Karin M. Paquin, a teacher at St. John's Catholic School and former Boothbay resident, has been selected for the prestigious LiftOff Summer Institute. This nationally competitive program, sponsored by the University of Texas Center for Space Research and supported by NASA and state Space Grant Consortium partners, selects educators who demonstrate a commitment to advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education through space-based learning.

This year’s LiftOff Educator Institute theme, Moon to Mars: A New Era of Discovery, highlights NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years and lay the groundwork for future missions to Mars. Participants will explore current priorities in space research, including the expanding role of commercial space partners and the impact of these innovations both in space and on Earth.

Program Features Include:

• Presentations by NASA scientists and engineers

• Hands-on, inquiry-based classroom activities aligned to educational standards

• Career exploration opportunities

• Teacher-led sharing of classroom lessons and activities

• Direct interaction with researchers involved in space missions

LiftOff is a collaborative initiative involving the University of Texas Center for Space Research, NASA, Space Grant Consortium members, and industry partners. Teachers are selected through a competitive application process, and the weeklong institute features workshops, field investigations, and presentations focused on aerospace and space science themes.

The 2026 institute will take place June 22–26, where educators will conduct experiments, hear from NASA subject matter experts and astronauts, and collaborate with peers from across the country. Participants will return to their school districts equipped with new materials and strategies to enhance STEM instruction and support fellow educators.

“The LiftOff workshops demonstrate that the excitement teachers—and more importantly, their students—feel about earth and space science can be used to enrich STEM education and inspire the next generation of explorers.”

For more information about LiftOff 2026, visit: https://www.csr.utexas.edu/liftoff/