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Bay Area Science Festival


Bay Area Science Festival
Santa Rosa, California 95401

What is Bay Area Science Day?

Created by the Bay Area’s scientific, cultural, and educational institutions, the 4th annual Bay Area Science Festival returns with a 10 day festival, scheduled October 23rd – November 1st 2014. The Science & Health Education Partnership (SEP) at the  UC – San Francisco (UCSF) is pleased to produce the festival alongside a core group of science institutions. The festival will provide a wide range of science & technology activities – lectures, debates, exhibitions, concerts, plays, workshops, etc. –at a variety of locations throughout the Bay Area.

Our mission is to celebrate the Bay Area’s scientific wonders, resources, and opportunities by exploring the role of science, engineering, and technology locally and in the world.

Young people will understand that science is fun, exciting and important, encouraging them to pursue careers in science; parents will feel more confident about supporting their kids’ interests in science; teachers will have new resources to get students thinking about science outside of the classroom; and, policy-makers and corporate leaders will understand that the public demand for science-related resources is real…and requires investment and support.

This ambitious collaborative public education initiative brings together our leading academic, scientific, corporate, and non-profit institutions to showcase the region as an international leader in innovation. Based on similar festivals throughout the world, the 50+ festival events are expected to attract over 50,000 active participants, many of whom traditionally do not have access to quality scientific resources.

Objectives

  • Raise awareness of the importance of science in everyday life in the minds of our local community
  • Increase dialogue about science and technology throughout the region
  • Provide unparalleled access to the region’s vast science and technology assets
  • Create meaningful direct interactions with scientists across all age ranges
  • Engage young people in the fun, excitement and awe of science to inspire them to careers in science & technology
  • Encourage partnership and collaboration between and among the STEM community and our target audience

Program Areas

DISCOVERY DAYS

Discovery Days brings the fun and excitement of science to a huge crowd. In conjunction with local science outreach groups, Discovery Days hosts over 200 hands-on-activities, dozens of exhibits, numerous performances, and family-oriented science entertainment. Attendees are families generally with children aged 0-14, with a special emphasis on those who traditionally do not have access to quality science education resources. In 2014, we’re hosting Discovery Days at AT&T Park and Sonoma County Fairground in Santa Rosa.

SIGNATURE PERFORMANCES

High profile science acts from around the country anchor evening programming during the festival. Past performers include NPR’s Radiolab, Food Network’s Alton Brown, and famous scientists from around the world.

EXPLORER DAYS

Each year, we host over 20 tours to highlight the scientific wonders of the Bay Area. From hiking along the San Andreas Fault with a geologist or touring a deep sea ocean exploration manufacturing center with marine engineers, each tour highlights local resources with the guidance of a scientists or engineer.