In 2005, the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) began summer academies, called the Smithsonian Science Education Academies for Teachers (SSEATs). The SSEAT Academies provide teachers with an opportunity to take part in a week-long professional development course behind-the-scenes at Smithsonian museums and other world class research facilities throughout the greater Washington, DC area. The academies help to bridge the gap between the formal science education programs of the SSEC and the informal science education that exists throughout the Smithsonian, and combine training in science pedagogy with content presented by scientists and researchers who are experts in their fields.​

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Each SSEAT academy engages 20-30 teachers from grades K–12 over a week. Each day, participants engage in carefully selected science experiences directly related to concepts addressed in the content and pedagogical training, and guided by scientists, curators, and educators from a variety of facilities including the Smithsonian. The goals and design of the Academy align with the Smithsonian’s goals and the Smithsonian’s Strategic Plan for Science. The Smithsonian Institution strongly supports the initiative, which it sees as complementing its education outreach work of promoting and providing a framework for the participation of their staff in the professional development of teachers. 

This year we introduce a new academy focused on Space Science by collaborating with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), for teachers in the Boston area. The Space Science SSEAT academy combines training in science pedagogy, including learning to integrate authentic tools of the space science, with content presented by scientists and researchers who are experts in the field of astronomy and space science.

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