Programs
GLOBAL GREENPRINT: Charting the Critical Energy Path for the Planet
An Energy Solution Summit
The Challenge: more energy, less carbon dioxide
Never before has humanity faced such a challenging outlook for energy and the planet. According to the Shell future scenario, this can be summed up in five words: more energy, less carbon dioxide.
The energy and global climate crises are upon us. Over the next 50 years and across the globe -- governments, NGOs, corporations, banks, venture capitalists, institutions, entrepreneurs, and others -- will spend trillions upon trillions of dollars seeking solutions. The trillion-dollar questions we seek to answer are: Which of these solution paths is worth pursuing? Which are a waste of time and resources? Which are non-trivial and which trivial? Which are achievable and which are resource-wasting mirages? Which combination of viable solutions will deliver needed results faster, more efficiently, and more sustainably?
Our Solution -- Gobal GreenPrint -- began the process of clarifying and separating breakthrough approaches from trivial ones, and determining optimal paths to success.
The Aspen Science Center, using the successful results-based methodology employed in our Science & Media Summit, gathered a non-partisan, multi-national, multi-lateral group of the most pre-eminent scientists, leaders, and policymakers from each critical subset of the energy puzzle. Together, we:
- Identified the most productive paths to success, necessary interrelationships, obstacles/issues, alternative strategies, and other considerations.
- Separated out the non-trivial from the trivial.
- Helped guide policy based on a non-partisan, multi-national, multi-lateral expertise.
- Set the global stage for climate change now.
This summit produced an actual GreenPrint, with to-dos for our high-level participants,. We developed the summit, our agenda, and our attendee list based on our proven methodology -- combining expert science, careful convening, and skilled process.
- We held a closed-door session that resulted in a blueprint for optimal resource allocation and international efforts deliver more energy, less CO2.
- We held a public Findings Forum at the Aspen Institute Ideas Festival featuring 5-6 panelists from our closed-door session to discuss the results of our Global GreenPrint Summit.
Bringing Inquiry-Based Science to all Colorado Schools
The Aspen Science Center is collaborating with Gov. Ritter, Senator Gail Schwartz, the CDE, and various foundations to enact funded legislation that will make Inquiry-Based Science Kits available as K-8 model curriculum for all Colorado schools. These hands-on kits have been used in many Colorado schools, and other states across the country, to significantly increase student's knowledge and understanding of science, excite educators to teach hands-on science, and close the achievement gap. The Aspen Science Center is helping to spread these successes across the state of Colorado.
Physics Cafes at the Wheeler Opera House
Our Physics Cafes are always well-attended and well-covered in the media. The crowds enjoy coffee, tea, and cookies as they interact with young physicists who share their subject matter expertise and discuss the educational and career paths they have traveled. The connection and enthusiasm translate into more focus and commitment in the local classrooms, according to our Physics/Science teachers.
The young scientists who lead the Cafe discussions are participants in the Winter Conferences of the Aspen Center for Physics who volunteer to help make their science more accessible.
(HS)2
The brain child of Andover alumnae Gar and Mollie Lasater, this program is a collaboration between ASC, Andover, Colorado Rocky Mountain School and selected gifted and talented minority kids from all over the country. After a spectacular launch, it has settled into a robust, challenging and rewarding experience for all involved. The kids are learning at an accelerated pace, and are experiencing enrichment courses that we doubt exist anywhere else in combination (e. g., whitewaterrafting, glassblowing, ironworking).
The students have bonded, feel a deep shared commitment to the program, and an appreciation for the opportunity it represents. During one game where we were to describe "the worst thing and the best thing that happened to you this year," over half of the kids said that our program was the best thing that's happened to them. See "Whiz Kids" in News.
In July 2009, our first class of Scholars graduated from our (HS)2 program and are now applying to college. We will continue to work with them in their pursuit of higher education and excellence.
Physics-is-for-Kids BBQs & Lectures
Our Physics-is-for-Kids BBQs & Lectures are the perfect combination of fun, food, eminent scientists, and engaged kids -- we fed, enlightened and illuminated over thousands of community members this summer. Scientists participating in the Center's programs engage kids in lively discussions of science. We consider attracting hundreds of kids and parents each week to learn about galaxy formation and quantum physics, given all of the competition from sports, music, Ideas Festival, jazz, etc., to be a major accomplishment!
