Three-year sponsorship will enhance the Conrad Challenge and student access
HOUSTON, TX (October 17, 2024) – Space Center Houston is excited to announce Equinor as the title sponsor of the Conrad Challenge, the world’s most highly regarded global STEM innovation and entrepreneurship competition, and the presenting sponsor of the Energy & Environment track within the competition.
“We are thrilled to have Equinor as the title sponsor of the Conrad Challenge,” said William T. Harris, president and CEO of Space Center Houston. “Equinor shares in our vision for the Challenge which is to promote collaborative, student-centered, real-world learning that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Now in its 19th year, the Conrad Challenge brings together youth teams aged 13-18 to present innovative solutions across four categories: Aerospace & Aviation, Cyber-Technology & Security, Energy & Environment, and Health & Nutrition. A special category for 2024-2025 is Currents of Change: The Water Challenge, which dares students to help communities worldwide tackle water equity, purity, and efficiency.
“STEM education and innovation is crucial to our everyday lives,” said Chris Golden, senior vice president and US country manager at Equinor. “Searching for better is part of our purpose at Equinor, so we’re honored and excited to partner with Space Center Houston to empower the next generation of innovators in their search for better solutions for all.”
Throughout the year-long competition, teams are paired with subject matter experts and given access to resources to help create commercially viable innovations as they advance through four rounds of the Challenge.
Since its inception, the Conrad Challenge has engaged over 1,000 schools from all 50 U.S. states and 72 countries, reinforcing the commitment to diversity and global representation. The 2023-2024 competition saw record-breaking participation with over 3,400 students involved.
Registration for the 2024-2025 Conrad Challenge is open until Friday, November 1, 2024, at 11:59 P.M. EDT. To register and learn more, visit www.conradchallenge.org.
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About Equinor
Equinor is an international energy company committed to long-term value creation in a low-carbon future. We energize the lives of over 170 million people and companies around the world, every day. Our purpose: Energy for people. Progress for society. Searching for better. We aim to become a net-zero energy company by 2050. To do it, we’ll find new solutions in renewables, low-carbon and oil and gas. Headquartered in Stavanger, Norway, Equinor is the leading operator on the Norwegian continental shelf and present in around 30 countries worldwide. Learn more at www.equinor.com.
About Space Center Houston
Space Center Houston’s shared purpose is to bring people and space closer together. Over 1.3 million visitors and more than 250,000 students and educators visit each year to connect with the significance of space exploration to pursue a path in STEM or follow along as incredible feats of human spaceflight continue to make new discoveries. Space Center Houston is owned by the Manned Space Flight Education 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and generates an annual $118M economic impact to 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. Learn more at spacecenter.org.
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