Space Fair and Trade Show to Showcase Buffalo State’s Facilities, Programs

Buffalo State University will host a Space Fair and Trade Show from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 23, at the campus Science and Mathematics Complex. This free, family-friendly event geared toward K–12 students will feature a variety of fun educational activities, as well as highlight Western New York companies’ contributions to the recent successful NASA Artemis I mission. Registration is encouraged. Free parking will be available. Enter the campus on Iroquois Drive and follow the signs.

Buffalo State will also host a NASA Artemis I Celebration on Wednesday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in Rockwell Hall and the Bulger Communication Center. This event will include employees from Western New York companies Moog, Eaton, Taber Industries, and Taylor Devices, each of which contributes to NASA’s Artemis missions.

Buffalo State prides itself on meeting the needs of high-tech industries with its offerings in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The university’s Science and Mathematics Complex houses the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematics, and Physics, while the 87,000-square-foot Technology Building features smart-grid laboratories and programs in electrical and mechanical engineering, industrial technology, and computer information systems. The Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium provides captivating educational and entertainment programming as well as teaching opportunities for the Western New York community.

“Buffalo State students experience STEM topics through small class sizes, hands-on activities, undergraduate research projects, field experiences, and interaction with caring professors,” said Kevin K. Williams, planetarium director and associate professor of earth sciences. “Hosting this Space Fair and Trade Show allows us to showcase our facilities to a larger audience.”

The Space Fair and Trade Show will also allow students to explore internships and other employment opportunities through a variety of presentations, including a résumé workshop by representatives from Moog Inc.

“To cater to the needs of high-tech industries, Buffalo State is dedicated to forming partnerships with industry leaders and making investments in state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities,” said John J. Earshen, chair and associate professor in the Engineering Technology Department. “The university is well-positioned as a hub for continuous learning in the tech sector.”

Event Highlights

• Kids Zone: Construct your own paper rocket with assistance from teachers and launch it to 100 feet or more! Plus, fly a kite that NASA uses in its AEROKATS data-collection program.
• Interact with engineers and scientists to explore career and education opportunities in the space flight industry. Visit with representatives from companies that contributed to NASA’s Artemis I mission.
• Watch the Artemis I launch in Buffalo State’s Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium, replayed throughout the afternoon.
• Learn about the NASA Artemis program, including the upcoming Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight aboard NASA’s human deep spacecraft that will orbit the moon.
• Check out competition rockets from the American Rocketry Challenge, the world’s largest contest of its kind.

More information about the events, including registration, is available on the Buffalo State Space Fair and Trade Show website.

Media Contact:

Geoff Nason, Director of Communications and Content Strategy
Marketing and Communications Office
Buffalo State University
Cleveland Hall 307
Office: (716) 878-3517
Cell: (716) 228-2712

Buffalo State Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium (top) and Science and Mathematics Complex.

Photos by Buffalo State Creative Services, Marketing and Communications Office.