Indiana University Bloomington invites everyone to experience the wonders of science at Science Fest 2024, happening Saturday, Oct. 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This annual family-friendly celebration of science is free and open to the public, offering hundreds of hands-on, interactive activities designed to engage and inspire learners of all ages.
Jo Anne Tracy, assistant dean for research and director of science outreach in the College of Arts and Sciences and the coordinator of Science Fest, expressed her excitement about the event’s continued success and growth over the years. “I think that’s because it has existed in different forms for a long time,” she said. The first physics open house was held in the 1930s, and a regular annual open house started in the 1970s. “The sciences have a long tradition of community outreach,” Tracy said.
This year’s theme, “Experts at IU,” highlights the opportunity for visitors to interact directly with IU scientists who specialize in various fields. “If you go to the Activities page on our website, you’ll see some that say, ‘An Expert at IU Activity’ — the experts will be identified with special name tags,” Tracy said.
She also commended the Department of Biology for its ongoing contributions, noting, “Biology has been a terrific partner over the years and a welcoming host to other departments such as the Integrated Program in the Environment.”
Kody Beaver, event services specialist and Science Fest coordinator for the Department of Biology, shared his enthusiasm for the diverse range of activities planned for this year’s event. “The Department of Biology is contributing to Science Fest with over 20 booths led by biology faculty and staff members, graduate students and third-party groups like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to showcase how fun and interesting STEM can be,” Beaver said.
Beaver also highlighted the significant expansion in participation this year, with double the number of booths compared to last year “allowing for so many more people to be exposed to so many cool topics,” he said. Among the new activities is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife booth which will focus on conservation and offer attendees valuable knowledge and insight. Returning favorites include the strawberry DNA Extraction booth presented by the Wang Lab and the tortoise, Lil John, presented by Rhonda Matteson, media preparator in the Department of Biology.
Clay Fuqua, the Clyde Culbertson Professor of Biology, created an activity called Sticky Business: Biological Glues at the Macroscopic and Microscopic Scale.
Graduate students from the Fuqua Lab who will facilitate the activity are Lauren Augusta, Carter Collins, Allan Gramillo, and Ian Reynolds.
They will showcase biologically adhesive organisms, including barnacles, oysters, kelp, fungi, and geckos, and will lead an interactive glue-based adhesion exercise using popsicle sticks and a variety of glues under different conditions.
“We will have demos of microbiological-scale adhesion – this is the part that my lab actually works on,” Fuqua said. The point is to put across how ubiquitous the ability to stick to surfaces is, at macro and micro scales, and how tricky it is in hydrated conditions. “We are hoping it’s fun and informative, and banking on the fact that kids love glue!”
For more information, including a full schedule of activities, visit the Science Fest website.
The College of Arts