Aldrich Astronomical Society Incorporated

Background: Founded in 1932, the Society was named in honor of the late Professor Fred Davis Aldrich of Worcester Academy in Worcester, Massachusetts, who was a teacher and noted astronomy lecturer in the Worcester area with ties to the Ecotarium. His public outreach efforts often attracted large audiences and he was regarded as a very inspirational and beloved teacher at Worcester Academy. Mission: Aldrich Astronomical Society, Inc. has been on a mission to educate people of all ages about the wonders of the night sky since 1932 and offers membership to any person who has an interest in Astronomy and Space Science. Aldrich offers a mentoring atmosphere with opportunities to view objects in the night sky through member telescopes, weekly meetings with discussions and lectures on a wide range of current Astronomical topics and volunteer efforts to introduce the public to Astronomy and Space Science through our Aldrich Community Outreach Program (ACOP). Our goal is to inspire the next generation of scientists through active hands on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics ( STEM ) demonstrations and activities. Need: There is a pressing need to familiarize the public and specifically youth about the impact science and technology will have in defining the world they live in. Only by understanding what scientists do can people appreciate and actively participate in making choices that will define future paths in social and political policy making. These choices will inevitably happen as the pace of innovation accelerates and outpaces public acceptance and readiness to adjust to these changes. The United States lags many industrial nations in getting students and adults familiarized with science and mathematics which will fuel our future growth. Vision: Aldrich Astronomical Society members want to engage people of all ages and especially youth with events that will leave a lasting impression that science has a very important role to play in everyday living. Aldrich members have found that many successful adults can often recite the details of one ?magic moment? that profoundly affected the way they viewed their world. Astronauts, scientists, and engineers often recount stories about witnessing the first human landings on the Moon, the robot landings on Mars, or a special teacher offering an insight that struck a chord that fired up their imagination so they could believe they could believe they could make a difference.