Chabot’s Galaxy Explorers
Building a Passion for Space, Science, and Service Pathways to a Universe of Possibilities
Do space and science inspire you? Do you love helping people? The Galaxy Explorer Program provides a home away from home where you can explore the stars, sample space-related careers you never imagined, and awe young visitors.
Overview
As a Galaxy Explorer (GE) half of your time will be interacting with Chabot visitors, sparking excitement and building knowledge about the wonders of the universe and the impact of space right here on Earth. During these shifts, you will be a museum explainer in Chabot Space & Science Center. You will use museum exhibits and science kits to help visitors explore topics such vacuums, meteorite identification, biotechnology, aerodynamics, and more. You will sign up for these shifts online to accommodate your schedule. During the school year, you are expected to complete 2 weekend floor shifts per month. In the summer, you are expected to complete 3 four-hour shifts per month on any day the museum is open.
During the school year, you spend the other half of the GE Program in an Inquiry Team. GEs are assigned to a Team based on their interests and availability, and work on group projects to dive deeper into real-world questions from space and STEM fields. Products of these projects often become part of Chabot exhibits or programs. Team assignments change each school semester and have 7 meetings each term, followed by a public showcase event. Over two years, GEs participate in four teams: Astronomy, Engineering, Digital Media and Environmental Monitoring.
Application Process
GEs typically enter in the fall of 10th grade or the preceding summer. There are also opportunities to join in 11th grade as space allows. General admission opens in February with an online application. Applications will undergo an initial review followed by an invitation to a mandatory information session offered multiple times in the spring. Attendees to the information sessions are entered into a lottery for admission. Strong GE applicants demonstrate an interest in space and science and a desire for professional growth. There is no particular skillset, experience, or GPA necessary to apply. We encourage students from all backgrounds to apply.
Students can also enter the GE program through a grant-funded Career Access program in partnership with Oakland public high schools serving low-income communities. Work Based Learning Coordinators or Counselors at these schools will use the same application and informational meeting processes.
Please complete our Interest Survey to hear more about application updates as they become available.
Pathways to the Future
The Galaxy Explorers Program is the foundation for Chabot’s Oakland Space Academy, a space and science related workforce development program that can extend beyond high school to early career and college support. The program is competency-based with GEs earning badges related to the basics of Chabot as a workplace (astronomy, exhibits and planetarium shows, how to lead hands-on science experiences, etc.). On the floor they learn critical workforce soft – or durable – skills like hospitality and accountability. Inquiry Team durable skills include teamwork, planning, investigation, curiosity, and science communication. In Inquiry Teams they are also introduced to a range of technical skills from video editing and graphics to mapping environmental satellite data and using telescope data and colored lenses to render photographs of nebulae and galaxies. Hands on engineering design, coding, and fabrication further round out this career exposure.
The spring of 10th grade you may apply to become part of the Galaxy Explorer Leadership Team. The first step, junior year, is to become a GE Mentor supporting a “crew” of new GEs in their Inquiry Teams and on the Floor. Your role is to build a culture of belonging at Chabot. As a Mentor, you can earn a People Skills Leadership Endorsement.
The Spring of 11th grade, you may apply to become an Oakland Space Academy Intern leading to a Management Leadership Endorsement. Interns are the first-level managers of the GE program, organizing and managing the floor, certifying the badge completion, and leading more specialized education programs. Interns also complete an individualized Intern Project leading to a Technical Support Leadership Endorsement. Chabot Interns receive a stipend.
Finally, there are two other GE leadership experiences. The first is with NASA Ames Research Center, a paid position working with Ames researchers and earning a Research Endorsement. The second offers an opportunity to use language proficiencies you may have, helping visitors or creating multi-lingual Chabot experiences while earning a Research Endorsement.
