Space Foundation Expands Summer Institute

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 7, 2007) — The Colorado Springs-based Space Foundation is expanding its Summer Institute, conducting two graduate level courses for educators in Maryland. Working with the Charles County Board of Education, the Space Foundation is teaching courses on earth systems science and kinesthetic astronomy from July 30 – August 10. More than 50 kindergarten through 12^th grade teachers from throughout the Charles County and St. Mary’s County school systems are expected to participate.

The courses are a special offering of the Space Foundation’s Summer Institute graduate program specifically designed for educators. These are interactive, hands-on courses designed to provide educators with experience, knowledge, and content that is instantly transferable into the classroom. They provide educators with the skills and techniques they need to capture the imagination and interest of their students using space to inspire, enable, and propel them to study the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

Participating educators will have the opportunity to conduct experiments they can use in the classroom, and explore the principles they are studying through field work. Activities during the earth systems course include exploration of the Calvert Cliff State Park at Chesapeake Bay. Kinesthetic astronomy participants will learn about astronomical research tools and engage in planetary exploration through stargazing and visits to Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Center and NASA Goddard Space Center.

In addition to gaining valuable experience and increasing their knowledge base, participating teachers can earn continuing education credits, graduate credits, or work toward a master’s degree with a space studies science emphasis. The Space Foundation offers two distinct master’s degrees in space studies. Summer Institute participants can earn a master of education degree, emphasis in space studies leadership, through Regis University, School for Professional Studies, or earn a master of education degree with an emphasis in science education/space studies from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, College of Education Curriculum and Instruction.

The Space Foundation annually conducts a Summer Institute, which consists of weeklong graduate level courses. The 2007 Summer Institute courses in Colorado Springs, Colo., covered subjects including human physiology and nanotechnology; astronomy principles; robotics and satellites; planetary geology and ecology; and rocketry and the biology of living in space. More than 145 educators from across the country participated in these courses. This is the first year the Space Foundation has offered Summer Institute courses in multiple locations. Additional information about the Space Foundation’s education programs is available at http://www.spacefoundation.org/education.

About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation is a national nonprofit organization advancing space-related endeavors to inspire, enable, and propel humanity. The Space Foundation is a leader in space awareness activities, trade association services, research and analysis for the global space industry and educational enterprises that bring space into the classroom. The Space Foundation has an office in Washington, D.C., and field representatives in Houston, Texas, and Cape Canaveral, Fla. Along with partnering organizations, the Space Foundation conducts Strategic Space and Defense 2007, 9-11 October in Omaha, Neb. The Space Foundation also conducts the premier annual gathering of the global space community, the National Space Symposium. The 24^th National Space Symposium will take place April 7-10, 2008, at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org.

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