NASA CT Space Grant Consortium Honored at Discovery Museum Gala
The College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture (CETA) is pleased to announce Dean Hisham Alnajjar was one of this year's Discovery Museum Gala of Lights Honorees for his role as Director of the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium.
The annual event recognizes organizations like the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium that are helping to make a true impact on STEM education. The event is also a fundraiser with silent and live auctions and is a place where the Discovery Museum debuts a new aspect of their programs and education—this year, they showed off the new technology for their planetarium.
Dean Hisham Alnajjar was named one of this year's Discovery Museum Gala of Lights Honorees for his role as Director of the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium. He also has served as the PI (Principal Investigator) for the grant for many years. He and the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium was recognized as it supports many activities for the Discovery Museum and has had a strong partnership with the organization for many years. Discovery Museum sees the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium as their “NASA connection,” according to Mary (Cater) Arico, Director of the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering in CETA who accepted the award on Alnajjar's behalf. During the event, the Discovery Museum spokesperson acknowledged their gratefulness for the support from the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium that has helped their organization improve its programming. In particular, the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium has funded various exhibits through the Discovery Museum, as well as collaborative programs through the University of Bridgeport. Some events they’ve also sponsored for the Discover Museum this past year alone include Giant Leep Day to honor the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, as well as Space Day, an annual event in April about all things NASA. Members from the Discovery Museum were also part of the team of students, professors, and scientists who practiced a balloon launch in Kentucky to photograph and collect scientific data during the total solar eclipse back in the summer of 2017.
Mary (Cater) Arico, Director of the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering in CETAIt was such an honor considering who else was recognized. We’re very proud to be able to work with partners like Discovery Museum because they have such a huge impact in the area and in STEM education.