Discoveries in Education Spotlight: Nick Andreacci

A Space Where Science Comes Alive

For alumnus Nick Andreacci, a planetarium is not a field trip destination. It’s a laboratory.

As a teacher and planetarium curator at Jonas Salk Middle School in Old Bridge Township Public Schools, Andreacci welcomes thousands of students each year from grades 2 through 10. Under his leadership, the planetarium has become a dynamic, technology-rich STEM hub where students don’t just learn science—they experience it.

His guiding philosophy shapes every lesson: “Make the invisible visible.”

Inside the dome, students watch star paths trace across the sky, observe seasonal changes unfold in minutes, and model celestial motion in ways textbooks alone cannot convey. In one memorable lesson, a sixth-grade student, after watching Earth rotate beneath the stars, suddenly exclaimed, “Oh… the sky isn’t moving—we are.”

That moment—when memorized facts become lived understanding—is the heart of Andreacci’s work.

From Curiosity to Contribution

Andreacci extends learning beyond the dome through his long-standing leadership in NASA’s International GLOBE Program. Since 1998, he has guided students in collecting environmental data according to NASA protocols. Students measure soil moisture, observe cloud cover, monitor water quality, and submit findings to a global database used by working scientists.

When students receive feedback from NASA researchers, something shifts. Their data matters. Their observations contribute to real research.

“It stops feeling like a school assignment,” Andreacci explains. “It becomes real science.”

That legitimacy fosters identity. Students begin to see themselves not just as learners of science, but as participants in it.

Cultivating Leadership Through Mentorship

Innovation continues through initiatives like Light & Shadow Explorers, which pairs sixth-grade science mentors with visiting elementary students. Older students lead observation protocols, verify patterns inside the dome, and guide younger peers in publishing reflections.

The results are transformative. Middle school students gain confidence, refine communication skills, and take ownership of their learning. Younger students ask bolder questions and engage more freely. The learning culture becomes collaborative and self-sustaining.

A Lasting Impact

Over decades, Andreacci has watched former students pursue careers at NASA, enter medical and engineering fields, and remain lifelong advocates for science. Yet for him, the most meaningful feedback is personal.

“When students return and say, ‘That was the first time I felt like I belonged in science,’ that’s the real impact.”

He believes STEM spaces should not be treated as enrichment rooms or occasional-event venues. At their best, they are engines—where curriculum, curiosity, technology, and community intersect.

The true investment, he says, is not in equipment. It’s in vision.

Through immersive design, authentic research partnerships, and a commitment to making science visible and accessible, Nick Andreacci is redefining what STEM education can be—one dome, one dataset, and one student at a time.