Housatonic Community College’s STEAMfest Helps Everyone Reach For The Stars With NASA Experts, Space-Themed Events and Star Watching Parties

In connection with National STEM/STEAM Day on Monday, November 8th, Housatonic Community College (HCC) will present STEAMFest 2021 with a theme of ‘Helping Everyone Reach For The Stars’. A series of engaging space-themed discussions and activities are planned, including lectures by NASA scientists and star watching parties.

HCC’s 5th annual STEAMfest initiative celebrates knowledge and skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. The events for students and faculty will take place on November 8, 9, and 11, and the public is invited to attend livestream events by visiting www.housatonic.edu/steamfest2021, online registration is required.

On Monday, November 8, the live stream events include:

• 9:45 AM - Open and Welcome with HCC Dean of Academic Affairs Robin Avant
• 10:00AM - Dr. Heather Graham, NASA Astrobiologist joins a panel discussion about life, the universe and how getting a start in community college prepared her for astrobiology and a career in research.
• 11:00AM - Elliot Severn, Planetarium and Technology Director at the SHU Discovery Science Center will present a space engineering demonstration
• 12:00PM - Michael J. Bielawa, Historian and Author will provide a look into a worldwide UFO legend in Bridgeport
• 1:00PM - Matthew Pearce of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies will discuss internship programs at NASA

HCC students and faculty may also join in-person events, including:

• 5:30PM – The Music of the Spheres Today with Dr. Kevin Green, Department of Physics, University of New Haven
• 6:00PM – Star Party in the HCC Courtyard using telescopes courtesy of the Westport Astronomical Society

On Tuesday, November 9, the live stream events include:

• 9:45AM - Open and Welcome with HCC CEO Dr. Dwayne Smith
• 11:00AM - Discussion with Dr. Seth Redfield, Professor of Astronomy, Wesleyan University
• 12:15PM - Panel Discussion with Dr. Redfield’s students
• 1:00PM - Building Dobsonian Telescopes with Andy Poniros, NASA Solar System Ambassador

HCC students and faculty may also join in-person events, including:

• 10:00AM - Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Mission, Videos/Exhibit Hall/poster presentations
• 6:00PM - Evening star gazing with Andy Poniros at Russian Beach

On Thursday, November 11 at 7:00PM, HCC students may also attend a movie screening of Hidden Figures in HCC’s Event Center.

HCC’s STEAMfest 2021 series is presented with significant funding from Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company and Pitney Bowes. The two organizations are long-time champion supporters for students in STEAM at Housatonic Community College, and have helped to make HCC's STEAM Center of Excellence possible.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements in STEM/STEAM fields with this impactful lineup that is sure to inspire our scholars and the community at large to reach for the stars while keeping their feet on the ground. We would like to thank Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company and Pitney Bowes for their generous support in making STEAMfest possible, and for being champions of STEAM at Housatonic Community College,” said Dr. Dwayne Smith, HCC CEO.

In addition to providing robust offerings in the field of STEAM, HCC is also a co-leader for the Greater Bridgeport STEM ecosystem. This strong system features dynamic collaborations among schools, out-of-school programs, STEM expert institutions, the private sector, and community-based organizations to provide opportunities for young people to develop important skills and engagement in STEM subjects.

To learn more about STEAMfest 2021, contact STEAMfest coordinator David Platt at or call 203-332-5115. To learn more about STEAM programming at HCC, please contact HCC Academic Dean Robin Avant at . To learn more about Housatonic Community College, visit www.housatonic.edu..

Caption For Photo Right: : Dr. Seth Redfield, Professor of Astronomy at Wesleyan University.

Caption For Photo Right: Dr. Heather Graham, NASA Astrobiologist will joins a panel discussion about life, the universe and how getting a start in community college prepared her for astrobiology and a career in research at Housatonic Community College’s STEAMfest 2021.