The second annual STEAMfest is taking place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 14 at University of Texas Permian Basin.
It so happens to fall on the weekend of the historic eclipse.
STEAMfest will offer a variety of hands-on activities mainly for students in third through 12th grade, but it’s really for everyone, said Milka Montes, who co-chairs the Permian Basin STEAM Coalition with Jessica Raymond at UTPB.
Montes, who also is associate professor of chemistry and chair of the department, said STEAMfest was started last year as a way of encouraging participation in the yearly science and engineering fair.
They got help from different people at UTPB and the community.
“We’re super-excited that it’s coincidental with the eclipse. We actually chose the date based on the eclipse so that we could have a more full day activity,” Montes said.
After the eclipse is over people can walk over to the Science and Technology Building, the Student Activity Center and the maker space in the library.
Engineering and science professors, UTPB student clubs, Ector County ISD and Midland ISD will be on hand.
Venture Robotics, which is part of the STEM coalition, will be there, as will syGlass, Diamondback Energy an other STEM-related companies.
Shark finder where youngsters sift through ocean sediment to find prehistoric shark teeth will be there. Montes said students can see fossils, have some nitrogen ice cream, a Rubiks Cube competition and play with the 3D printers in the brand-new maker space at the library.
Pots-n-Prints will be there.
There also will be science fair boards from years past so people can get an idea of what they look like, Biology Lecturer Irene Perry said.
Montes said they anticipate more people will turn out this year than last because it’s connected to the eclipse. They had about 160 in attendance last year and it was the first-ever event.
“Now we hope we’re going to get a lot more,” she added.
Associate Professor of Art Chris Stanley will have Star Wars ornaments available.
“We have made this year’s Star Wars-themed Christmas ornaments because nothing says Christmas like a storm trooper,” Stanley said.
They also will conduct experiments oxidizing glazes and reducing glazes.
Stanley has always said art is an integral part of science.
“Science permeates all of this. It’s just that sometimes when people are doing activities they don’t realize the science they’re using, so we’re breaking it down to a very fundamental level with how color is formed, especially inside a kiln,” he said.
“The luxury of being in the position that some of us find ourselves is that we can make these things incredibly complex, but when you’re dealing with people whose lives, whose profession is science, their profession is art, they can break these topics down so that they’re incredibly simple and easily digestible instead of trying to make something so complex people can’t relate to it,” Stanley said.
Once they realize that science is causing a change in glaze color, it opens up a whole new world of “the why,” he said.
“Why does that happen? What power does oxygen have over the formation of colors? I see these as scaffolding activities for kids who are interested in science but might not understand what they’re interested in is science. We’re hoping that the music department is there also. There’s a lot of science in music theory,” Stanley added.
Here is what’s happening on campus:
- 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 13: Scientist Dr. Hugh Hudson will give a special lecture on solar eclipses at the CEED building (North 1310 FM 1788, Midland)
- 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 14: Meet at the UTPB Quad (center of campus) and on the Mesa Deck (at the Mesa Building) for the best seat in the nation to watch the solar eclipse. Scientists from UTPB, NASA, and the Gordon Center will launch scientific balloons into the sky.
- 10:18 a.m.-1:20 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 14: View the eclipse at UTPB (safety glasses will be provided).
- 2-5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 14: STEAMfest — Interactive science and art activities for all ages.
A few things to know about the event:
- Free parking is available in front of the Mesa Building.
- Bring your lawn chairs and blankets to set up on the quad.
- Food will be available to purchase in the Mesa Market (2nd floor of the Mesa Building, accessible from the Mesa Deck) and at the Starbucks in the Library.
- Find all of the details about the STEAMfest + Solar Eclipse events at tinyurl.com/bdhr9nr7
