2020 40 Under 40 Yearbook: Rob Blevins, 34

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Then: Vice President of Community Engagement, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks Inc.
Now: Executive Director, Discovery Center of Springfield Inc.

Rob Blevins is introducing local kids to science that’s out of this world – even during a pandemic.

As executive director of the Discovery Center of Springfield Inc. since 2018, Blevins led the charge to turn the science center into a child care facility for the families of essential health care workers. The Springfield museum was one of two science centers in North America that remained operational amid the coronavirus pandemic, and did so largely by donations.

“We always talk about how incredible Springfield is, and this proves it,” says Blevins. “Our success is because of an awesome team and an amazing community that’s helped us do this.”

He says the center is on pace to provide over 100,000 hours of free child care by the end of June.

Blevins also is bringing exhibits by NASA and the Smithsonian Institute to the Queen City this year. It’s all part of his mission to become a world-class destination for science education.