WHO WE ARE
Solstice Outreach (formerly "Starry Night") is a social enterprise that uses immersive and engaging planetarium shows to provide high-quality STEM outreach to audiences as young as kindergarteners all the way up to workplace professionals. Our high-end live presentation software and portable professional-grade hardware makes all Solstice shows fully interactive with endless possibilities. Don't expect a pre-rendered movie; we provide a real-time visualized universe inside our portable planetarium system that takes less than half an hour to set up in a classroom, gym, theater, cafeteria, or conference room.
Solstice is owned and operated by students and alumni of The Ohio State University. Our planetarium shows are presented by college students who are passionate about their studies, fostering student-to-student connections that engage audiences of all ages. Solstice was originally founded through The Ohio State University President's Buckeye Accelerator (PBA) program, where the founders won $50,000 that enabled the purchase of our first portable planetarium system.
OUR MISSION
Solstice addresses the lack of STEM engagement within the general public by providing students, teachers, communities, and business professionals alike with a unique and technologically advanced way of conveying abstract STEM concepts.
MAKING THE UNIVERSE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.
OUR VISION
We envision a STEM workforce that reflects the diversity of humanity. At the heart of this vision is the belief that the future of STEM is not only rooted in technical excellence but is also profoundly enriched by diversity, equity, and inclusion.
OUR VALUES
Equitable Access
Barriers such as geographical location, financial constraints, and a lack of accommodations for disabled populations make access to high-quality STEM education inequitable. Solstice seeks to address these inequities by providing the traditional planetarium experience in a portable format, offering free services to underserved communities, and fostering an all-around inclusive environment.
Immersive Education
The planetarium environment portrays concepts in a way that flat screens cannot. Research suggests that students in a fulldome environment develop a deeper understanding of concepts that require 3D thinking, spatial awareness, and dynamic processes. Solstice aims to provide audience members the opportunity to engage with the presenter and each other in a collaborative and immersive experience.
Workforce Development
Solstice aims to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders by fostering a curiosity-driven mindset, ensuring the workforce of the future is well-versed in scientific principles.
Student-to-Student Connection
We believe in the power of peer inspiration. By featuring undergraduate college students as planetarium presenters, Solstice creates a unique and relatable learning experience for K-12 students while also giving college students an opportunity to learn through teaching.
The Art of Planetarium Presenting
Planetarium popularity is on the decline in the United States. We believe the planetarium is a unique and irreplaceable center of not only science education, but of art and culture.
WE BELIEVE EVERYONE DESERVES A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE STARS.
Inclusivity is at the heart of our planetarium experience. Our modern designs and initiatives ensure accessibility for all audiences, including those with diverse needs. We are committed to creating an environment where every person can participate, learn, and be inspired. If you need accommodation for Deaf / HoH, blind or low-vision, or sensory-sensitive participants, please let us know and we would be more than happy to develop an experience your whole group can participate in.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Caitlin O'Brien
Executive Director
Jacob Griffith
Operations Director
Bella Roberts
Creative DirectorADVISORY TEAM
Sara Leikin
Senior Director, National & International STEAM Partnerships at COSI
Dr. Dustin Miller
Director, Ed.D. in Educational Administration & Assistant Professor of Clinical Educational Studies at The Ohio State University
Emily Calandrelli
Host and Co-Executive Producer of Emily's Wonder Lab
Dr. Wayne Schlingman
Director of the Arne Slettebak Planetarium, Director of Undergraduate Studies - Astronomy at The Ohio State University
Dr. John Horack
Professor and Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy, The Ohio State University
Anna Voelker
Executive Director of SciAccess, Inc.
Dr. John Beacom
Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy; Director of the Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics (CCAPP) at The Ohio State University
Greg Pugh
Advisory Partner at Rev1WITH SUPPORT FROM
