Science, Society & Culture: National Initiatives

National Initiatives are opportunities for people to forge new, or strengthen existing, relationships to science. These are large-scale initiatives that operate nationwide, with a specific focus on areas of the country with limited science engagement opportunities.

Through strategic partnerships, powerful storytelling and celebration of what makes individual communities special, we work to increase access to science for everyone, regardless of where they call home.

Infinite Sums celebrates the beauty and wonder of mathematics. It’s an invitation to a broad community — from math enthusiasts to the math averse — to experience math beyond its practical uses. The initiative brings math to life through cultural experiences, uncovering its hidden beauty.

Infinite Sums seeks to inspire and support a collective of math “ambassadors” that challenges traditional ideas of who can lead math engagement efforts. These ambassadors will include artists, cultural leaders, parents, caregivers and others from both rural and urban communities.

In the Path of Totality, the division’s first national initiative, celebrated the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse that passed through 13 states and reached more than 30 million people across the United States. By providing financial and capacity-building support to museums, art and cultural centers, Main Streets and more, we helped ensure that everyone in the path had an unforgettable shared experience.

While the entire country witnessed a partial eclipse on April 8, we focused our efforts within the path of totality. We spotlighted towns from Texas to Maine that fell in this narrow path.