ALEXANDRIA, Va. (August 8, 2012) – Challenger Center for Space Science Education (Challenger Center) today announced the appointment of Kathleen Meehan Coop as Vice President of Education. Meehan Coop will oversee Challenger Center’s educational strategies and programs and manage all grant activities.

“We’re thrilled to have Kathleen on board to oversee the development of our new education initiatives,” said Dr. Lance Bush, president and CEO, Challenger Center for Space Science Education. “Kathleen’s leadership will help increase the value of our Challenger Center education programs and support our mission to strengthen student’s interest and knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

As Vice President of Education, Meehan Coop will represent Challenger Center nationally with the Challenger Learning Center network, the STEM education community, federal and state government, the business community, foundations, and key partners in the education community. Additionally, Meehan Coop will provide direction and support for the development and evaluation of new technology platforms used to present the programs at Challenger Centers around the globe. She will also provide staff leadership for the Challenger Center Board of Directors Education Committee, National Educational Advisory Board and the Challenger Learning Center Network Education Advisory Committee.

“I’m so excited to be a part of the Challenger Center team. It is a wonderful program with a strong history of providing students with an educational experience that actively engages them in the excitement, challenges, and importance of STEM careers,” said Meehan Coop. “I look forward to leading the program’s educational efforts in order to help us reach our vision of building a scientifically literate public that is inspired by the wonder of science and the power of what it can achieve.”

Before joining Challenger Center, Meehan Coop was Director for the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) at the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. In this role, she directed the operations and provided the strategic vision for a comprehensive national (STEM) program on marine science for high school students. She was also selected to lead the organization-wide strategic education planning effort and was responsible for the execution and integration of the 25 regional competitions.

Prior to the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, Meehan Coop served as the Senior Program Manager at the U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation. Earlier in her career, Meehan Coop was the Grants Coordinator at the Tennessee Aquarium.

Meehan Coop has a master’s degree in business administration from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, a master’s degree in education from Slippery Rock University, and a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Sonoma State University.

About Challenger Center for Space Science Education

Using space exploration as a theme and simulation as a vehicle, Challenger Center for Space Science Education and its international network of 48 Challenger Learning Centers create positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, foster long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and inspire students to pursue studies and careers in these areas. Challenger Center’s network of Challenger Learning Centers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Korea reach more than 400,000 students each year through simulated space missions and educational programs and engage more than 40,000 educators through missions, teacher workshops, and other programs. Founded in 1986, Challenger Center for Space Science Education was created to honor the seven astronauts of shuttle flight STS-51-L: Commander Dick Scobee, Gregory Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, and Michael J. Smith. To learn more about Challenger Center for Space Science Education, visit www.challenger.org.

Contact:

Lisa Vernal
Director of Communications
Challenger Center for Space Science Education
700 N. Fairfax St., Suite 302
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 535-1368
lvernal@challenger.org