Science Program values a diverse community in terms of gender, ethnicity, citizenship, socioeconomic status, and national origin. Young women and traditionally underrepresented minority students are especially encouraged to apply.
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2012 Dates
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Feb. 8, 2012
Application deadline (international applicants)
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Mar. 2, 2012
Application deadline (US applicants)
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June 17 - July 25
New Mexico campus in session
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June 24 - Aug. 1
California campus in session
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Sat July 7
Open House at New Mexico Tech
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Sat July 14
Open House at Westmont (CA)
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News
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Dec. 7, 2011
Dr. Kevin Krisciunas, Academic Director of SSP 2008 at NM Tech, AAD Dr. Agnes Bischoff-Kim, and four students from SSP 2008 (Erika DeBenedictis, Jeremy Steeger, Gil Tabak, and Kanika Pasricha) are co-authors of a refereed paper to be published in the American Journal of Physics, titled "The First Three Rungs of the Cosmological Distance Ladder". The preprint is here.
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Dec. 7, 2011
Dr. Kevin Krisciunas, Academic Director of SSP 2008 at NM Tech, AAD Dr. Agnes Bischoff-Kim, and four students from SSP 2008 (Erika DeBenedictis, Jeremy Steeger, Gil Tabak, and Kanika Pasricha) are co-authors of a refereed paper to be published in the American Journal of Physics, titled "The First Three Rungs of the Cosmological Distance Ladder". The preprint is here.
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Sept. 16, 2011
Mitch Kapor '66 was honored at the new Entrepreneurs Walk of Fame at Kendall Square in Cambridge. Joining Mitch in the inaugural class are Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, Bill Hewlett, David Packard, Bob Swanson, and Bill Gates.
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