WAPAKONETA — The Armstrong Air & Space Museum will be hosting a brand new fundraising event, “Horizons,” set to take flight Saturday, March 16. The proceeds from the night will go towards the museum’s initiative of supporting economically challenged schools and clubs across the area with limited access to STEM programming.
The speaker for the night is Dr. Frederic Bertley, president and CEO of COSI. Commonly referred to as “Dr. B,” Bertley is an 8-time EMMY award-winning scientist, educator, and immunologist and has been with COSI since 2017. Bertley earn earned a Ph.D. in Immunology and began work in preventative medicine and basic vaccines. He continued this focus in a research group at Harvard Medical School, focusing on the development of DNA vaccines for HIV/AIDS.
“The museum is thrilled to have Dr. Bertley as our speaker for this event,” said Dante Centuori, executive director for the Armstrong Air & Space Museum. “Horizons is about empowering students from all backgrounds and showing them how curiosity and knowledge can light the way to a better future. Dr. B has been leading the way in these efforts for years and we knew right away that he was an excellent choice as our speaker for the evening.”
The event will be hosted at the Armstrong Air & Space Museum and begins at 6:30 p.m. with a special VIP session beginning at 5:30 p.m. VIP guests will get the opportunity to talk with Bertley about the importance of STEM education and will cap off the session with a fun science demonstration. At 7:30 p.m., Bertley will have a discussion on the upcoming solar eclipse happening on April 8. The night will include heavy hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, and a silent auction with a number of interesting prizes up for bid.
“Our organization reaches thousands of students at the museum and in the field every year,” said Deanna Kindell, director of donor engagement and retail operations. “However, some schools and clubs do not have the resources available to them to come visit or book a program. Horizons seeks to raise funds to give these groups access to our STEM education activities.”
Registration for the event is $125 per person for general admission and $200 per person for the VIP session. To register your attendance, contact Kindell at [email protected] or call 419-738-8816.
