Watch the 2021 President’s Briefing
A message from space center Houston’s President & CEO William T. Harris
Dear friends:
It goes without saying that 2021 was one of our most challenging years as we continued to creatively fulfill our mission and adapt to life during a pandemic. The generosity of individuals, foundations, corporate partners, and volunteers enabled us to achieve new heights in our service to our community, and constituents across the nation and around the world.
As a nonprofit educational institution, Space Center Houston depends on philanthropic donations to enhance and expand our hands-on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational programming. We inspire guests of all ages by creating thought-provoking, innovative exhibits that explore the past, present, and future of human spaceflight and programming that features some of the nation’s leading aerospace professionals and NASA astronauts, like SpaceX Crew-4 Commander Kjell Lindgren. We also encourage guests to experience the thrill and wonders of space exploration by providing behind-the-scenes access to NASA Johnson Space Center’s facilities and experts.
As you peruse through some of Space Center Houston’s highlights from 2021, I ask you to pause and celebrate the impact made possible through your generosity. From helping us to inspire the community and shape students’ futures by bringing space exploration to the classroom, you made 2021 an unforgettable year.
During 2022, many new milestones in space exploration will take place as we prepare to establish a long-term presence on the Moon’s south pole. I invite you to join us in what will be an exciting year that includes the full activation of the James Webb Space Telescope, the launch of the Artemis 1 mission to the moon, and much more!
Sincerely,
William T. Harris President and CEO
Help us create space for everyone. Every gift is tax deductible in accordance with IRS regulations.
From Apollo 13 to the next Mars Rover, NASA and Space Center Houston are no strangers to innovating under pressure. The struggles we have all faced since 2020 have forced us to adapt in ways we never imagined. In 2021, Space Center Houston persevered again with the launch of a completely redesigned Space Exploration Educators Conference (SEEC) experience.
In February, for the first time in its 27-year history, Space Center Houston hosted SEEC on a 100 percent virtual platform, generously funded by Intel. Through the three-day virtual professional development conference themed “Perseverance Through Innovation,” our education staff supported 1,058 K-12 educators from 27 countries and 46 states.
With their registration, participants received year-long on-demand access to the conference’s content, which included 109 virtual learning sessions led by STEM and education experts, various networking lounges, and access to restricted field experiences like an on-site tour of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center in California.
In 2022, Space Center Houston leveraged the success of SEEC’s virtual platform by hosting the event as a hybrid – virtual and on-site – conference.
“I LOVED everything about SEEC… the sessions with engineers, scientists, and technicians talking about their expertise, project, or mission, and providing Q&A time… we need innovation to improve technology in the classrooms. That’s exactly what I received!”
– 2021 Participant
Space Exploration Educators Conference (SEEC)
With combined backgrounds in chemical engineering and biochemistry, Syamal and Susmita Poddar know the value of a quality education. Locals to the Houston area, the Poddars began visiting Space Center Houston — and bringing their friends and family — as soon as the center opened its doors in 1992.
When their grandson expressed an interest in attending STEM camps over the summer, the Poddars knew where to connect him to get hands-on, authentic space and science learning experiences. They enrolled their grandson in Space Center U®, a week-long immersive program that promotes teamwork, problem solving, communication, and innovative engineering solutions all through the lens of space exploration.
“When we saw him after a long day, camp was all he could talk about. We were very interested and intrigued,” says Syamal. Their grandson’s enthusiasm prompted them to the realization that if they wanted to encourage students to join the STEM pathway, “this is the way to get kids involved in space!”
The Poddars are loyal Patron members and founding members of Space Center Houston’s recently launched Innovation Circle, a group of visionary community leaders dedicated to expanding student access to authentic and transformative STEM learning experiences. The Poddars truly make a difference; they invest in Space Center Houston’s educational mission to inspire the next generation of STEM learners and professionals.
“Space Center Houston’s camp isn’t like the others – it’s a very hands-on experience for kids that keeps them engaged, energized and looking forward to the next day of learning.”- 2021 Participant
– Syamal Poddar
Space Center Houston’s annual fund campaign, Creating Space for Everyone, raised much-needed financial resources that provide students with access to potentially life-changing opportunities.
With the goal of supporting underresourced and underrepresented students in the Houston area and beyond, funds from the annual campaign are allocated to those who would not otherwise be able to participate in our education program’s innovative and immersive STEM learning opportunities.
In July, we received a huge boost to these efforts when Space Center Houston was selected to receive a $1 million grant from Club for the Future, founded by Blue Origin.
This landmark award comes directly from history-making advancements in the space industry; Blue Origin raised the funds through an online auction for the very first seat on its New Shepard reusable suborbital launch vehicle. Space Center Houston will use Club for the Future funding to reach more students and provide real-world, hands-on STEM learning opportunities that amplify the wonders of space exploration.
Founded by Blue Origin in 2019, Club for the Future is a perfect match for Space Center Houston’s vision to prepare the next generation of scientists, innovators and problem-solvers as its mission is to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM and help invent the future of life in space.
Over the last decade, Chevron has positioned itself as a leading supporter of STEM programs at Space Center Houston and an important partner in the space and science learning center’s strategic goal of engaging the public in authentic STEM learning.
Working together throughout 2020 and 2021, we conceived, developed, and launched “STEM Innovation in Schools, presented by Chevron.” Targeting underresourced youth in the Greater Houston area, this new educational outreach initiative enhances students’ access to high-quality, real-world STEM learning experiences.
