Because of the high attendance at last year’s science open houses, IU’s College of Arts and Sciences will host the inaugural IU Science Fest later this month.
The free event will last from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 25 on the IU-Bloomington campus, according to the University.
Young people from as far away as Chicago are expected to attend.
Some activities require advance registration.
These include all activities at the Griffy Woods unit of the IU Teaching and Research Preserve and the Kirkwood Observatory, according to the University.
Guests can register for these activities in the Jordan Hall atrium, where they can also receive an IU Science Fest 2014 Guidebook with details on the day’s events.
Participating departments and units include astronomy, biology, chemistry, geography, geological sciences, mathematics, physics, psychological and brain sciences and IU’s environmental science program offered through the Integrated Program in the Environment, which began this fall, according to the University.
The majority of activities will take place in the science facility core of campus, adjacent to East Third Street in the chemistry building, Jordan Hall and Swain West Hall.
Some of the departments will tie their presentations to the Themester, “Eat, Drink, Think.”
This will include a candy-based presentation from the chemistry department.
Apart from IU units, the Indiana Geological Survey and Bloomington science museum, WonderLab, will also be present, according to the University.
“We believe there truly is something for everyone. There will be movies on plants, cicadas and birds, a myriad of experiments to follow and a large number of hands-on activities for visitors to experience,” Tina Gilliland, outreach liaison for the College’s Office of Science Outreach, said in a University press release.
The event will build on the science open houses that have been held in past years, which Larry Singell, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said had high attendance in recent years.
For more information, including what activities each unit has planned, visit http://college.indiana.edu/science/sciencefest .
Anna Hyzy
