Space Center Houston’s Spring Break Features an A New Spring Exhibit and Celebrates Women’s History Month
Release date: April 4, 2022
Event date: Wednesday, April 6 12:30-2 p.m. CT
Event location: Space Center Houston, 1601 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058. Media will check in at The Dhaval R. Jadav Learning Innovation Center. See map here.
Media RSVP: To attend, email Meridyth Moore at mmoore@spacecenter.org.
Event description: During a brief program on April 6, Space Center Houston will recognize a generous $1 million gift from Dhaval R. Jadav, chief executive officer of alliantgroup, to the nonprofit Space Center Houston during a dedication event. The gift will support empowering the next generation of explorers with authentic science learning experiences and will help fund programs that inspire youth and educators through science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) education, exhibits and programs.
To honor this generous investment in STEM learning, a building on the Space Center Houston campus will be named The Dhaval R. Jadav Learning Innovation Center. Watch the unveiling of a new sign and see Houston-area girls participating in Space Center Houston’s Girls STEM Pathway initiative, presented by Boeing. See girls participating in hands-on science learning activities on space exploration. These authentic learning activities make the connection from the classroom to solving real world challenges in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The Dhaval R. Jadav Learning Innovation Center (LINC) is the nexus of Space Center Houston’s education programming. The facility serves 200,000 students and educators annually, with resources to provide hands-on learning opportunities and educational experiences that help solidify the understanding of authentic STEM concepts. Classrooms in the LINC are equipped with modular furniture so students can build and launch rockets, design and create lunar and martian habitats; design, assemble and test robots to support explorations missions; construct and test heat shields; formulate research-based questions; and conduct experiments – activities that promote small-group interactions and encourage cooperative design processes.
More background about the program to be highlighted: Space Center Houston’s Girls STEM Pathway, presented by Boeing, is a comprehensive six phase initiative that includes an introductory elementary school experience, a middle school project-based STEM experience, a summer bridge program with mentoring support and a program for high school girls to engage in authentic space challenges and scientific research. The Girls STEM Pathway provides opportunities for Houston-area girls to meet with leaders in the space industry to discuss their scientific research as a part of hands-on, inquiry-based learning.
For more information about Space Center Houston, its education programs and other experiences, visit www.spacecenter.org.
Potential Interviews:
- William T. Harris, Space Center Houston president and CEO (Spanish fluent)
- Dhaval R. Jadav, chief executive officer of alliantgroup
- Houston-area girls who participate in Space Center Houston’s Girls STEM Pathway initiative.
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The Manned Space Flight Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit science and space exploration learning center with extensive educational programs. Space Center Houston is the cornerstone of its mission to inspire all generations through the wonders of space exploration. The center draws more than 1.25 million visitors annually, was named “Best Museum in Texas” by USA Today and generates a $118.7 million annual economic impact in the greater Houston area. Space Center Houston is a Smithsonian Affiliate, the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center and a Certified Autism Center. More than 250,000 teachers and students from around the world visit the center annually to experience the educational space museum with more than 400 things to see and do. For more information, go to www.spacecenter.org.