The SWSS curriculum stands out for its integration of the fundamental
science of the Sun-Earth system with the impacts of space weather, and
has a particular emphasis on modeling and forecasting. The School is
targeted at first or second year graduate students who are considering
space weather or space physics as a research field, as well as active
practitioners from government and industry (for example, space weather
forecasters). Admission is also open to advanced undergraduate students.
The pedagogical approach combines morning lectures from distinguished
experts, with interactive learning labs in the afternoons that give
students hands-on experience analyzing and interpreting data from
spacecraft, and output from state-of-the-art models. The interactive
activities culminate in a capstone project where students synthesize and
apply the concepts and skills they have learned to forecast a space
weather event, from its origins on the Sun to its impact on the Earth.

Local SWSS partners include the NCAR High Altitude Observatory, the NOAA
Space Weather Prediction Center, the National Solar Observatory, and the
University of Colorado. Lecturers come from these and other leading
research and educational institutions across the US, particularly Boston
University, where the summer school originated.