By Indira Zaldivar & Edward Saenz
As part of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Space Center Houston invited 24 outstanding young women from Latin America to participate in its Space University Beyond program.
The cohort includes 11 participants from Colombia, 11 from Ecuador, and two from Peru, all of whom are experiencing an immersive educational journey with activities that simulate planning a space mission. This program, conducted entirely in Spanish, allows students to fully engage with both the technical and cultural dimensions of space exploration.
The Space U Beyond program encourages students to work together to tackle real-world challenges in space exploration, fostering creativity and innovation. Group activities include in-depth work in rocketry, robotics, coding, heat shields, and sustainable living solutions for hazardous environments. Many of these subjects connect directly with ongoing NASA missions, such as the Artemis program, giving students insight into cutting-edge space exploration initiatives.
This incredible educational experience was made possible through the collaboration of the SHE-IS Foundation, their sponsors, and NASA’s HERG, each dedicated to engaging and empowering young Latin American communities in STEM.
Space Center Houston is proud to partner with the SHE-IS Foundation, a Colombian nonprofit that promotes the empowerment of young girls and women through initiatives in entrepreneurship, self-esteem, and community service. The partnership, supported by NASA’s HERG, underscores a shared mission to enhance access to opportunities for the Hispanic community.
“During Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrated our 8th Space University Beyond cohort. Space Center Houston is committed to providing more opportunities like this for Latin American students, having hosted participants from Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, The Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Panama,” said William T. Harris, president and CEO of Space Center Houston.
“To date, we have served 228 students on-site and 1,124 virtually through our Space U Beyond program. We look forward to welcoming 68 more students in the coming months, all eager to explore the wonders of space exploration.”
