In three weeks, the Atlanta Science Festival returns for a fifth year. Running from March 9 to 24, the festival includes over 100 events throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area. From the first event to the honorary chair, Tech is involved in the local STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics)-
promoting festival.
The festivities begin on Tech’s campus at the Ferst Center for the Arts with the “Rise Up, Robots!” launch event at 7 p.m. on March 9. The event will include a robot musician, a droid comedian, a bionic arm and other robotic surprises. At 6 p.m., early arrivals can interact with a robot petting zoo.
Beyond hosting the initial event, Tech’s Dean of the College of Sciences , Paul Goldbart, is the Festival’s honorary chair.
“In the language of physics, I’m excited to observe the acceleration of the Atlanta Science Festival and the momentum of the enthusiasm found in participants and organizers alike,” Goldbart said. Emory University and the Metro Atlanta Chamber are the other founders of the Festival.
After two weeks of presentations, performances, interactive activities and facility tours, the festival concludes with the free Exploration Expo from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 24. Piedmont Park will host live science demos; shows from universities, companies and local organizations; and hands-on science booths.
Other events hosted at Tech include the Taste of Science on March 10 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The event focuses on the intersection of food, science and culture, with food samples and live demonstrations on Tech Green near the Campanile. Students with IDs are free, and others may buy tickets for five dollars on site.
Tech’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC), Arts@Tech and the Georgia Department of Education are partnering to hold a STEAM Conference on March 22 and 23 at the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons. Geared towards schools that want to expand their STEAM focus, the event includes work groups, panel discussions featuring experts, TED talks and interactive sessions.
Another interesting event is Science Improv at the Whole World Improv Theater on Mar. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Short improv games and sketches will involve improv artists, scientists and the audience. Student tickets are $5, and adult tickets are $10.