ECOTARIUM AWARDED NASA FUNDING FOR UPGRADES TO OBSERVATORY, PLANETARIUM, AND STEM ENGAGEMENT
October 2, 2024 – Highlight
Worcester, MA, October 2, 2024 — The EcoTarium announced it received an $856,000 NASA grant through FY24 Congressionally Directed Spending secured by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator Edward Markey, Congressman Jim McGovern, and the MA Congressional Delegation. The grant will fund extensive upgrades to the Museum’s observatory and planetarium; expand science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational programs; enable the development of a space-themed exhibit; and enhance access to space science for thousands of visitors annually. The new NASA STEM Education Program at the EcoTarium aligns with NASA’s mission to inspire the next generation of scientists and space explorers.
Senator Warren toured the EcoTarium, looked through a telescope with a solar filter, and helped feed the zoo’s resident North American River Otters. In an address to staff, Senator Warren said, “EcoTarium’s work providing access to interactive, hands-on learning opportunities for everyone in the community is profoundly important.” The Senator described the EcoTarium’s expansion of NASA STEM engagement programs as “an opportunity to develop the next generation’s interests and curiosity in engineering, technology, conservation, and astronomy.”
“We are grateful to the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation for their unwavering support for education and the EcoTarium,” said Noreen Johnson Smith, President & CEO of the EcoTarium, citing Senator Warren, Senator Ed Markey, and Congressman Jim McGovern’s support. “This grant allows us to expand our educational reach and make space science more accessible to everyone in the Worcester community.”
According to Smith, the renovations to the EcoTarium’s Observatory will be completed as the organization celebrates its 200th Anniversary in 2025. A new exhibit on space science will feature the contributions of the “Father of Modern Rocketry” Robert Goddard, Astronomer Cecilia Payne-Gaposhkin, Astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt, and others.
The proposed NASA STEM Engagement project aims to enhance community access to relevant scientific content and modern experiences, particularly for young children, while updating educational content to attract a wider audience. The implementation will involve museum educators and technical staff, alongside partnerships with MIT’s observatory technician, Aldrich Astronomical Society astronomers, and WPI Astronomy Club members to guide telescope selection and observatory renovations.
Through compliant procurement procedures, expert involvement will ensure successful project execution. This initiative is expected to enhance STEM literacy among students, especially in underserved communities, and prepare them for future STEM careers, further strengthening the EcoTarium’s educational programming and its ongoing collaboration with NASA to explore the universe.
The federal grant provides $856,000 in funding through NASA to support an upgrade to the EcoTarium’s observatory, installing a 14” telescope and computerized tracking system; bluetooth technology to share real-time observations in the planetarium; ADA accessibility improvements for visitors with disabilities; additional telescope mounts for stargazing programs; new planetarium shows; and a new exhibit celebrating the pioneering science of Robert Goddard, the “father of modern rocketry” in time for the 100th anniversary of the first rocket launch.
The EcoTarium’s NASA STEM Engagement Programs align with NASA’s mission and goals by increasing access to STEM education, and creating pathways for diverse futures in STEM fields.