We're a nonprofit organization helping people use the scientific process and its insights as an integral part of their daily lives. If you're looking for ways to understand how your individual life can be meaningful within the context of a scientifically realistic map of the universe, our programs and resources can help provide a supportive community for your search.

Our programs focus on providing access to core ideas from science that seem likely to significantly affect your perception of your place and role in the universe as you learn about them. We provide information, a perspective, and a community within which you can pursue your own search for meaning. Our aim is to filter and organize scientific knowledge in a way that points out connections and suggests possible implications, so that you can better use this information in building your personal sense of connection to a cosmic perspective that gives meaning and significance to your life.

If you'd like additional background on the context and philosophy of our organization, you can read more about us here. Or click on one of the links to the left or below to get started with any of our programs. If you'd like to receive updates about upcoming SII events, please go to https://www.lists.pdx.edu/lists/listinfo/science to join our announcements email list.

2008-9 Saturday Symposium Series: Our Cosmic History

• Next Lecture: Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008, 10 am, room 190 School of Business (6th & Harrison), Portland State University. Formation & Evolution of the Earth, by Dr. Melinda Hutson, Geology Department, Portland State University.
  • Hoffman Hall is at F2 on the Map of Portland State University
  • More details about the lecture series
• Announcement list: Please go to https://www.lists.pdx.edu/lists/listinfo/science if you'd like join our announcements list so you can receive email notification of upcoming SII events.
• Past Lecture/Discussion Series

New Feature - SII Bookstore

We've added a new feature to this website, the SII Bookstore. We've selected books relating to science integration that might be of interest to you. Through our bookstore, these books can be purchased from Amazon.

If you know of other books in this vein, please let us know and we'll add those books to the store's list.

Your Cosmic Context: An Introduction to Modern Cosmology by Todd Duncan and Craig Tyler

Todd and Craig have finished a textbook (Your Cosmic Context: An Introduction to Modern Cosmology). The book introduces the core ideas of modern cosmology with an emphasis on connecting insights from scientific cosmology to your own life and sense of place in the universe. It's intended as a self-study introduction to the subject and as the text for an introductory course in cosmology for students not specializing in physics or astronomy.

Cosmology Class Project

In Todd's general education Cosmology class the students create a final project. The project is based on something in cosmology that captures the students' interests and have ranged from measuring the distance to the moon to creating a cosmic song, skirt, game, or poster. One group of students wrote a humorous and informative pop culture magazine Cosmology (5.7 MB PDF) that we'd like to share with you.

Discussion Board: This is a forum to post science-related questions and to continue the Q&A sessions from the lectures. If you want to post messages or reply to any postings, you'll need to be a registered user. You don't need to register to if you just want to view the messages. Please go to http://com1.runboard.com/bscienceintegrationinstitute to reach the discussion board.

Key concepts in science: A starting point for learning about core ideas in science

Resources: Check out science integration quotes, exercises, references, greeting cards, and more.

An Ordinary World: The Role of Science in Your Search for Personal Meaning: A book that outlines the concept of science integration.