Tesla Science Center hires new director, targets summer opening

The Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe in Shoreham has a new leader, and Kara Cannon is racing to open a “preview center” by summer at the fire-damaged site.

The 57-year-old Massapequa resident and former biotech CEO officially took the helm this month after the center launched a national search for the position to “guide historic transformation.”

“I have my work cut out for me here. There’s a lot we need to do in order to open the center and make the vision real,” Ms. Cannon said. “But I am coming in on the heels of a lot of amazing work that’s already been done.”

Fire tore through the historic laboratory on Nov. 15, 2023, destroying the roof, chimney and domed cupola of the 10,000-square-foot brick structure. It caused more than $3 million in damage.

The laboratory building remains closed with no timeline for repairs. In September 2024, the center began much-needed renovations on another building that is becoming its new Eugene Sayan Visitor Center.

Ms. Cannon said the 2,200-square-foot facility is on track to be completed and open by late spring or early summer 2026. She said calling it a “visitor center” will be a bit of a misnomer, because, in the beginning, it will be acting as the entire center. Instead, she’s been referring to it as the “preview center.”

“When the center opens, it will have some exhibition space, and it will also have a small conference center space that can be used again for classes, for meetings,” she said. “We’re hoping that local businesses might see it as a nice place to come and have an off-site meeting when they need to remove themselves from their daily grind on-site. It’s small, but it will have versatility.”

In her first few weeks on the job, she’s worked several days a week on-site in a trailer. She’s also been spending time in the community, meeting people, asking what they know about the center and sharing what their vision is.

“At first glance, you could describe the center as a museum, which it will be,” she said. “But when you have the opportunity to talk to anybody who’s involved in the center, the mission and the reason that the museum exists is to teach. Our vision is that the museum itself will be interactive, and, more importantly, on-site, we will have areas to drive our programming.”

The Tesla Science Center is undertaking a $24 million project to restore its historic laboratory and develop the site into a science education center. The nonprofit had raised $14 million before receiving a $500,000 state grant in December, Newsday reported.

The site preserves Tesla’s last remaining laboratory, where the Serbian American inventor conducted pioneering work in wireless power transmission in the early 1900s. In Shoreham, Tesla built a 187-foot tower in an early experiment with wireless communication before investors pulled out and the tower was demolished in 1917.

The property was added to the National Historic Register in 2018.

The entire property spans 16 acres. While science is a major part of what they do, the hope is to expand all STEAM programs — science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Ms. Cannon said that once the center is up and running, it could sponsor local artists and display their work on site. She and her team are also looking at ways for children to enjoy on-site science-based playgrounds, along with educational camps during the summer.

“I think one of our challenges is going to be staying focused in three-month increments to make sure that, in five years, we can offer all of these things,” she said. “But we have to do it one bite at a time. Get the preview center open, launch out the first parts of the educational programs, and then expand from there.”

The visitor center will be open Fridays and Saturdays, according to previous announcements. It is named for Softheon CEO Eugene Sayan, whose donation helped fund construction.

Ms. Cannon spent 15 years at Farmingdale-based Enzo Biochem, starting in 2010 as the head of Global Commercial Operations, Life Sciences, until 2017. She then spent five years as chief commercial officer and one year as chief operating officer, before becoming CEO in 2023.

She replaces Marc Alessi, who led the nonprofit for nine years before stepping down. Douglas Borge had previously been acting as the interim executive director following Mr. Alessi’s departure.

Ms. Cannon knew Mr. Alessi through colleagues and peers, but they first spoke directly about the center in early 2024 over Zoom. They spoke about the importance of the last standing laboratory of famed inventor Nikola Tesla, educational programming and about Ms. Cannon’s desire to give back to the community that raised her.

About two weeks later, she visited the center, got a tour and submitted her resume to join the board of directors.

“Kara Cannon emerged from a highly competitive national candidate pool as the clear choice to lead Tesla Science Center into its next chapter,” board of directors president Richard Gearns said in announcing her appointment on Jan. 6. “She brings the rare combination of scientific credibility, executive leadership and personal passion for education that this moment demands. Most importantly, she shares Nikola Tesla’s belief that bold ideas and applied science can, and should, shape a better future.”