MEDIA ADVISORY

What: Sparking curiosity and inspiring the next generation of innovators, 1,000 fifth-grade students from San Joaquin County will become engineers, scientists, and astronauts for a day at the 2026 Science Blast STEAAM Ingenuity: “A Golden Opportunity” program.

Students will participate in interactive workshops, compete for a $1,000 gift card for their school and hear from guest speakers, including Jose M. Hernandez, a NASA astronaut and Pacific alumnus.

When: Thursday, April 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Where: Alex G. Spanos Center at University of the Pacific in Stockton (building 135 on campus map) Parking is available in Lots 1 and 2. Contact Erica Hechtkopf to secure parking. 

Interview opportunities: Jose Hernandez and Elizabeth Orwin, dean of the School of Engineering and Computer Science, will be available for interviews from 7 to 8 a.m. Students will be available throughout the day.

Media are asked to only photograph students wearing a blue lanyard indicating they have a media release.

Additional Information: The event is made possible through a powerful partnership and synergy between the José M. Hernandez Reaching for the Stars Foundation and University of the Pacific, giving students the opportunity to participate in hands-on workshops in a university setting at a formative age.

Students from the Jose M. Hernandez El Concilio Charter School, Lodi, Manteca, New Jerusalem, Stockton and Tracy Unified School Districts will embark on a world-class learning adventure exploring the wonders of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Agriculture & Climate Change and Mathematics (STEAAM). The interactive workshops are designed to ignite curiosity, encourage creative problem-solving, and inspire students to imagine future careers in STEAAM fields.

To further motivate participation, students will compete for a $1,000 gift card for school supplies, awarded to the class demonstrating the greatest enthusiasm and engagement during the Science Blast activities. The prize is being donated by astronaut and foundation founder José M. Hernández and the foundation’s Board of Directors in celebration of the organization’s 20th anniversary.

Since 2006, University of the Pacific has partnered with the foundation to co-host the program, continuing a shared mission to inspire young minds to pursue careers as scientists, engineers, space explorers, and innovative entrepreneurs. Pacific students and staff from the School of Engineering and Computer Science help guide students through the workshops. 

In 2024, the foundation expanded traditional STEM and STEAM frameworks into STEAAM, adding Agriculture and Climate Change to reflect the increasing importance of food security, environmental sustainability, and global climate challenges. The addition highlights how scientific knowledge, technological innovation, and creative thinking play a part in addressing the complex issues facing both the Earth and future space exploration.

Hernandez’s own life story embodies that vision. His journey from working as a 12-year-old farm laborer picking strawberries and cucumbers near Stockton to becoming a NASA astronaut and flight engineer inspired the 2023 biographical film "A Million Miles Away." Through determination and perseverance, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering. And, as an astronaut, he flew aboard NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-128, to ISS, the International Space Station.

Often referred to as the original “astronaut farmer,” Hernandez has continued blending science and agriculture throughout his career. In addition to his work as an astronaut, engineer, author, and educator, he operates a vineyard and wine business inspired by his experiences observing Earth and the stars from space.

The concept of farming beyond Earth is also central to current NASA research, which explores how astronauts could grow food on the Moon or Mars using innovative methods such as surface tension, wetting, and specialized systems to deliver water and nutrients to plants in low-gravity environments.

Through the STEAAM initiative and the annual Science Blast event, students are encouraged to imagine how they might one day solve global challenges—from climate change and food security to sustaining human life during long-duration space travel.

Support for the program includes materials provided through the Lawrence Livermore National Security Community Gift Program, which funds three out of the six Science Blast workshops to design and build a model Lunar Lander, assemble and modify a Balsa Wood Glider for an Obstacle Course Challenge, and create a water-powered Water Bottle Rocket. 

Other program features include Aeronautical Design, StarLab and High School CTE (Career Technical Education) Showcase, and a STEAAM careers Discussion Panel with a special message from Dr. Ellen Ochoa, an American Engineer, former astronaut and former director of the Johnson Space Center. In 1993, Ochoa became the first Latina to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The panel will include a computer engineer, a physician, and an agronomist. Astronaut Jose M. Hernandez will provide the keynote address for the students.

With the right tools, encouragement, and inspiration, organizers believe these students will discover that the possibilities are limitless—and that the next generation of scientists, engineers, farmers, and astronauts may already be sitting in today’s classrooms.

Media Contacts:

Erica Hechtkopf

Interim Chief Communications Officer, University of the Pacific

757.575.8667

ehechtkopf@pacific.edu

Dr. Ines Ruiz Huston

President, Reaching for the Stars Foundation

209.986.2406

iruiz@elconcilio.org