The new program supports teachers in Title 1 schools as they guide their classes through a semester-long NASA-style challenge that is designed to enhance their students’ innovating, developing, testing, and prototyping skills.
Participating students work in teams of up to six group members. Over the course of the semester, each team proposes a solution to a real-world NASA challenge. For the inaugural spring challenge, 40 teams of students submitted uniquely designed systems or inventions intended to keep astronauts healthy during a long-duration spaceflight. As a capstone to their efforts, STEM Innovation in Schools participants were invited to an awards ceremony on-site at Space Center Houston. Here, eight teams showcased their projects, 20 participants received individual awards, and the entire group explored the 250,000 square foot space and science learning center.
Stem Innovation in Schools, Presented by Chevron
In March, Space Center Houston recognized Boeing as our most loyal supporter by unveiling new signage on our award-winning Independence Plaza exhibit. The new signage, “Independence Plaza, presented by Boeing” pays homage to the aerospace leader for its philanthropic support totaling more than $2 million since our opening in 1992.
Boeing’s steadfast support of students and educators over the past 29 years has been critical to our ability to empower the next generation of explorers and STEM career professionals. Their most recent grant supports Girls STEM Pathway, presented by Boeing.
Girls STEM Pathway is a six-phase longitudinal STEM programming network offering out-of-classroom experiences to sustain student interest in STEM as they navigate through elementary, middle and high school. A major strength of Girls STEM Pathway is the access students receive to professional women in STEM, who serve as mentors and role models as girls develop their career aspirations.
Space Center Houston is incredibly fortunate to be a partner with Boeing in our work to engage the next generation of STEM leaders. In 2021, 841 girls participated in Girls STEM Pathway. Since its inception, Boeing has empowered more than 5,000 through Girls STEM Pathway and Academy programming.
Girls STEM Pathway, Presented by Boeing
Despite making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, women are still vastly underrepresented in STEM careers. The largest gender gaps appear in some of the fastestgrowing and highest-paid jobs of the future, like computer science and engineering. To fulfill the growing need for a diverse STEM workforce, Space Center Houston formed a strategic partnership with the international She Is Foundation and Institución Zoraida Cadavid de Sierra to provide female students ages 11-16 years old with handson learning experiences covering rocketry, space habitats, landers, and NASA’s five hazards of living in space.
Thanks to significant support from the She Is Foundation and a generous grant from GOYA, Space Center Houston launched its inaugural Space Center U® Beyond virtual program in fall 2020 with a cohort of 31 female students from Colombia.
Space Center U® Beyond grew dramatically throughout 2021 in both attendance and the number of available lessons. The program, now available in a hybrid, online and on-site format, spans over a period of six-months and features a visit to Space Center Houston and NASA Johnson Space Center. In 2021, 191 girls benefited from participation in Space Center U® Beyond.
“Space Center Houston is a very inclusive, fun institution. The Space Center U® Beyond program exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed learning about rockets, robotics and many other things… this was everything I dreamed and more.”
– 2021 Participant
Space Center U® Beyond
Space Center Houston initiated a new series of local philanthropic events in 2021. Board Chair Peggy Kostial and board member Dhaval Jadav each hosted salon-style gatherings to kick off the initiative.
The events welcomed new and old friends to learn about our nearly 30-year strong nonprofit educational mission and the partners who help us inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, thinkers and problem-solvers.
The 2021 events featured guest speakers Dr. Kjell Lindgren, who is currently in training to fly the NASA SpaceX Crew-4 mission to the ISS scheduled to launch in 2022, and Dr. Rob Ambrose, a recently retired NASA space robotics expert. Each shared witty, conversational banter with Space Center Houston President and CEO William T. Harris at their respective events. After the speaker presentations, attendees took the opportunity to ask their own questions one-on-one and pose for photos with friends and the featured presenters.
As the first of the new board leadership series, events like these are especially meaningful to our organization as they help us engage the surrounding philanthropic community in NASA’s next “big thing,” with the goal to garner continued support for Space Center Houston’s youth STEM educational programs.
Thanks to significant support from the She Is Foundation and a generous grant from GOYA, Space Center Houston launched its inaugural Space Center U® Beyond virtual program in fall 2020 with a cohort of 31 female students from Colombia.
Space Center U® Beyond grew dramatically throughout 2021 in both attendance and the number of available lessons. The program, now available in a hybrid, online and on-site format, spans over a period of six-months and features a visit to Space Center Houston and NASA Johnson Space Center. In 2021, 191 girls benefited from participation in Space Center U® Beyond.
The 2021 Honor Roll of Donors recognizes supporters who have made gifts totaling $50 or more between Jan. 1, 2021 and Dev. 31, 2021. We proudly recognize members of our Discovery Circle, whose membership includes a philanthropic gift to Space Center Houston. Every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of names and data.
Please bring any errors or omissions to our attention at giving@spacecenter.org or call Mallory Rogers at +1-281-283-7710.
$1,000,000 and Above
$100,000 – $999,999
$50,000 – $99,999
$25,000 – $49,999
$10,000 – $24,999
$5,000 – $9,999
$2,500 – $4,999
$1,000 – $2,499
$50 – $999
Patron Level Members
Contributor Level Members
Supporter Level Members
Corporate Sponsors
Help us create space for everyone. Visit spacecenter.org/support to make a safe and secure gift and support Space Center Houston’s educational mission.
Join Space Center Houston’s community of contributors and help us continue growing the number of learners who enter the STEM pathway! Every gift is tax deductible in accordance with IRS regulations.
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