After the hugely successful RMSC Community Eclipse Ambassador Program from 2023–24, we are excited to announce the continuation of the RMSC Community STEM Ambassador program with a two-year project that will explore the night sky and make everyday math tangible and exciting.
RMSC STEM Ambassadors will be trained in basic astronomy, night sky viewing, and more. Ambassadors will spend 2025 learning about the night sky using tools like telescopes and binoculars, as well as the upcoming NASA Artemis missions. The 2026 session will aim to destigmatize math with the goal of making it exciting, relevant, and engaging by building on themes of scale, distance, and measurement from the macro of the Milky Way to the micro of the atom–using physical visualizations, music, and hands-on activities.
For their organizations, Ambassadors will be provided with equipment, educational materials, and tools to engage their constituencies in STEM learning activities. With materials dispersed throughout the city, we hope this creates more opportunities to decentralize STEM learning away from institutions and into communities that may not be able, or are not predisposed, to visit museums. “We were profoundly inspired by the incredible impact our Ambassadors had in 2024 of uniting their communities around a celestial event. This experience motivated us to strengthen our connection with them to continue showcasing to the public that STEM is for everyone,” shared Daniel Schneiderman, Community Engagement Manager.
Stay tuned to RMSC channels in 2025 & 2026 for more about region-wide celebrations, including an Astronomy Star Party and a Math Day Celebration!
Official RMSC STEM Ambassadors:
Autism Up
Cameron Community
Ganondagan State Historic Site
GRASA
Grupo Cultural Latinos En Rochester
Hipocampo Children’s Books
House of Mercy, Inc.
IBERO
Islamic Center of Rochester- Westfall Academy
Monroe County Library System
Phelps Library & STEAM Lab Makerspace
BERR’s Infinite Mindz Learning Podz Inc
The Community Place of Greater Rochester
YMCA of Greater Rochester
YWCA of Rochester & Monroe County
This program could not exist without the support of Amazon, Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture division, and the NY Space Grant Consortium.
LEARN MORE
About the 24-26 Ambassador Program
About the original RMSC Community Eclipse Ambassador Program
About the Simons Foundation:
This program is supported by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture division.
The Simons Foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences. Since its founding in 1994 by Jim and Marilyn Simons, the foundation has been a champion of basic science through grant funding, support for research and public engagement. We believe in asking big questions and providing sustained support to researchers working to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
The Simons Foundation’s Science, Society and Culture division seeks to provide opportunities for people to forge a connection to science — whether for the first time or a lifetime. Through our initiatives, we work to inspire a feeling of awe and wonder, foster connections between people and science and support environments that provide a sense of belonging.