UTA planetarium receives $50,000 gift from Women Inspiring Philanthropy

Tuesday, Jan 31, 2023 • Linsey Nazir :

 

 

The Planetarium at The University of Texas at Arlington has received a $50,000 gift from Women Inspiring Philanthropy (WIP), a community of women seeking to transform the city of Arlington through high-impact giving.

The gift will support the purchase of new projection equipment for the 60-foot dome projection surface at the Planetarium, which provides educational entertainment to nearly 50,000 visitors each year.

“This generous gift will strengthen UTA’s impact in the city of Arlington and surrounding areas,” UTA President Jennifer Cowley said. “WIP’s charitable support will significantly enrich the Planetarium’s educational offerings, enhancing the STEM learning experiences for students of all ages.”

Fiona Allen, WIP committee chair for grants and grant relations, said WIP’s mission is to benefit Arlington residents by funding projects that empower local organizations to deepen the impact of their services and programs.

UTA’s Planetarium is one of the largest in the state of Texas, providing unparalleled views of the night sky, the solar system and distant galaxies. Each year, more than 30,000 K-12 students from North Texas attend demonstrations led by expert astronomers, part of the Planetarium’s collaborative efforts with local school administrators to deliver curriculum-focused science lessons.

“We’re very passionate about making sure that our money goes back into Arlington,” Allen said. “Our members are very impressed with the UTA Planetarium, its partnerships with local school districts and its passion to bring along diverse audiences on its quest to uncover the mysteries of the universe.”

Levent Gurdemir, Planetarium director and astrophysicist, said WIP’s donation will not only help provide a state-of-the-art projection system, but also make the Planetarium’s programming more environmentally sustainable and cost effective. As the new projectors use lasers instead of lamps, the Planetarium will save nearly $8,000 a year on replacement lamps that contain harmful chemicals and are complicated to recycle.

The Planetarium has matched the gift through the University of Texas System’s Library, Equipment, Repair and Rehabilitation Budget. Gurdemir plans to use the combined funds to also upgrade the Planetarium’s software and purchase new shows.

“WIP’s generosity will improve the Planetarium’s offerings for all students, including those at the elementary level and all the way up to adults who are lifelong learners,” Gurdemir said. “Our new equipment, software and shows will provide curious minds with realistic representations of real-time celestial conditions and teach them about our place in this vast universe.”

Each year, WIP gives multiple grants that align with its interests in education, family, culture, health and wellness and the environment. Its members combine $1,000 annual donations to fund large grants, which are awarded every summer.

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