Our Sponsors

	The Field Museum The Field Museum is an educational institution concerned with the diversity and relationships in nature and among cultures. It provides collection-based research and learning for greater public understanding and appreciation of the world in which we live. Its collections, public learning programs, and research are inseparably linked to serve a diverse public of varied ages, backgrounds, and knowledge.
	Mellon Foundation The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation makes grants in higher education, museums and art conservation, performing arts, population, conservation and the environment, and public affairs. Within each of its programs the Foundation directs most of its grant-making to a few areas of emphasis, in order to focus on a limited number of important objectives. Institutions and programs receiving support are often leaders in fields of Foundation activity, but may also be promising newcomers, or in a position to demonstrate new ways of overcoming obstacles to achieving program and grantee goals.
	The National Oceanographic Partnership Program The National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) is a collaboration of fifteen federal agencies to provide leadership and coordination of national oceanographic research and education programs. An innovative program established by Congress in Fiscal Year 1997, NOPP facilitates new interactions among federal agencies, academia and industry; increases visibility for ocean issues on the national agenda; and achieves a higher level of coordinated effort and synergy across the broad oceanographic community.
	The National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) initiates and supports scientific research and programs to strengthen scientific research potential, and also supports education programs at all levels.
	The National Science Digital Library The National Science Digital Library is a digital library of exemplary resource collections and services, organized in support of science education at all levels. Starting with a partnership of NSDL-funded projects, NSDL is emerging as a center of innovation in digital libraries as applied to education, and a community center for groups focused on digital-library-enabled science education.
	Office of Naval Research The Office of Naval Research coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the United States Navy and Marine Corps through schools, universities, government laboratories, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations. It provides technical advice to the Chief of Naval Operations and the Secretary of the Navy and works with industry to improve technology manufacturing processes.