The Compass Mission

What I cannot create, I do not understand. – Richard Feynman

The Compass Project, founded in 2006, is an organization at UC Berkeley dedicated to fostering a creative, diverse, and collaborative community in the physical sciences. The group is a partnership between undergraduate and graduate students that maintains a variety of innovative programs on campus. During their first year in college, undergraduates face significant challenges that can dissuade them from continuing to study the physical sciences: the size and pace of introductory classes, the lack of introduction to research, and the lack of support for developing the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in their studies. Compass was formed as a response to these challenges, and these are Compass’s guiding principles:

Community

The support offered by a collaborative, welcoming community is the best way to foster the development of scientific curiosity and critical thinking skills. In order to improve undergraduate students’ attitudes about science and expose them to the wonder of scientific discovery and achievement, Compass helps them build a community of peers and mentors with whom they can learn and grow as they engage in the actual practice of science.

Critical Thinking

Everyone can benefit from developing scientific curiosity and practicing the scientific method. The abilities to ask deep questions about the world and develop approaches for answering them are at the core of scientific thought. These are skills that physical science students will use throughout their lives, whether they become scientists and engineers or pursue careers as artists, entrepreneurs, or politicians.

Diversity

Diversity among the practitioners of science is essential at all levels because the unique experiences of each scientist contribute to the range of ideas within the scientific community. For that reason, we actively pursue programs that reach out to groups traditionally underrepresented in science. These include women, people of color, and those who are the first in their family to attend college.