Basic Organization Information
SCIENCE BUDDIES
- Physical Address:
-
Carmel, CA
93921
- EIN:
-
94-3216541
- Web URL:
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www.sciencebuddies.org
- NTEE Category:
-
B Educational Institutions
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B90 Educational Services and Schools - Other
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O Youth Development
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O99 Other Youth Development N.E.C.
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W Public, Society Benefit
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W99 Public, Society Benefit - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C.
- Year Founded:
-
2001
- Ruling Year:
-
1996
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Mission Statement
<p>Science Buddies is a software and content developer that builds online communities, resources, and tools for K-12 STEM education. A 501c3 public charity, our mission is to help children from all walks of life build their literacy in science and technology so they can become productive and engaged citizens in the 21st century. We support students in doing hands-on research projects in science and engineering, such as science fair projects. Our flagship product is an award-winning website (<a href="http://www.sciencebuddies.org/">www.sciencebuddies.org</a>). We are now developing other products for informal science education, too. With unique tools and superior content, the Science Buddies website has become one of the most popular science websites on the Internet.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a> The site serves a diverse audience of ten million student and teacher visitors annually. The journal <em>Science</em> awarded the Science Buddies website its Science Prize for Online Resources in Education in 2011. The American Library Association, the Parents’ Choice Foundation, and the SciLinks program of the National Science Teachers Association also recommend the site.</p> <p>To keep up with strong student and teacher demand, our staff scientists publish new content regularly and often collaborate with outside experts such as scientists at<strong> NOAA, Stanford, Princeton, and MIT</strong>. We provide free, cutting-edge science education tools and resources such as: </p> <p>· An online library of 1,000+ <strong>Project Ideas </strong>(detailed scientist-authored outlines that help students develop a challenging science fair project) and the <strong>Topic Selection Wizard </strong>tool to help students find a project idea that perfectly matches their unique interests </p> <p>· The <strong>Ask an Expert </strong>online advice forum where scientists and engineers guide students who are doing science fair projects </p> <p>· An extensive, step-by-step <strong>Project Guide </strong>and a robust <strong>Teacher Resources </strong>area</p> <p>· <strong>Career Profiles </strong>inform students about real-world careers related to their science project</p> <p>· Vibrant <strong>newsletters, blogs, </strong>and <strong>social media </strong>efforts</p> <p>· A <strong>Summer Science Camp Resource</strong> and other <strong>Parent Resources</strong> for informal science education at home</p> <p>· <strong>Mobile apps</strong> (e.g. iPhone apps) for science education (coming soon)</p> <div><hr align="left" width="33%" /> <div id="ftn1"> <p><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="">[1]</a> Visit the independent website analytics tool at <a href="http://www.compete.com/">www.compete.com</a> to compare site traffic of sciencebuddies.org against other science websites.</p> </div> </div>
Expert Assessment
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Impact Summary from the Nonprofit
<p>Science projects, whether done for a class assignment or a science fair, are an excellent example of active learning (also called ‘hands-on’ or ‘inquiry-based’ learning). Education experts recommend active learning as a cornerstone of successful science teaching. Yet, according to the National Research Council, active learning is not employed often enough, and its absence is one of the key factors behind kids losing interest in science and not performing to their potential. Science Buddies addresses this deficit by providing resources and tools that directly support inquiry-based science and engineering education in K-12 classrooms. Science projects are especially valuable as learning tools because they ultimately teach a wide variety of necessary skills. If the student is in middle school, the research report will most likely be the longest paper the student has ever written. And, while library research is still important, these reports are a great way to hone computer research skills, as well as to learn the ins and outs of common office programs, such as word processors and spreadsheets. Most projects also involve a good deal of math, and all students get an opportunity to enhance their presentation skills when they prepare their display boards and communicate their projects to the judges. </p> <p>Science Buddies introduces students to cutting-edge scientific areas, such as biotech, materials science, and environmental engineering, and our established relationships with researchers at institutions like MIT, Stanford, the USGS and NOAA connect students directly to the latest scientific findings and datasets in these and other areas. Our resources show students that science and engineering are dynamic, living fields, while introducing them to 21st century discoveries and methods. In the end, science projects are one of the few truly creative school projects in which kids can direct their own learning and experience something like the real working world.</p>
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Leadership
Kenneth L. Hess
Term:
Since
Jan
2001
Profile:
Kenneth L. Hess is the creator of Science Buddies. Mr. Hess envisions increasing youth participation in science fairs as the catalyst to reversing America's increasing deficit of science and engineering professionals. As the founder and president of Banner Blue Software from 1984 to 1996, he sold over two million copies of Family Tree Maker to help users locate and organize information about their ancestors. Prior to Banner Blue, Ken held manufacturing and marketing positions at Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and Symantec. In 1974 he graduated from Stanford with a BS in Engineering with Distinction. In 1978 Ken received a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard. Currently, Ken pursues a number of business and public service activities.
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