National Center for Earth and Space Science Education

Inspire … then educate.

The Center creates and oversees national science education programs with a focus on Earth and space. Programs are designed to provide an authentic window on science as a human endeavor, and recognize that scientists and engineers can and should be heroes and role models to our children. The Center’s mission is to help ensure a science literate public and a next generation of scientists and engineers—both of which are of national strategic importance in an age of high technology.

A diverse array of programs for schools, families, and the public; professional development workshops and institutes for grade K-12 educators; world-class exhibitions for museums, science centers, and universities; and online and Web 2.0 experiences, embrace the notion that science education should be about conceptual understanding at an emotional level.

The Center embraces a Learning Community Model for science education where the Center’s programs for diverse audiences can be combined to engage an entire community. Programming is designed to be sustainable; tailored to the strategic education needs of the community; and delivered systemically across school districts.

The Center’s partners include the Smithsonian Institution, NASA, the Carnegie Institution of Washington, the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation, and at the local level: museums, science centers, and school districts.