ASTC 2025 Annual Conference
September 5–8, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area
Financial Support
Todd Happer Memorial Scholarship
The Todd Happer Memorial Scholarship Fund enables current and emerging leaders at small or remote science centers and museums to attend the ASTC Annual Conference. This Fund will provide registration as well as a stipend for travel, lodging, and per diem to staff members at ASTC-member institutions who do not otherwise have the funds to attend the ASTC Annual Conference.
Eligible individuals must be a current or emerging leader in any department at an ASTC-member science center or museum (open or in development) within the United States that meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Science Center and Museum member in good standing, with an annual operating revenue of less than $500,000*
- Science Center and Museum member in good standing, located in a rural/non-metropolitan area**
- New emerging science center or museum not yet open to the public that is a Allied member in good standing
*Annual operating revenue includes all earned revenue including gross revenue from all museum operations, all private and public (government) support, all restricted and unrestricted grants, and all interest and endowment income.
**Rural/Non-metropolitan areas referred to in this application are determined using the USDA 2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) official metro and nonmetro categories. View the list of eligible rural/non-metropolitan areas.
The application closed on Friday, May 16, 2025.
Lee Kimche McGrath Worldwide Fellowship
The Lee Kimche McGrath Worldwide Fellowship supports participation in the ASTC Annual Conference by individuals from science centers and museums outside the United States. The purpose of the Fellowship is to foster greater understanding among international colleagues and encourage global participation in ASTC. The Fellowship was established in 2004 with a gift from ASTC’s first executive director, Lee Kimche McGrath, who died in 2002.
The Fellowship is designed to support professionals with a genuine need for financial assistance who wish to attend our conference. Applicants must be from a science center or museum (open or in development) outside the United States.
Preference will be given to applicants:
- Whose institution is not normally in a position to afford to send a representative to an ASTC conference
- Whose participation will benefit other science centers in addition to their own
- Who have limited opportunities to meet professionally with science center colleagues
- Who are willing to participate in a conference session or write about their experience or institution for an ASTC publication
- Who are from ASTC-member institutions (not required)
The application closed on Friday, February 28, 2025.