By Brenda Galan, former teen intern in the Collections Department through the Smithsonian’s Latino Center Young Ambassadors Program. In her spare time, you can find her writing poetry, watching food and travel shows on Netflix, cooking, and trying to learn a new language on Duolingo! Header Image: Dr. Ellen Ochoa floating upside down on the […]

This July, I had the pleasure of joining a small group of teen interns, scientists, and podcasters onboard the research vessel Neeskay. As a lover of maritime history, open water, and Moby Dick, it was something of a wish-fulfillment for me. Like the infamous Captain Ahab and his motley crew, we were in search of […]

Life as a teenager in Chicago can simultaneously be one of the most exciting and isolating things in the world. With public transportation and a host of cultural and academic institutions throughout the city, it’s easy to feel like the world is at your fingertips, but oftentimes there’s something missing: teen-friendly spaces. (Add on to […]

On May 15, 2019, some of our Adler Teens had the opportunity to have dinner with former NASA astronaut Dr. Peggy Whitson at a special dinner in the Grainger Sky Theater. The event took place the evening before our Women in Space Science Award Celebration where we honored Dr. Whitson for her achievements in the […]

An interview with Brenda G., Teen Collections Intern Many people find studying science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) or working in a science institution intimidating, but a whole other layer is added when you’re one of the first in your family to do it. I sat down with collections intern Brenda Galan to discuss her […]

A decade ago, Spencer Gore was a teen intern at the Adler, where he spent summer days designing a stabilization system for the cameras that fly on Far Horizons flights. On the long bus rides back to Union Station, he would dream up fantastical feats of engineering with Adler astronomer Geza Gyuk. Could you control […]

Youth Organization for Lights Out (YOLO) is a STEM civic action program created to empower high school youth to advocate within their community about a single environmental issue: light pollution. The program began in a biology class at World Language High School located in Chicago’s South Lawndale neighborhood. It has evolved into an afterschool program […]

Header Photo: Overhead image of Kankakee/Bradley, IL from Far Horizons high-altitude balloon test flight 118 on April 29, 2018. The image was shot from 24.5 kilometers up into the stratosphere. This flight was the first successful NiteLite test flight, proving that mapping light pollution in Chicago would be a possibility. Since the dawn of humanity, […]

Header image: The Aquarius Project sled in all its (current) glory. New to the Aquarius Project? Start here! (Really, go. This post will make a lot more sense once you’re caught up.) I am pleased to announce that the fourth installment of the Aquarius Project Podcast is available now! The Aquarius Project sled did not […]

The Adler Planetarium opened to the public on May 12, 1930, forming a triumvirate of museums with the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium in what is nowadays known as Chicago Museum Campus, a beautiful park by Lake Michigan. In 1932 the Adler’s first director, Philip Fox, wrote: “the three [museums] are fittingly closely associated […]