The Winners Celebration
Celebrating Space Apps Winners from 19 countries at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
On March 14 and 15, the NASA International Space Apps Challenge celebrated and honored the 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 Global Winners from the annual NASA Space Apps Challenge, the Earth Observation Dashboard Hackathon, and the Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge. Global Winners from 19 countries were welcomed to NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., to celebrate their achievements and be recognized by NASA Leaders and Subject Matter Experts.
Take a look at this year’s Winners Celebration!
Day One: Winners Celebration
The Global Winners were welcomed by the Space Apps Global Organizing (GO) Team’s Jess and Marie, and Space Apps Program Scientist, Dr. Keith Gaddis. Participants met one another and discussed their winning projects. Then, Dr. Julie Robinson, Deputy Director of NASA Earth Science Division, spoke about upcoming NASA missions and the ways the Earth Science Division celebrates Earth science - including the NASA Space Apps Challenge. Dr. Robinson also shared the value of NASA’s open data. During her remarks, she shared, “The NASA Space Apps Challenge is founded on the accessibility of open science. The availability of open data democratizes information so that it isn’t only available to a few scientists or an elite institution, it is available to anyone and everyone. This cultivates an environment for innovation without boundaries.”
The Global Winners wrapped up their day by testing their science and Space Apps knowledge with a game of trivia. Then, they explored the National Mall with a scavenger hunt across some of D.C.’s famous museums and landmarks such as the National Gallery of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the Air and Space Museum.
Dr. Julie Robinson, Deputy Director of Earth Science at NASA, shares an introduction of NASA’s initiatives and celebrates earth science with the Global Winners. Image Credit: NASA/Lacey Young
2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 Local Leads pose at NASA HQ. Image Credit: NASA/Lacey Young
Global Winners share their projects and experiences with others. Image Credit: NASA/Lacey Young
Global Winners smile for a photo outside the National Gallery of Art during the Space Apps scavenger hunt throughout the National Mall.
Day Two: Winners Celebration
The second day of the Winners Celebration kicked off with an introduction from Dr. Nicky Fox, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. She shared her passion for the way Space Apps lowers the boundaries of science. “The NASA Space Apps Challenge is one of my favorite events of the whole year,” said Fox.
The Global Winners had the opportunity to sit down with NASA Subject Matter Experts who wrote previous NASA Space Apps Challenge challenge statements and learn about their current projects and careers. The day closed with presentations from leaders across NASA, including Dr. Kelly Korreck, NASA Heliophysics Program Scientist; Mike Sarafin, the Artemis Mission Manager; Dr. Conor Nixon, Planetary Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope; and Yvonne Ivey, Project Manager for the Transform to Open Science Initiative.
Dr. Nicky Fox welcomes the 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 Global Winners with an introduction of upcoming NASA initiatives.
Global Winners speak with Subject Matter Experts about their experience and careers.
Global Winners of the NASA Space Apps Challenge chat at NASA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Space Apps is honored to have met a group of diverse and innovative Global Winners at the Winners Celebration. Thank you to everyone who attended and celebrated the Global Winners with us! Interested in joining this global community? Join us on Oct. 7-8 for the 2023 NASA Space Apps Challenge, registration opens in July!