Refugee Stories

Successful refugee resettlement is a combined effort involving refugees, local communities and an array of different service providers, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and state and local agencies.

Cosmic Ray Detectors installed at the Utah Refugee Center

Randall Martin

On April 9, 2024, a community of refugee students and their families, scientists, educators and policymakers celebrated an event three years in the making—the installation of five cosmic ray detectors atop the Department of Workforce Services Refugee Services Office (also known as the Utah Refugee Center) in downtown Salt Lake City. The detectors, which measure echoes of cosmic particles bombarding Earth’s atmosphere, were built by nearly 60 participants in a program called “ Investigating the Development of STEM-Positive Identities of Refugee Teens in a Physics Out of School Time Experience (InSPIRE)”, which brings science research—in this case particle physics—to teenagers and contributes to a worldwide effort to measure cosmic ray activity on Earth.

InSPIRE brings together the University of Utah, Utah State University, Utah Department of Workforce Services Refugee Services Office, as well as the Dutch National Institute for Subatomic Physics (Nikhef) in Amsterdam, to involve teens in real science. Data from the students’ cosmic rays detectors helps us understand the origins of the universe.

Refugee Reels

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Past Success Stories

Lights

Mohamed Alsoudani came to the U.S. from Iraq in 2014. He signed up for computer programming classes at the Utah Refugee Center. His studies and hard work paid off and, by the age of 23, he had a successful career in the tech industry. His achievements were recognized during Governor Gary Herbert’s State of the State address in 2020.

Lights

MG Draper shares her love and expertise to teach basic and advanced sewing skills. Volunteering countless hours since 2015, she even helped refugee students and volunteers sew nearly 3,000 masks that were donated to refugee groups and homeless shelters to protect against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lights

Since 2016, Andrew Xavier has spent nearly all of his Saturdays as a volunteer IT teacher for refugees. Because of his dedication, his students have landed high-paying jobs and returned to mentor the next generation of tech students.

Lights

June 2024 marked the 20th annual World Refugee Day celebration in Utah. World Refugee Day is celebrated worldwide to recognize the important contributions of refugees in our local communities.It’s a great opportunity to get to know friends and neighbors and learn about their culture and heritage.