Program Overview
In 1986, Framingham State University alumna Christa McAuliffe became the first teacher to go to space and tragically lost her life on the Space Shuttle Challenger. Honoring McAuliffe’s vision, the Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning at Framingham State University embraces an interdisciplinary approach to science education. From introducing elementary
school kids to astronomy to working with the green energy industry to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) workforce pathways, the McAuliffe Center serves community members of all ages.
Dr. Irene Porro is the McAuliffe Center’s director. Dr. Porro shared insights from her experience crafting science education programming for community members of all ages.
Fast Facts
Name of organization: Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning at Framingham State University
Mission of organization: Lead the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in integrated STEM learning through the sharing of resources, building of partnerships, and advancement of educational practices
Type of organization: Learning center based at a state university
Location of organization: Framingham, MA
Size of organization: 12 staff members
Size of community: Framingham, MA, has approximately 71,000 residents, and students visit the McAuliffe Center from communities across the state.
Funding: The McAuliffe Center receives funding from a variety of sources, including fees for participating in space mission simulations, grant funding, and more.
Time period: The McAuliffe Center opened its doors and began offering space mission simulations in 1994. In 2019, the Center developed a mentorship program for high school students, and in 2022, that program evolved into a paid internship opportunity.
Reach: Each year, the Center serves an average of 12,000 students in grades 5 through 12 and 2,000 to 2,500 additional visitors of all ages, including Framingham University students, families, and lifelong learners in the Framingham community.
Community Needs
What communities does the McAuliffe Center serve?
Every year, an average of 12,000 Massachusetts students in grades 5 through 12 participate in space mission simulations at the McAuliffe Center’s Challenger Learning Center. These interactive field trips help students visualize the scientific concepts they learn in school in a professional context. During each simulation, students build teamwork skills as they learn about the different professional roles involved in space missions.
Students from local high schools also participate in the McAuliffe Center’s internship program. Interns build communication and management skills as they work on science-focused projects in collaboration with the City of Framingham and various professional organizations. In addition, the Center serves families and lifelong learners with public events like science festivals, planetarium programs, and music and science events. Framingham State University students help to facilitate many of our programs.
What needs do the McAuliffe Center’s programs address? How did you identify those needs?
We work closely with local school districts to learn about students’ needs. Looking at the middle and high school science curricula in Massachusetts, we saw a need for interdisciplinary approaches to environmental science education — and we heard the same feedback from teachers. We also recognized that the needs of the workforce are changing very rapidly, and schools can’t change as rapidly. At the McAuliffe Center, we help bridge that gap by teaching skills that will help students succeed in the modern workplace.
Funding and Partnerships
How are the McAuliffe Center’s programs funded?
The McAuliffe Center has received funding from the State of Massachusetts, NASA’s Universe of Learning initiative, private foundations, local banks, and local and statewide cultural councils. The Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium provides funding for college students who work with us on environmental or planetarium-related projects.
Schools typically pay a fee for students to attend the space mission simulation program. When I first came to the McAuliffe Center 10 years ago, I noticed there were entire communities in our region that weren’t engaging with our simulation program because they couldn’t afford it. So I started writing grants to provide sponsorship money to school districts that couldn’t otherwise afford the program fee.
Does the McAuliffe Center work with any partner organizations?
The McAuliffe Center is part of the Challenger Center Network, the Massachusetts Regional STEM Networks, and the Smithsonian Affiliations program. We partner with the City of Framingham Sustainability Office and local environmental organizations.
Looking for Funding?
To find funding opportunities that align with your organization’s goals, search for “funding” in the Resource Database. For tips on building partnerships, download the Partner Engagement Tip Sheet on the Training Resources for Professionals page
Program Impact
What is the impact of the McAuliffe Center’s programs? How have you measured and evaluated success?
For the space mission simulation program, it’s hard to do longitudinal evaluation (to evaluate the program’s impact over a longer period of time) because the kids are only with us for one day. But there’s a lot of anecdotal evidence that the program is making a positive impact. If a school keeps coming back year after year, I think we’re doing something right.
When students write their essays to apply to Framingham State, some mention that the first time they came to our campus was for a mission at the McAuliffe Center. Our university is a state school with a large population of first-generation students. The fact that students may come to campus for the first time — or even learn about the university for the first time — on a field trip to our Center has a powerful impact.
Over the first 3 years of the internship program, we evaluated its success from a social-emotional development perspective. Students developed new skills, and their interest in STEM, environmental issues, and collaboration increased through their participation in the program. And the data we collected allowed us to show funders that the program is really impactful.