URBAN SCIENCE CORPS
Contact: Director, Richard Shope,Ed. D. Email: cause@shope.com
Vision: Urban Science Enterprise
The Urban Science Corps creates causal pathways for undergraduates and high school age urban youth toward advanced study opportunities and entry into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. We create and coordinate science and science education apprenticeships, internships, and entry level jobs--for science-savvy urban youth.
Mission: STEM Creativity &Talent Development
Founded in May 2006, sparked by the desire to alleviate poverty through direct access to high quality science education and science enterprise experiences, the Urban Science Corps invests in creativity and talent development of urban youth to ensure that they are encouraged and well prepared to enter the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) community.
How It Works: Tiered Mentoring and Coaching
The Urban Science Corps recruits and mobilizes Science Champions, science, engineering, and education professionals who agree to Mentor urban undergraduate and high school students as they train to become science-savvy Inquiry Coaches. The Inquiry Coaches in turn, guide peers and younger urban youth as Inquiry Troupes through Inquiry Expeditions at after school programs, recreation centers, community centers, museums, and science centers, utilizing mobile field science labs that bring the world of scientific inquiry into the urban community.
Urban ECOSYSTEMS Collaborative: ECOSYSTEMS = Enterprising Community Organizations Selecting Youth for STEM Sustainability
The Urban Science Corps leverages ties with allied organizations that provide direct services to urban youth in after school programs, primarily at neighborhood recreation, community, and science centers in urban settings. Within each urban community, the Urban Science Corps deploys a tiered mentoring and coaching connection among: Science Champions– scientists and science educators, and other STEM experts, who MENTOR: Inquiry Coaches– science-savvy graduate, undergraduate, and high school students; who in turn COACH: Inquiry Troupes– upper elementary, middle school, high school students participating in afterschool, recreation, community, museum and science center settings; who in turn, complete Inquiry Expeditions, and PERFORM: Science Mimes– Community Performances of Experimental Science-in-Action Theatre (XSAT).
Leadership: Council to Advance Urban Science Enterprise (CAUSE)
The Urban Science Corps is guided by its international advisory board, the Council to Advance Urban Science Enterprise (CAUSE), a project of the World Space Foundation, a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 corporation. CAUSE is comprised of leaders in fields related to science research, education, and workforce development, drawn from industry, academia, nonprofit corporations, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations.
NASA & the Urban Science Corps: ArctiQuest Expeditions
In Celebration of the International Polar Year 2007-2009 and in anticipation of NASA’s Year of the Solar System 2011, the Urban Science Corps carries out Education & Public Outreach activities funded in part by NASA’s Earth and Space Science Mission Directorate, entitled ArctiQuest eXpeditions, utilizing the NASA educational product Exploring Ice in the Solar System.