BATON ROUGE, LA.- The Louisiana Art & Science Museum (LASM) announced today that Krystal Swain will serve as the Director of Education & Aerospace, marking an exciting new chapter for the museum’s mission to inspire discovery through art and science. With a proven track record of excellence in STEM education and aerospace outreach, Swain brings a wealth of experience and passion to her new role, just in time for LASM’s rollout of innovative field trips, weekend programming, and educator training in the coming year.

A celebrated educator and leader, Krystal Swain previously taught AeroSTEM, STEM Pathways to Careers, Science, Social Studies, and English Language Arts at Dutchtown Middle School in Ascension Parish for over a decade. In addition to her classroom work, Swain is a Captain in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and currently serves as the Assistant Director of Aerospace Education for the Louisiana Wing. Her impressive resume includes serving as a NASA Solar System Ambassador, a two-time alumnus and Ambassador of UT CSR’s Liftoff Summer Institute Program, Ambassador for Pioneer Moon Mission Astronaut Training Program with Space Nation, STEM curriculum developer, workshop facilitator, and presenter at numerous national and regional STEM conferences and events. Swain has been widely recognized for her contributions to aerospace education, most recently being named CAP Louisiana State Aerospace Education Member of the Year (2023) and Teacher of the Year (2024). She has consistently demonstrated a commitment to providing equitable STEM access for all learners, making her a natural fit for LASM’s growing educational mission.

“We are thrilled to welcome Krystal Swain to our leadership team,” said Karen Soniat, Ph.D., President & Executive Director of LASM. “Her deep expertise in science and aerospace education, combined with her passion for innovation in the classroom, will transform the way we serve schools and families in our region. Our community—and especially our students—are going to benefit tremendously from what’s coming next.”

Under Swain’s leadership, LASM will unveil a new slate of Grades 6 -12 STEAM educational experiences, new weekend family programming, and professional development opportunities for educators beginning in early 2026. LASM’s programming for all grades is designed to engage learners through hands-on, experiential STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education. In new programming, students will have the opportunity to explore everything from space science and robotics to art-integrated STEM learning through immersive workshops, labs, and demonstrations in LASM’s unique museum environment.