NASA Space Apps brings together tens of thousands of people each year to address real-world challenges on Earth and in space. However, it goes beyond that; shared experiences between people from different backgrounds, cultures, ages, and abilities are created through a common interest and passion for the world and universe around us. These connections were on full display on June 5 and 6, when NASA Space Apps Global Winners and Local Leads gathered to celebrate their winning achievements during the Winners Celebration. These achievements date back to the 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 NASA International Space Apps Challenges, the Earth Observation Dashboard Hackathon, and the NASA Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge.
This two-day celebration hosted more than 100 Global Winners and their guests from over 20 countries at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, alongside NASA leaders and Subject Matter Experts. Here are some of the highlights from this year’s Winners Celebration!
Day One: Celebration at NASA Headquarters
The NASA Space Apps Global Organizing (GO) Team’s Amanda, Bridgette, and Yasha welcomed the Global Winners before a variety of keynote addresses from NASA leaders, starting with a warm welcome shared by Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja, NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research in the Office of the Chief Scientist.
Global Winners shared their favorite highlights from their respective winning projects and hackathon experiences with fellow participants during the Winners Panel, featuring Yoseline Angel from Colombia, Munim Ahmed from Bangladesh, Julieta Luz Porta from Argentina, and Local Lead Marco Antonio Linhares from Brazil (pictured left to right).
Dr. Karen St. Germain, Director for NASA’s Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters, provided highlights from ESD, followed by a surprise address from Dr. Nicky Fox, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
“NASA is more than a group of scientists. It takes diverse roles to advance a NASA mission and to get that mission to space,” said Dr. Karen St. Germain. “The [NASA] Space Apps Challenge absolutely mirrors these diverse teams by using your individual unique skills and bringing them together to be part of a much bigger team.”
NASA Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) engaged with Global Winners and connected on experiences and interests. They also discussed the challenges authored by SMEs and the winning projects.
Day one concluded with a festive award ceremony, recognizing each winning team, who were presented with Global Winner certificates by NASA SMEs.
Day Two: Visit to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
On the second day, Global Winners traveled to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center to learn about ongoing NASA projects, future missions, and take a sneak peek into the future of NASA.
Touring Goddard’s vast 1,300 acre campus, the Global Winners had the opportunity to learn about NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope project and participated in science presentations with hands-on demonstrations and exhibits guided by NASA scientists and engineers.
The closing of the Winners Celebration featured reflections from Local Leads and Global Winners. They shared their insights and experiences from the Winners Celebration, their gratitude about getting to know other Global Winners, and their appreciation for the opportunity for such a diverse and global group to come together.
NASA Space Apps is thrilled to once again recognize such a diverse and innovative group of Global Winners from around the world. The Winners Celebration brings together creative minds who used NASA’s open data to address real-world issues, from climate change to complex data management. As we celebrate these accomplishments, we are inspired by their innovative solutions and collaborative efforts. Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Winners Celebration!
More photos and videos from the Winners Celebration are available on our social accounts, including highlights on our Instagram. To those interested in this global community, join us on October 5-6 for the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge. Registration opens in July!
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