FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Framingham State University will welcome educators, space education leaders and innovators from across the country Aug. 11-13 as the Christa McAuliffe Center hosts the annual Challenger Learning Center Conference, bringing together representatives from all 30 Challenger Learning Centers nationwide. 

The three-day conference coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and the founding of Challenger Center. Throughout 2026, Challenger Center and its global network of Challenger Learning Centers has been honoring the legacy of the Challenger Seven, including Framingham State alumna Christa McAuliffe '70, while celebrating four decades of inspiring millions of students through immersive, hands-on STEM learning experiences.

This marks the second time Framingham State has hosted the national conference, having previously welcomed the Challenger Learning Center network in 2016 during the 30th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy.

The conference provides an opportunity for leaders from across the Challenger Center network to collaborate on the future of STEM education while sharing innovative programming, emerging technologies and best practices that inspire the next generation of explorers. Sessions throughout the week will focus on accessibility in STEM education, new NASA initiatives, immersive technologies, data-informed programming and hands-on learning experiences.

"Hosting this conference during the 40th anniversary year is especially meaningful for Framingham State," says Dr. Irene Porro, Director of the Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning. "Christa McAuliffe believed that education had the power to change lives, and every day the McAuliffe Center carries that vision forward by inspiring curiosity, exploration and discovery. We are honored to welcome colleagues from across the country who share that mission."

Highlights during the conference include a special live downlink with astronauts aboard the International Space Station and a lunch with more than 40 family members and friends of the Challenger Crew.

Conference attendees will hear from nationally recognized experts, including researchers from MIT Lincoln Laboratory discussing the future of space communications and NASA's Artemis program, as well as presenters from the Smithsonian | Harvard Center for Astrophysics, UMass Lowell, National Institute of Out-of-School Time, Central Square Theater and other leading organizations. Participants will also experience the McAuliffe Center's immersive Expedition Mars mission, workshops on virtual reality, genetics, astronomy and satellite technology, and collaborative discussions focused on strengthening Challenger Learning Centers nationwide. 

Following the loss of the seven Challenger crew members on Jan. 28, 1986, the families of the astronauts founded Challenger Center to continue their vision of inspiring young people through science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Today, the network includes 30 Challenger Learning Centers around the world that engage hundreds of thousands of students each year through immersive, mission-based learning experiences.