Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will host a Goddard Centennial Celebration on Wednesday, March
Robert Goddard's WPI Yearbook Photograph
18, 2026, honoring alumnus and former physics instructor Robert H. Goddard, whose successful March 16, 1926, liquid-fueled rocket launch in nearby Auburn marked the beginning of the Space Age.
The program will include a historic reading outside where Goddard conducted some of his early experiments, the official unveiling of a silhouette marker, and a special musical tribute recognizing Goddard’s passion for both science and the arts.
Goddard was an accomplished musician and even wrote a WPI school song titled “Old Tech.” As part of the celebration, the WPI pep band and choir will perform “Old Tech,” offering a unique tribute that reflects Goddard’s interdisciplinary spirit and the university’s long-standing tradition of blending science, engineering, and the arts.
The silhouette marker depicts Goddard standing beside his rocket prepared for the historic 1926 launch. It is part of a broader curated Space Trail highlighting locations across the Worcester area that were significant to Goddard’s life and work.
EVENT DETAILS:
Goddard Centennial Celebration at WPI, Wednesday, March 18, 2026
- 4 p.m. Goddard history reading by a member of Skull, the senior honor society, outside the former magnetic lab, corner of Institute Road and Boynton Street
- 4:15-4:45 p.m. Speaking program, musical tribute, and silhouette unveiling outside Higgins Laboratories
- 5:30-7 p.m. University Lecture featuring a dynamic panel discussion exploring the future of space travel, Rubin Campus Center, Odeum 3rd floor
For more information about Goddard at WPI visit: Where the Space Age Began: Robert H. Goddard's WPI Student Days