SSP offers a unique opportunity for high school students to conduct original, publishable research and contribute real data to the scientific community.
The Summer Science Program (SSP) in Astrophysics is a rigorous five-week residential research program for high school students. Participants work in teams of three to conduct original research on near-Earth asteroids. This involves using professional telescopes to capture images, writing software in Python to calculate asteroid positions and velocity vectors, and applying orbital physics and calculus to estimate orbital elements. Students contribute real scientific data to the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, helping scientists predict asteroid paths. The program emphasizes hands-on experimental science, computational analysis, and collaborative problem-solving, fostering critical thinking and research skills. Beyond the core research, students engage in faculty-led seminars, guest lectures from renowned scientists, and field trips.
A typical day involves morning lectures from university faculty, followed by afternoon and evening lab or telescope sessions, and collaborative data analysis with a team.
This program is best for ambitious high school juniors (ages 15-19) with a strong foundation in physics and precalculus (or calculus) who are passionate about STEM research and eager to engage in intensive, collaborative scientific inquiry.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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