Society for Science, formerly known as Science Service and later Society for Science and the Public, is a 501(c)(3)

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

dedicated to the promotion of science, through its

science education Science education is the teaching and learning of science to school children, college students, or adults within the general public. The field of science education includes work in science content, science process (the scientific method), som ...

programs and

publications To publish is to make content available to the general public.Berne Conv ...

, including the bi-weekly '' Science News'' magazine and the free-accessible online
Science News Explores
'. The organization has headquarters in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

It promotes the understanding and appreciation of science and the role it plays in human advancement. In pursuit of this goal, it publishes ''Science News'' and ''Science News Explores (formerly Science News for Students)'', and sponsors events including the

International Science and Engineering Fair The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) is an annual science fair in the United States. It is owned and administered by the Society for Science, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. Each May, more th ...

, the

Regeneron Science Talent Search The Regeneron Science Talent Search, known for its first 57 years as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, and then as the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) from 1998 through 2016, is a research-based science competition in the United Sta ...

, and the Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars) competition.

History

Society for Science was founded in 1921 by journalist Edward W. Scripps and zoologist

William Emerson Ritter William Emerson Ritter (November 21, 1856 – January 10, 1944) was an American biologist. Ritter initiated and shaped the Marine Biological Association of San Diego (now Scripps Institution of Oceanography of UC San Diego) and the American ...

, under the name "Science Service", with the goal of informing the public of the latest scientific discoveries and achievements.Tobey, Ronald C. (1971).
The American Ideology of National Science, 1919-1930
'. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. . pp. 66-70. The Science Service emerged from a reorganization of a group that Scripps and Ritter had originally founded in 1919 as the American Society for the Dissemination of Science. Scripps and Ritter accomplished their goal by distributing the latest science research to the public through a news service for reporters. In 1922, due to interest from non-journalists, Science Service started distributing '' Science News-Letter'', which became a magazine in 1926. It quickly became a prime source of science news for libraries, schools, and individuals. In 1942, Science Service launched the first of its prestigious education competitions, the

Westinghouse Science Talent Search Westinghouse may refer to: Businesses Current companies *Westinghouse Electric Corporation, the company that manages the Westinghouse brand, with licensees: **Westinghouse Electric Company, providing nuclear power-related services ** Westingho ...

. In 2008, Science Service was renamed as the Society for Science & the Public (SSP), in order to better reflect the mission of the organization to advocate for science in the public interest. Between the World Wars, Science Service sponsored Science Clubs of America, founded by

Watson Davis Watson Davis (1896–1967) was the founder of the American Documentation Institute (ADI), the forerunner of the Association for Information Science and Technology, and a pioneer in the field of Library and Information Science. He was editor ...

. It was a national organization to popularize science among amateur scientists. High school science clubs were encouraged to join. From 1940 through 1989, Science Service sponsored the

Things of Science Things of Science was an educational program launched by the nonprofit news syndicate Science Service in November 1940. The program consisted of a series of kits available by subscription and sent by mail monthly. The program continued until 1989 ...

Club. Subscribers received a monthly box containing some kind or material or artifact, along with an pamphlet describing experiments that could be done with it. Sometimes the kits contained parts that could be assembled into a scientific instrument. Beginning in 2003, it published ''Science News for Kids'', an online magazine aimed at students, teachers and parents. This became ''Science News for Students''. In 2022, with the publication of a new magazine of the same name, SNS was rebranded as ''Science News Explores''. In 2021, the organization announced it had shortened its name from Society for Science & the Public to Society for Science.

References

External links

Science News

Science News Explores

Science Service, now Society for Science

Society for Science: 100 Years of Impact

Selected images from Science Service files
at the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

Archives {{DEFAULTSORT:Society For Science 1921 establishments in the United States 501(c)(3) organizations Educational organizations based in the United States Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C. Publishing companies of the United States Publishing companies established in 1921 Science education in the United States Scientific organizations established in 1921 Science advocacy organizations

History

See also

References

External links