Mission and Organization
COSMOS, a four-week residential PRE-COLLEGE Program, offers ambitious high school students with demonstrated aptitude for STEM fields the opportunity to learn from University faculty and experience a rigorous academic environment at a leading higher education institution.
Mission
The mission of COSMOS is to motivate the most creative minds of the new generation of prospective scientists, engineers, and mathematicians who will become leaders for California, the nation, and the world. The program aims to create a community of students who participate in, and contribute to, an intensive academic experience that goes beyond the traditional high-school curriculum, created and delivered by distinguished STEM researchers and scholars.
COSMOS helps California meet its need for a talented workforce by encouraging the brightest students in high schools across the state to continue their interest in STEM fields. COSMOS subsequently plays a vital role in supporting the mission of Education Partnerships to address the critical needs of STEM education and the University of California’s objective to help develop a talented pipeline into the STEM workforce that will enhance and support the state’s economic climate.
To remain competitive in the global economy, California must provide talented students with exciting opportunities to further encourage their enthusiasm for mathematics and science. COSMOS supports California high school students with an inspiring and challenging, yet non-competitive, environment that values academic excellence and innovative thinking in STEM fields. The program also improves the linkage between high school, postsecondary education, and the workforce by connecting students to institutions of higher learning and research facilities.
Organization
COSMOS is directed by a central Statewide Office that coordinates shared policies and procedures for the systemwide program. Individual campus chapters of COSMOS organize, create, and execute the academic and residential program.
Partners
Core partners include the legislative educational, corporate, and philanthropic sectors of California, including the State of California; faculty, staff, and students of the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges systems; STEM teachers from California high schools; and corporate and private funders and foundations who provide essential support to COSMOS. Talented high school students from the state's 58 counties, parents, and counselors complete the teaching and learning community that COSMOS brings together. SIx UC campuses now serve as hosts: Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Santa Cruz.
History
The California Legislature established the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) in 1998 (Assembly Bill 2536), intending to engage highly talented and motivated students in an intensive program of study, experimentation, and activities to further their interests and skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science is modeled after the California State Summer School for the Arts. The University of California was selected to host COSMOS, and program activities were launched at UC Irvine and UC Santa Cruz in 2000. Due to high demand and in an effort to enhance geographical representation across the state, UC has added additional campuses: UC Davis in 2001, UC San Diego in 2004, and UC Los Angeles in 2024. UC Merced in set to open in the near future.
Advisory Board
COSMOS is assisted in its goals by a statewide advisory board composed of individuals with interests and experience in STEM research, development, and public relations. The Board advises the COSMOS leadership in general, and the systemwide Executive Director in particular, on how to advance essential program strategies.
The Board meets twice annually to review the COSMOS program and discuss new opportunities for advancing the program's mission and current objectives.
For more information, see Advisory Board.
"COSMOS is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you think this is a typical nerd camp, you better think twice!"
- COSMOS Alumni