Paleontology, Science Education, Dinosaur Expeditions, Discoveries and Exhibits

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950 East 61st Street Chicago, IL 60637 • 773.834.7614 • F.773.834.7625

Project Exploration has developed a three-pronged approach to bridging the gap between research scientists and the public: Youth Development Initiatives; Services for Schools and Teachers; and Public Exhibitions and Online Initiatives.

Project Exploration’s vision is to become the public face of science in the Chicago region: Chicagoland’s science destination. Our long-term goal is to bring our youth programs, school services, and exhibits under one roof in order to create a science destination that exemplifies our methods of personalizing learning and making the excitement of scientific discovery accessible to everyone.

Youth Development Programs

Our youth development programs expand life and career options for youth. They provide sustained access to meaningful opportunities for engagement in science to students who otherwise would not have such access because of race, gender, income-level, or prior educational performance. These opportunities, in many cases, help set these students on a career path that includes graduating high school and attending college.

Every year nearly 200 minority youth and girls, ranging in age from 12-17, participate in our intensive science youth development programs. Our programs target Chicago Public School students who are low and middle achievers; eighty-five percent of our students come from low-income families. In the past five years:

92% have graduated high school
57% enrolled in a four-year college
25% of all students and 35% of all females who graduated high school as Project Exploration field alumni are majoring in science.

Read our Youth Programs Evaluation.
Read more about how we help students prepare for college.

We have three core programs:

Services for Girls

Girls participate in programs designed specifically with them in mind—Sisters4Science, All Girls Expedition, Girls’ Health and Science Day, and Women in Science. These different program strategies complement each other to get girls interested in science, build their capacity to understand science, and offer opportunities to continue their interest in science.
LEARN MORE about Services for Girls.

Junior Paleontologists
Every year, the Junior Paleontologists program immerses a dozen Chicago Public School students ages 12-17 into the world of paleontology and fieldwork.
LEARN MORE about the Junior Paleontologists.

Dinosaur Giants Team

The Dinosaur Giants Team trains high-school students to serve as docents to the public at new science exhibits - and enables them to fulfill service learning hours towards their high school graduation requirements.
LEARN MORE about the Dinosaur Giants Team.

Leadership Opportunities and Events
Our long-term relationships with students enables them to access additional leadership and internship opportunities in science both within Project Exploration and through our partners.

Summer 2007
Summer 2006
Summer 2005
Summer 2003
Advanced Paleontology 2001
SuperCroc Delegates 2000 (From the SuperCroc web site)
Discover Your Summer 2008
Project Exploration Helps Students Go To College
Explore the Deep Sea With PE:
Project Exploration Celebrates the Holiday Season with Scientific Discovery (January 2007)

Science Teacher Field Institute

The Science Teacher Field Institute is a two-year professional development program for science educators that promotes effective teaching and leadership in science.
Learn more about the Science Teacher Field Institute

Public Programming

Our public exhibitions and online initiatives allow us to reach our most broad and diverse audiences. Since 2001, Project Exploration ’s traveling exhibits have reached more than a million families nationally and internationally. Our website receives 45,000 unique visitors monthly.
Learn more about our exhibits
Learn more about our online initiatives

Celebra la Ciencia Chicago is a broad-based coalition of science organizations, museums, health centers, universities and committed individuals focused on providing hands-on science opportunities for Latino students and families at community events throughout the year. CLC Chicago is hosted by Project Exploration.

Visit the Celebra la Ciencia Chicago web site.