Discovery Center selected as STEM Innovation Hub by NASA

The Discovery Center of Springfield Inc. has garnered a prestigious designation by NASA, making it the only STEM Innovator in Missouri.

Tyler Moles, CEO of the nonprofit science center, confirmed the project Jan. 16.

“We’ve had a relationship with NASA for several years now, and we’ve hosted some of their traveling exhibits, but we were never the official STEM partner of the region,” Moles said this morning.

The designation includes a $250,000 award to support a three-year project to create classroom curriculum, professional development for educators and a licensable exhibit, all focused on the Moon to Mars program. The programs will be available to libraries, museums and schools.

“Students in this area will benefit tremendously from having direct access to these programs, education on the Moon to Mars program, and trying to figure out ways to solve problems related to that,” he said. “It puts us in line to build even bigger partnerships with NASA that could benefit the state.”

Moles said the content aims to prepare students to contribute to the space workforce, solve the problems of tomorrow and increase their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.

“It’s all about upstream workforce development. We need Missouri’s children seeing that they can be the ones to solve problems that we don’t even know exist yet,” said Moles, in a news release. “This work inspires a lifelong interest in STEM, building the literacy and innovation needed to shape the future of space exploration.”

Moles said there was an extensive application process and praised the work of center leaders Hunter Bartelt, director of operations, and Riana Clark, vice president of education.

“They’ve put massive amounts of work into this,” Moles said. “It is going to be a very big deal.”

More details are expected to be released at a Jan. 30 press event.