Sanford Laboratory at Homestake Sanford Laboratory at Homestake
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The Sanford Center for Science Education

Motivation for the original funding from the State of South Dakota to create an underground laboratory came from the need to broaden scientific and technical educational resources within the state. The vision has since expanded to creating innovative and revolutionary methods of teaching science that will have national application. On June 26, 2006, South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds announced that Sioux Falls, SD resident T. Denny Sanford donated $70 million to improve the underground infrastructure of the Homestake Mine and create a world class science education center. Twenty million dollars will be used to build and operate the Sanford Center for Science Education. The education and outreach component of the laboratory, including programming through the Sanford Center for Science Education on the Homestake campus, will provide exciting opportunities in science.

The Homestake Mine itself represents an important part of the geological, economic and social history of this area. Utilizing Homestake surface facilities in concert with current education and outreach efforts in South Dakota and neighboring states will enable strong and early program implementation.

The Black Hills region hosts approximately three million visitors a year and is well situated to accommodate short term visitors and long term scholars and scientists. Homestake is the site of a Nobel prize-winning neutrino detection astrophysics experiment conducted by the late Dr. Ray Davis of the University of Pennsylvania. This direct local connection to fundamental science serves as an impetus and encouragement to scholarship and future discoveries.

The campus and the surrounding Black Hills provide opportunities to support science education efforts for previously under-represented minorities, including Native Americans, women and people in rural areas. Homestake-specific education and outreach workshops have outlined exciting possibilities, including research libraries, summer camps, computer networking for distance learning and research internships, and teaching of teachers. Assembling a critical mass of active scientific personnel in residence presents great opportunities for education and outreach activities. Possibilities include joint scientific appointments between the underground laboratory and universities, encouraging visitors to work with experimenters in residence and establishing summer institutes. The Center for Advancement of Mathematics and Science Education (CAMSE) at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD, has received $5 million in National Science Funding (NSF) funding for science teacher education and is, and will be, actively involved in the Center.