Our Summer 2009 Physics-is-for-Kids BBQ & Lecture series has ended. Thank you to everyone who joined us!
Super Science Summer Camps
Our Super Science Summer Camps, such as advanced DNA/Genomics, feature the same cutting-edge science taught by renowned experts in their fields -- and feature some very imaginative extra features. One such feature was a real-life CSI "Crime Scene" with an officer from the Aspen Police Department, which was so convincing it panicked the Director, who thought something had gone horribly amiss!. Another feature is the mini-science fair featuring Middle Schoolers explaining how they cloned Zebra fish and created genetically-engineered, rapidly growing, glow-in-the-dark bacterial organisms.
The Science & Media Summit
The Challenge was: How can Science and the Media get it right?
Our first Summit was a spectacular success and exceeded every expectation -- the group achieved the goal during the first day, and then committed to form working groups elevating science to the national discussion among political leaders, corporate leaders, and foundations. Within two days after the conclusion of the Summit, we had a listserve, a mission statement, goals, strategies, and a set of science talking points which were delivered to Hillary Clinton.
The subsequent Roundtable, which kicked off the Aspen Institute Ideas Festival, was one of the most highly-regarded plenary sessions of the Festival. Our first international press attention arrived in the form of a blog on Time's website-more is on its way!
http://timeblog.com/eye_on_science/2007/07/saving_american_science.html
The success of our first summit launched us into our 2009 summit, Global GreenPrint.
Science Fairs
The Aspen Science Center sponsored both the Elementary School Science Fair and the Middle School Science Fair, for a total of 534 budding scientists. We provided curriculum integration so the teachers could give the kids a strong background in scientific method. The result was a much higher level of experiment choice, data collection, and hypothesis/conclusion quality. A growing number of students continued on to Regional and State competitions.
Science Teacher Cafes
These are billed as Get the Scoop on Science and Math education, funding, grants, initiatives, and projects-and meet new friends!
Previous get-togethers for Roaring Fork science and math teachers were well attended, and the teachers eagerly requested collaboration on a number of fronts. A typical collaboration: Colorado Rocky Mountain School is sharing the PCR Thermal Cycler with the Aspen High School IB Biology in a joint DNA population study. The ASC purchased the Thermal Cycler and sponsored the DNA training for all valley teachers to make this possible.
The College Fair
In 2005, the Aspen Science Center was instrumental in developing the Western Slope College Fair with Kathy Klug. In 2006, the Fair was attended by 192 college admissions officers and 2000 Western Slope kids. In 2007, the Fair became the biggest in Colorado. The Fair, held each fall, continues to grow each year.
For more information on the 2009 College Fair this October, visit Western Slope College Fair.
College Interview Workshops
Started as a preparation for meeting the admissions officers at the College Fair, these workshops have become 100% mandatory for all Aspen High School students! Students have reported that they feel the workshop was instrumental in their interview success.
High-altitude Observatory/Planetarium
We made substantial progress since this idea was first proposed. Bill Joy donated a University-grade Celestron telescope and the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies agreed to an observatory site up at Toklat/Ashcroft, far from interferring light sources but accessible by paved road. We have a working group interested in developing and funding this part of the project. We consulted with Derrick Pitts (Franklin Observatory) and have a clear idea of what is entailed in making this a reality.
We worked with the Aspen School System and private donors to raise the funds for a modern upgrade of the planetarium projector at Aspen High School and this has been installed.
Science Cinema
Science Documentaries followed by a Q&A with a respected scientist? What a great idea! Why didn't I think of that? Well, thankfully Andrei did, and we kicked off our small festival with a series of films in August 2008.
ScienceDebate2008
Aspen Science Center is proud to be a sponsor of Sciencedebate2008, a national initiative encouraging the presidential candidates to address their scientific policies in a public debate. More information at Sciencedebate2008.com.
To learn more about these and other programs, see the Programs tabs on the left.
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