Close Modal Center for Space Sciences The Center for Space Sciences brings together academia, industry, government, and the public to create a vision for—and a commitment to—increasing public understanding of astronomy and space exploration. Image Humankind has always had an insatiable curiosity for discovering what’s beyond our world. The more we discover, the more we want to explore. Now, as the international space community enters an unprecedented new era of exploration, the Museum’s newly established Center for Space Sciences will play a unique role in fostering excitement and wonder for the universe and our own place in it. Close Modal Worldwide Collaboration Leveraging the powers of storytelling and science communication, the Center will invite the world to come together to engage with cutting-edge, space-related content. Led by Danielle LeBlanc, longtime director of the Museum’s Charles Hayden Planetarium, the Center brings together government, academia, industry, and the public to create a vision for—and a commitment to—increasing public understanding of astronomy and space exploration.The Center collaborates with astronomers, space engineering firms, and multidisciplinary researchers to produce learning experiences not only for Museum visitors, but also for teachers, students, and a worldwide online audience. It does so through expert panels and lectures, town halls, online games and videos, exhibits, planetarium shows, K-12 curricula, community events, in-school programs, digital partnerships, and more. Image Placeholder for content by topic Meet the DirectorAs the inaugural director of the Center for Space Sciences, Danielle LeBlanc brings more than 20 years of experience as a science educator and producer.She currently serves as the director of Immersive Theaters and Programs at the Museum, and leads the strategic programming and vision for the Charles Hayden Planetarium. She has partnered with industry colleagues, university and government researchers, and other outside collaborators to position the Planetarium as a leading venue for accessible educational content and innovative experiences that push the medium across the boundaries of science, art, and technology.Since the Planetarium’s conversion to digital technology in 2010, Ms. LeBlanc has written, produced, and/or directed five full-dome releases: Undiscovered Worlds: The Search Beyond Our Sun (2011); Moons: Worlds of Mystery (2012); From Dream to Discovery: Inside NASA (2014); Destination Mars: The New Frontier (2019); and God, Science, and Our Search for Meaning (2022), a collaboration with bestselling author Dan Brown. Together, these shows have been licensed by hundreds of venues across five continents, translated into dozens of languages, and screened at full-dome festivals worldwide. She has been awarded and served as principal investigator and co-PI on a number of federally funded projects, including Project EVOLVE, which led the Museum to create curricula-based astronomy and space science remote learning products for students in grades 3-8.Ms. LeBlanc currently sits on the Advisory Council for Immersive Media Entertainment, Research, Science & Arts; since 2019, she has also served as co-chair for the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee for the International Planetarium Society, the largest organization of planetarium professionals in the world. She received her BA in astronomy and physics from Boston University. Centers for Public Science Learning Center for the Environment Center for Life Sciences
