About Us | Earth and Space Expedition Center

At Earth and Space Expedition Center, our mission is to inspire and expand the possibilities for preserving our Earth and exploring space through equal access to education and technology for all ages and communities, helping them realize the possibilities for their future.

The Earth and Space Expedition Center

offers a journey of discovery into fascinating new worlds.

Gerald Deren

Board President

Siemens, Inc.

Executive Director Americas Academic Enablement, Siemens Digital Industries Software

Mr. Deren has spent the past 42 years primarily focused on helping companies and customer in the mature and emerging markets find ways to improve their product and/or process development methods. His work has resulted in finding ways to improve their efficiency, reduce development costs or in helping them to develop a competitive advantage. As a process SME, he helps them focus on improving quality, reducing cycle time or purely improving efficiency and execution through the use of enabling technology, process optimization and skill enhancement. He represents the voice of the customer and coach’s and counsel’s improvement into solution development.

Gerry leads a team of Academic Enablement professionals across the Americas for Siemens Digital Industries Software (DISW) focused on helping academia become “relevant” for manufacturers as they face the challenges of sustainment within their innovation, validation and manufacturing lifecycles.

Mr. Deren represents Siemens on many Advisory Boards focused on establishing / building the, OEM to SMB to Academia (K-12 through Higher Ed) ecosystem consisting of engineering and digital manufacturing program domains including curriculum adaptation, research and joint projects. He is a well-known speaker on Industry 4.0, and other model-based topics related to business process improvement, global supply chain collaboration and product lifecycle management.

Diane M. Douglas

Vice President of ESEC Board

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction 2015-2019

Diane Douglas has always been passionate about the American education system and has been actively involved in Arizonas education landscape for over twenty five years. Her interest started with her daughters education and has continued with her grandson. She believes that God entrusts children to parents not to government bureaucracies no matter how “well intended.” Advocating and protecting parents’ rights to direct the education of their children has been one of her highest priorities throughout her years of service.

As the leader of the Arizona Department of Education, former Superintendent Douglas was devoted to improving education in Arizona so that all Arizona’s children have the opportunity to achieve their goals in life and contribute as successful American citizens. She believes the only way to accomplish this goal is to return education to its original purpose – the acquisition of knowledge through a classical education. To this end she attempted during her tenure to bring the Hillsdale Barney Charter School standards to all the schools in Arizona.

After leaving public office Douglas served briefly as president of the AZ chapter of United States Parents Involved in Education. She is now turning her efforts to helping parents find educational alternatives for their children. To that end, Douglas now serves on the educational advisory board of Public School Exit. She is proud to have served two terms on the Peoria Unified School District Governing Board (2005- 2012), including two years as president (2008 & 2009). During her tenure she worked to advocate for students’ academic opportunities, parental rights and oversight of taxpayers’ dollars. She has also served on the Site Councils of two Peoria Unified schools; as well as on numerous of her churches’ boards and committees overseeing education programs. Prior to her advocacy and leadership in education issues, Douglas graduated from Rutgers University and had a distinguished career as a financial expert for a variety of private sector firms. She is also a successful stained glass instructor and artist with commissions in local homes and churches.

Heather Rheinfelder

Secretary / Treasurer of ESEC Board

Benchmark Charter School Educator

Heather Rhein elder earned both her Bachelors and Masters degree in Audiology at the University of Arizona. She practiced Clinical Audiology in Salem, Oregon for 10 years, with an emphasis in the diagnosis of hearing and balance disorders, and patient education and rehabilitation.

Upon returning to Arizona, Heather became an instructor of Anatomy and Physiology at Phoenix College for the next 10 years, both as a part-time adjunct, and full-time faculty. Heather was particularly interested in developing curriculum and online study tools for students who were the first in their families to pursue a college education.

After several years of developing science lessons for her childrens’ school as a parent volunteer, she was invited to create Living Science Lab at Benchmark Preschool and Elementary. She is now in her 12th year at Benchmark School, where she developed a 3 year rotating curriculum to serve 500 children from preschool through 6th grade. The 2000 square foot lab focuses on hands-on interactive science lessons that are layered for deeper learning as the children progress through every 3 year curriculum cycle. There are over 100 animals in the lab, that are fed by the campus garden, which is pollinated by the beehive in the Science Lab. In addition, in the last five years Heather paired with a colleague to create and launch a MakerSpace program at Benchmark School, to bring more focus to technology and engineering.

Heather Rheinfelder

Secretary / Treasurer of ESEC Board

Benchmark Charter School Educator

Heather Rhein elder earned both her Bachelors and Masters degree in Audiology at the University of Arizona. She practiced Clinical Audiology in Salem, Oregon for 10 years, with an emphasis in the diagnosis of hearing and balance disorders, and patient education and rehabilitation.

Upon returning to Arizona, Heather became an instructor of Anatomy and Physiology at Phoenix College for the next 10 years, both as a part-time adjunct, and full-time faculty. Heather was particularly interested in developing curriculum and online study tools for students who were the first in their families to pursue a college education.

After several years of developing science lessons for her childrens’ school as a parent volunteer, she was invited to create Living Science Lab at Benchmark Preschool and Elementary. She is now in her 12th year at Benchmark School, where she developed a 3 year rotating curriculum to serve 500 children from preschool through 6th grade. The 2000 square foot lab focuses on hands-on interactive science lessons that are layered for deeper learning as the children progress through every 3 year curriculum cycle. There are over 100 animals in the lab, that are fed by the campus garden, which is pollinated by the beehive in the Science Lab. In addition, in the last five years Heather paired with a colleague to create and launch a MakerSpace program at Benchmark School, to bring more focus to technology and engineering.

Mr. Robert Rasmussen
Retired

Director Technology Strategy
Honeywell, Aerospace Advanced Technology

Jeffrey B. Goldberg, Ph.D.

Dean Emeritus, College of Engineering
University of Arizona

Mr. Rick Kettner

Sr Director, Engineering Technical Operations East

Northrop Grumman

Ms. Carolyn “Cyndi” C. Tosh, PE (Board President)

Engineering Supervisor – Fossil Projects

Generation Engineering APS

Mike Heath

Fleet Design Specialist at Salt River Project

William Gregory

Corporate Pilot for JSX; former NASA Astronaut

Students who attend our camps love to learn about space science. They more they learn, they more they want to learn. In this video, Vincent from ESEC talks with Dylan, one of our camp students. Dylan loves to learn about space technology and exploration!

With a focus on hands-on learning and discovery, our camps are designed to inspire and engage students, allowing them to make new discoveries and see the impact that science and technology have on their daily lives.