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The Summer Science Program (SSP) is a residential enrichment program in which gifted high school students 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 prestigious program has drawn young scientists from around the world for 50 years, accelerating their intellectual and personal development, and inspiring them to seek equally challenging educational and career paths.
Many SSP alumni have gone on to distinguish themselves at selective universities.
Established at Thacher School in 1959, SSP now takes place at two campuses: New Mexico Tech in Socorro, and Besant Hill School in Ojai, 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 does not discriminate in admissions or hiring on the basis of gender, race, color, citizenship, residence, or national or ethnic origin, or on the basis of application for financial aid. Young women and traditionally underrepresented minority students are especially encouraged to apply. All applicants receive equal consideration.
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Dates for SSP 2009
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Dec. 15 2008
Applications open. Click here for complete instructions.
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Feb. 20 2009
First-round application "deadline" - we begin scoring applications and admitting students after this date.
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March 20
Application deadline - all parts must be received in our office by this date.
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June 14 - July 25
Socorro Campus in session
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June 21 - Aug 1
Ojai Campus in session
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Sat July 11
Socorro Reunion Day
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Sat July 18
Ojai Reunion Day
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News
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July 15 2008
Press Release: SSP Celebrates 50 Years
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Dec 15 2007
SSP announces due to a special grant from the State of New Mexico, the program fee will waived for any resident of New Mexico admitted to either campus.
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Mar 13 2007
Mary Masterman '05 / Socorro campus, wins the $100,000 Grand Prize in the Intel Science Talent Search competition, for designing and building a spectrograph at home from $300 in parts.
Daniel Handlin '06 / Ojai campus, wins $20,000 for developing an accurate, low-cost method of determining the position of geo-stationary Earth-orbit (GEO) satellites.
Congratulations Mary and Daniel! |
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Dec 2004
Aaron Goldin '04 / Ojai campus, wins $100,000 Grand Prize in Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology. Congratulations Aaron!
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Oct 2004
Caltech physicist H. David Politzer wins the Nobel prize in physics. Prof. Politzer has delivered 9 guest lectures at SSP since 1984.
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| August 2002: An asteroid is named in honor of SSP: "6962 Summerscience". |
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