Meet the SSP Scholars

Driven, curious, collaborative, and inspired. Summer Science Program scholars embody the principles of science.

Students immerse themselves in campus life as they sit attentively in a classroom, eyes glued to the teacher who elegantly pens equations on the whiteboard.

Shaping the 
Future Through 
Science

We provide experiences for our scholars that emboldens them with the tools of scientific research and the skills to navigate academia, research environments, and personal and professional relationships. They go on to be scientists, academics, lawyers, artists, business executives, teachers, and much more.

Program Overview
Two people in a lab, both wearing blue lanyards, work together at a laptop. Lab equipment is visible in the background.
Two scientists in lab coats and gloves handle large bottles in a laboratory. One wears safety goggles, and they are surrounded by lab equipment and shelves.
A collection of clear beakers containing translucent liquids and black plastic stirrers on a lab table, with pipettes and bottles in the blurred background.

Near 50:50

ratio of participants identifying as girls and boys

60%

of participants, on average, attend public school

17%

of participants parents with no higher education degree over last 10 years

17%

of participants identifying as Black, Latino or Native over the last 10 years

Motivated Students & Exceptional Futures- Meet our Alumni

Anthony Jones, ’03

Meet Anthony Jones, a member of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe (a Salish term for “The Strong People”), a registered patent and Native American law attorney and a 2003 Summer Science Program alum.

About Anthony

Janice Bishop, ’81

Dr. Janice Bishop, a chemist and planetary scientist at the SETI Institute, has been awarded the 2024 Arthur L. Day Medal by the Geological Society of America for her groundbreaking research on Mars.

About Janice

Emma Louden, ’15

Emma M. Louden is an astrophysicist, policy and strategy expert, writer, and Utah native.

About Emma

R. Paul Butler, ’77

Dr. R. Paul Butler designed and built the iodine absorption cell system at Lick Observatory, leading to the discovery of five of the first six known extrasolar planets and setting a standard for precision Doppler studies worldwide.

About R.

Winslow Burleson, ’89

Dr. Winslow Burleson, Professor at the University of Arizona’s School of Information and Health Sciences Design, is a renowned scholar, researcher, and innovator specializing in Human-Computer Interaction and Learning Sciences.

About Winslow
A group of individuals in lab coats pose on a staircase, with some smiling and others looking at the camera. A mix of men and women, some wearing glasses. Bright indoor lighting.

Support Future SSP Scholars

Since 1959, SSP International has given curious and driven high school students the chance to engage in scientific research while building a community rooted in collaboration, respect, and support. With your help, we can provide life-changing experiences that inspire young minds, foster breakthrough discoveries, and shape the future of science. Your gift opens doors for the next generation of innovators—invest in their potential today.