CLEVELAND (April 15, 2025) – Great Lakes Science Center will celebrate the progress driving Northeast Ohio's future with its new Summer of Innovation series, providing hands-on STEM learning experiences and a chance to meet STEM professionals from regional forward-thinking companies.
With new technologies developing daily, new careers requiring a skilled workforce are rapidly growing. The Summer of Innovation series expands on the Science Center's existing workforce development initiatives, such as Manufacturing Day, which introduces high school and middle school students to potential careers in modern manufacturing.
Jobs that require knowledge and skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) are among the fastest growing employment sectors, and informal science education has proven to be particularly effective at engaging diverse audiences to develop interest in STEM careers.
“Great Lakes Science Center helps regional companies build their future workforce. Filling the innovative STEM jobs of the future starts with helping people see themselves in exciting new careers,” said Kirsten Ellenbogen, President & CEO of Great Lakes Science Center. “Our workforce development programs help people feel confident about their ability to do challenging STEM activities, transforming their interest and identity, opening up whole new career pathways."
Four Summer of Innovation days, scheduled throughout the summer, will introduce guests to the wide variety of the region's STEM career opportunities. Each day focuses on a different theme and includes industry partners and Science Center staff engaging guests in a range of activities. Summer of Innovation days will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. focused on the following industry fields:
- June 14 – Construction, sponsored by Ohio CAT, with additional support by Turner Construction, ARCO Home Services, Ganim Company and Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
- July 19 – Technology
- August 9 – Sustainability
- September 13 – Aerospace, sponsored by ARES Corporation
Summer of Innovation programming is included with Science Center admission.
About Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center is one of the top ten museums in the nation as celebrated by the 2025 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award for Best Science Museum. The Science Center hosted Total Eclipse Fest in 2024, one of the largest free eclipse events in the country, and is home to the NASA Glenn Visitor Center. The Science Center makes science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) come alive for more than 300,000 visitors a year through hundreds of hands-on exhibits, temporary exhibitions, the Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater, historic Steamship William G. Mather, daily science demonstrations, seasonal camps, and more. The Science Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution, earned a 2023 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, a leading provider of insight and data about the non-profit world. The Science Center is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Visit GreatScience.com for more information.