Although my blog was meant to be for Saturday July 6th, I find myself sitting here in front of the computer on Friday July 12th (sorry Kevin). However, it doesn’t really matter what day I write my blog on, as my feelings on this program have yet to change. When I received my acceptance email I was dumbfounded that I had been selected to attend SSP. I felt so lucky to get in and I still feel grateful to be here. With each challenging concept, 12-week course crammed into a single lecture, and fascinating guest speaker, I’m reminded that there is so much out there to learn.
If I had actually written this blog on Saturday, I would have begun by discussing the morning lecture. What I was expecting to be yet another lecture on orbit determination turned out to be one of the most thrilling talks I’ve heard so far. Lead by Dr. Rocky, 35 other SSP participants and I learned about the Science Of the Spheres. With a blend of geometry, astronomy, and of course science, the lecture taught us a lot.
One of the most important things to mention when discussing this program is the people. A community like this, where everyone is so engaged and fascinated by the same concepts yet simultaneously so uniquely brilliant and interesting, is so difficult to come by. Conversations ranging from Schrödinger’s equation, the ethics of space exploration, and the shape of the earth (definitely a cone), fuel my life here. Even if this was an isolated system, there is no scenario in which I come out of this experience unchanged. I’m looking forward to wrapping up the orbit determination code in the coming weeks, however I can’t help but dread leaving this place.
About me: Hi!! My name is Morgyn Judkins-Cooper and I am a rising senior at Early College Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I applied to SSP for its rigorous math and physics, but I’m starting to see the appeal of the astronomical universe and all the secrets it hides.
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SSP International is a nonprofit offering inspiring science immersion experiences. Founded in 1959, its mission is to provide opportunities to accelerate learning, doing and belonging in science. SSP International’s flagship program is Summer Science Program, a leading education experience for exceptional high school students in astrophysics, biochemistry, genomics and more.