Bay Area Science Festival Returns for Third Year as Region’s Largest Free Educational Event
Dozens of Events Enlighten Future Scientists, Families and Curious Geeks During 10 Days of Science and Technology Activities across the Bay Area, from October 24-November 2
As students throughout the Bay Area return to the classroom, the Bay Area Science Festival (BASF) is hard at work to create a myriad of interactive events and experiences that connect aspiring scientists and curious local residents with the region’s preeminent educators and experts in science and technology. Local astronomers, professors, engineers, health professionals and researchers will engage, entertain and educate participants of all ages throughout the 10-day festival from October 24-November 2. The largest free science educational event in the Bay Area, BASF provides residents from San Jose to Santa Rosa a glimpse into the science world behind space travel, robot engineering, genetics, volcanoes, earthquakes, creepy nightlife creatures – even the reasons why humans crave touch, creativity and chocolate.
The third annual BASF is presented by Chevron and organized by UC San Francisco and features more than 50 complimentary events, inviting the public to delve into the groundbreaking scientific and technological culture of the Bay Area. The festival culminates with the free Discovery Days at AT&T Park on Saturday, November 2nd from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. AT&T Park will transform into a science wonderland with hundreds of interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and electrifying performances.
“There are so many important innovations in science and technology developing every day, right here in the San Francisco Bay Area,” says Kishore Hari, BASF’s director. “The Bay Area Science Festival provides a fantastic opportunity for residents to learn about the vast resources and expertise for which the region is known the world over, and hopefully spark a passion among a future generation of scientists.”
Here’s a sampling of what’s in store during the 2013 Bay Area Science Festival:
With FREE, exhibition-packed Discovery Days offered in the North Bay, East Bay (both on October 26) and the BASF grand finale at AT&T Park (November 2, see also below), families are encouraged to “unleash their inner scientists” with more than 150 interactive opportunities to discover the inner workings of their environment. Thousands of curious participants are expected to turn out to observe the surface of the sun telescopically, learn how to cast fossils, enjoy a chemistry magic show and delve into the life of a forensic criminalist. The AT&T Park event will also feature a Robot Zoo in partnership with Silicon Valley Robotics, filling Willie Mays Plaza with engineering wonders, including Project Skye – The Omnidirectional Spherical Blimp – all the way from Switzerland. The Chevron STEM Zone brings even more activities this year as Chevron offers 10,000 free science kits with an attached family science guide. The Life Science Alley will double in size with numerous local biotech companies showcasing activities.
On Sunday, October 27, more than 20 different tours, explorations and presentations will be offered throughout the Bay Area. From a bicycle tour along the levees of the Don Edwards SF Bay Refuge and hikes along the San Andreas and Hayward Faults, to a tour of the west coast’s wetlands and a “Hawk Talk” in the Marin Headlands, there is something to bring virtually anyone closer to their inner scientist. For information on an Open Lab event in a specific area, visit here.
The Discovery Channel’s MythBusters host Adam Savage joins other scientists for a special storytelling night with the Moth, discussing creation and chaos and eruptions within the laboratories of the mind and spirit with The Moth’s signature flair for bringing stories to life onstage.
Nerd Nite at Sea
Due to the overwhelming interest in this sold out event last year, this October 30, BASF has chartered a bigger boat: the USS Hornet aircraft carrier! The vessel itself is a floating museum of space and military history and technology, having picked up the Apollo 11 capsule from the Pacific. The evening will also be packed with expert lectures, demos and, of course, science beer. Over 1000 are expected. For more information, visit here.
The Bay Area Science Festival has collaborated with several esteemed leaders in the corporate and academic worlds to present these and many more events. Featured sponsors include the S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation, First Tech Federal Credit Union, the Clorox Company, ThermoFisher Scientific, Autodesk, Bayer and Agilent Technologies. For more information on the festival as a whole and for details on specific events, please visit the BASF website at http://www.bayareascience.org. You can also follow us on Twitter @bayareascience and like us on Facebook: facebook.com/bayareascience.