An Evening of Space, Astronomy and Fun for the Whole Family
Moon Over Merrimack is a free family-friendly astronomy festival where kids can explore all things space-related. More than 350 attendees enjoyed this year’s eighth annual event held on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, on the campus of Merrimack College. Check back next fall for information about Moon Over Merrimack in 2026.
Sponsored by Mass STEM Week and cohosted by the Merrimack College School of Arts & Sciences, School of Engineering & Computational Sciences and School of Education and Social Policy.
Massachusetts STEM Week
October 20-24, 2025
This year’s STEM week focuses on “STEM starts now.” At any age you can learn about STEM, from our youngest learners to adult learners, and STEM educational opportunities and jobs are here at this very moment in Massachusetts.
Learn More About Moon Over Merrimack's 2025 Event and Activity Stations
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. There will be plenty of parking and volunteers to direct you where to go. New for this year’s event, we’ll have a dedicated quiet space for families. In addition to our end-of-event celebration for big kids at 7:30 p.m., this year we will also hold a separate celebration for younger children at 6:30 p.m. with their own special prizes and treats. Below are just a few of the space-related activities for kids.
Collegiate Church of Christ the Teacher
First Floor Stairwell
- Rocket Launch – all ages
Second Floor
- Crafts & activities for “little astronauts” – 3yr – 2nd grade
- With Special Guest STEM Spot
- Space Yoga
- Astronaut Training
- Mars map with robots to program/code
- Scale model of the moon
Arcidi Welcome Center
First Floor – Restrooms on each floor
- Family Rest Area
Space Stations – 3rd grade and up - Scientists and speakers in conference rooms in the left hall.
- Merrimack College Faculty Research & Demonstrations
- Telescopes – outside to the north of building (weather permitting)
Second Floor, Room A: Scientists and Speakers, including:
- NASA Space Ambassadors
- Aldrich Astronomical Society, Inc.
- Civil Air Patrol With Special Guest: North Andover Historical Society
- Merrimack College Faculty Research
- Moon Map – code a bot to each of Apollo’s Mission Landings to learn the unique information about each launch.
Room B: Crafts & activities for Middle School and up
- NASA Space Ambassadors
- Many science activities, including VR
Room C: Chain Reactions activity with special guest Playful Engineers
Club-Sponsored Stations
National Society of Black Engineers, Neuroscience Club, Black Student Association (BSA), Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society, Psychology Club, WMACK, Circle K, Merrimack College Community Classroom, ART Club, Kingdom Builders Bible Study Club, Art Warriors, Relay for Life, Criminology Club, Wellness Peer Educators, Atoms Family, Natural Sciences Department and more.
Meet the Scientists Who Participated in The 2025 Event
Piyush Khopkar has been a space exploration enthusiast from an early age. He holds a degree in Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has been an active member of local astronomy clubs and has organized events for night sky gazing and eclipse watching. Apart from this, he has given many talks and presentations on NASA missions.
Piyush Khopkar, M.S.
Solar System Ambassador, NASA Science
David S. Ball is a retired Air Force officer and health care professional. He has been fascinated by space exploration since watching the Apollo astronauts walk on the surface of the Moon a half-century ago. His primary way of educating the public is as an Astro Philatelist, a stamp collector who exhibits envelopes that chronicle the intersection of space and postal history. He is an author of a book on American Astrophilately, which was nominated for a national book award with the American Astronomical Society.
David S. Ball
Solar System Ambassador, NASA Science
Shelley Rosenbaum Lipman is currently a Human-Factors Engineer for the US Air Force. She is well aware of the contributions that NASA has made in this field. She taught astronomy and physics at Seton Hall University, and has been an Aerospace Education Officer in the Civil Air Patrol for over 20 years, teaching STEM to CAP cadets and adult members as well as to elementary and middle-school students, scout troops, and the public (at a local National Park Service "Night Sky" program for families to observe night sky). Shelley's STEM interests are extensive: astronomy, physics, geology, advanced math, biology. Shelley is a pilot/flight instructor and realizes that many youth are excited by flight. She leverages this to explain the science and math behind flight as a way of getting more youth interested in pursuing STEM careers.
