Since 1991, the University of Chicago's Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics has connected Chicago Public Schools students with world-class astronomers and physicists.
The Space Explorers program, run by the Kavli Institute, initially focused on introducing high school students to cosmology and related research. Over time, it has broadened to different areas of science, allowing students to explore various scientific interests.
Students in the program learn open-ended problem-solving skills by tweaking their designs week after week.
The essence of the Space Explorers program is learning a new kind of open-ended problem-solving.
Author's summary: Chicago youth explore science with the Space Explorers program.