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About

Get to know our board, staff, mission, and impact


Our Mission

To inspire the discovery of Science through hands-on experiences.

Our Vision

North Dakota’s Gateway to Science envisions becoming the Region’s leading STEM hub, inspiring curiosity and empowering future scientists and problem solvers through hands-on learning and community-driven initiatives in an inclusive environment.

Our Values

Joy

We’re passionate about STEM. We’re excited to explore science through wonder and bring the joy of science to everyone we reach. Joy often arises from a combination of observation, discovery, and FUN. We approach this work with positivity, gratitude, compassion, and JOY.

Creating a fun learning environment for others means having fun ourselves.

Experimentation

We’re curious learners, examiners, and innovators. We’re constantly observing, asking questions, assessing, and improving the ways we do things. We are not afraid to take calculated risks, and when we fail, we leverage lessons learned and experiment with new approaches. We model these ideals for our visitors, students, and partners.

Trying new things with a humble approach helps us continually grow.

Collaboration

We’re a collaborative team. We encourage each other and celebrate shared accomplishments – the whole of solutions is greater than any one person’s idea. We respect each other’s different perspectives and areas of expertise, even when we disagree. We appreciate that giving one another feedback is giving us all the tools to succeed.

Working together creates a cohesive, mutually supportive space for our best work.

Community

We’re part of the community. We approach our work through inclusion, equity, and accessibility. We work to create a family-friendly environment that welcomes everyone and fosters a sense of belonging. Every decision we make considers our members, visitors, partners, and community. We carry this out through initiatives like Accessibility and Affordability for All.

Belonging doesn’t magically appear; it’s built through intentional space-making.

Gateway to Science
Mission Moment

Growing Up with Gateway

Over 10 years ago, Sofia was the first North Dakota’s Gateway to Science member to arrive at our Spring STEM Spectacular. She bounded into the science center with her family, decked out in a NASA t-shirt and a jacket with NASA patches, ready to explore the GeoDome and our Earth & Space activities. Sofia participated in a wide variety of Gateway to Science programming, from summer camps and mini-camps on school holidays to Girls Who Code club and free family events throughout the year. 

Sofia thought NDGTS was important because “it helps people learn about science and how to think about the world around us and why things are the way they are.” In other words, North Dakota’s Gateway to Science helped everyone think like a scientist. She appreciated the supportive, friendly staff at the science center. Sofia’s favorite exhibits in our gallery were the brain teasers and the habitat for Scout, our bearded dragon. When asked about STEM Adventure Camp, she pointed to designing and building projects in our Maker Space as a highlight, along with meeting new people and getting to try and learn a variety of new things. In addition to camp programming, Sofia enjoyed Gateway to Science family events because she could participate in hands-on activities with her younger sister. 

Sofia’s parents valued NDGTS because “it’s an environment in which our daughter feels safe to test ideas and concepts. It has become an integral part of her educational experience.” 

Fast Forward to Today 

Today, Sofia is part of the North Dakota’s Gateway to Science team, helping inspire the next generation. 

For Sofia, NDGTS has always been a place that sparks curiosity and makes STEM accessible for all ages through hands-on learning. One of her favorite parts of working at the science center is seeing the excitement on children’s faces when they discover something new and knowing she plays a part in creating those experiences. 

It’s no surprise that Sofia’s favorite program is STEM Adventure Camp as she attended camp every summer from the first year she was able to join until she aged out of the program. She finds “STEM camp an amazing program because it allows kids to experience hands-on STEM education that expands on what they learn in school, and [it] continues learning and education during the summer.” 

NDGTS has had a lasting impact on Sofia’s life. The science center has served as a gateway to more amazing experiences and opportunities in STEM. She attended cybersecurity camps, met an astronaut, and even helped design an experiment that was conducted in space. She’s always had a love for science, but NDGTS continues to nourish that passion. Today, as she pursues a STEM-related degree and works at NDGTS, the science center continues to teach her “to be confident, step out of my comfort zone, and to never be afraid to try new things.”