Shelley Rosenbaum Lipman
Solar System Ambassador, NASA Science
Ashima Shah is the Founder and Owner of STEMspot, a hands-on STEM museum and café for families with young children. With over 14 years of experience as a curriculum developer, researcher, and educator, she has supported teachers and informal educators in bringing innovative STEM learning to classrooms, museums, and community programs. At the event, she will be bringing a fun hands-on activity for little explorers to make and take home. She hopes to inspire the next generation of innovators and believes STEM learning starts early!.
Dr. Ashima Mathur Shah
Founder and Owner of STEMspot
David Blauvelt is an educator, historian and archaeologist with a passion for synthesizing and sharing everything he has learned. He is a graduate of Boston University and earned an MSci. from the University of Edinburgh. His archaeology work has sent him excavating across the East Coast and in Ireland and the U.K. David has worked across academia, private and public archaeology, historic sites, museums, schools and camps, always with an eye toward delivering engaging, accurate and up-to-date interpretation.
David Blauvelt
Museum Educator at North Andover Historical Society
Maker-educator Jay Mankita is the founder and lead teaching artist of Playful Engineers, a play-based, STEAM-powered adventure in hands-on learning. In their Traveling Maker Space programs, kids tinker, build, and experiment with motion, discovering the physics and fun behind their own inventions. Now in its tenth year, Playful Engineers has helped thousands of makers experience the thrill of creating—and learning—through play.
Jay Mankita
Founder and Lead Teaching Artist at Playful Engineers
Teaching artist Merlin Katz has always loved building and tinkering, and sharing his love of engineering. He's shown thousands of kids what they can accomplish through exploration, patience and play. After a recent year-long stint leading programs at Legoland, Playful Engineers is the perfect place for Merlin to bring his passion for fun and building to the next generation of tinkerers!
Merlin Katz
Teaching Artist at Playful Engineers
Professor Duston is a faculty member in the physics department, and is the director of the Mendel Observatory. His research interests include Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, as well as the lifecycle and evolution of stars. He works with undergraduate students to perform observations of supernovae, variable stars, active galaxies, and asteroids.
Christopher Duston, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Physics, School of Arts and Sciences, Merrimack College
Crewmembers aboard the International Space Station have poor sleep quality in part because they experience a new sunrise and sunset every 90 minutes as they continuously orbit Earth. At this station, you will learn about research that scientists are conducting to improve sleep and alertness aboard the ISS using light. Come interact with a prototype Solid-State Lighting Assembly like the ones that are installed on the ISS, and learn how different light settings can improve alertness during mission-critical tasks or improve the ability to fall asleep at bedtime. This research is important not only for crewmembers up in space but also for all of us on Earth!
Melissa St. Hilaire, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Data Sciences
Professor Baldock's laboratory research with graduate and undergraduate students focuses on investigating the reactions between nanoparticles and biomolecules such as DNA and cellular biomarkers. One instrument used to study these materials is a spectrometer, which collects light transmitted through or emitted from a sample, separates it into its component colors, and measures it.
Brandi L. Baldock, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry & Director, Master of Science in Applied Chemistry
Professor Kimberley's research group studies how materials respond to impact and blast loadings. Areas of application range from protection materials for soldiers to understanding impact cratering on the moon. Attendees will have the opportunity to hold meteorite samples, investigate their unique microstructure, and learn how the mechanical properties affect impact cratering and asteroid breakup.
Jamie Kimberley, Ph.D.
Professor, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering
Mistie is the Director of Early Education Engagement and leads Creative Classroom, Merrimack College's new literacy-based student volunteer program in local schools. With 25+ years in education, Mistie brings expertise in constructivist pedagogy, teacher mentorship and curriculum design. Her research is focused on AI integration and technology implementation in early childhood settings.
Mistie Reising-Cogbill, M.Ed.
Director of Early Education Engagement
Dr. Kissel is an associate professor of computer science at Merrimack College. His research focuses on cryptography. In particular he has focused on problems in this space such as: searchable encryption, privacy preserving machine learning and homomorphic signature schemes.
Dr. Zach Kissel
Asociate Professor of Computer Science
Dr. Upadhyaya is an Instructional Professor and Director of the MSIT program at Merrimack College. Her work focuses on advancing cybersecurity in higher education, K-12 digital literacy, and supporting the development of the cybersecurity workforce.
Dr. Jolly Upadhyaya
Instructional Professor and Director of the MSIT program at Merrimack College
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