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Evergreen's Science Carnival Combines Fun and Learning for All Ages  

Whether you're a science buff or not, you'll find something fun and interesting at The Evergreen State College's fourth annual Science Carnival set for Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The event, Washington's largest science fair of its kind, offers more than 200 presentations from Evergreen science students with an emphasis on demonstration, hands-on participation and fun.

Participants can choose from as many as a dozen presentations at any given time. Each presentation lasts 30 to 60 minutes and many popular topics will be repeated over the two days. For a full schedule of presentations, visit the information desk in the Lab I Building, on the left as you enter Red Square, the main campus plaza. Preview it online at http://academic.evergreen.edu/events/sciencecarnival/index.html. The Science Carnival is free and open to the public.

The popular event is designed for middle and high school students, including home school students, and anyone in the community that has an interest in science. Demonstrations will cover chemistry, physics, biology, astronomy, criminal science, marine science, optics, health science, food science, computer science, and much more. In the spirit of interdisciplinary education, a hallmark of the Evergreen learning experience, the event will include more than a dozen science-related art demonstrations in a wide range of media.

"Many people don't realize that our liberal arts curriculum includes a broad range of rigorous science programs," explained Evergreen science staff member and event organizer Peter Robinson. "Science at Evergreen is taught by nationally and internationally recognized faculty - not graduate students - in small classes with hands-on opportunities for undergraduate research and access to sophisticated scientific equipment, including a scanning electron microscope and ultra-high-end analytical instruments. These types of opportunities are rare even at the largest research universities."

Recent national attention has been placed on Evergreen's science programs, from National Science Foundation grants for the study of global warming and insects to student and faculty work to eliminate E.coli from the human food chain.

"The Science Carnival is a fun way for our students to share their science learning with the community and for the community to learn more about Evergreen as well," Robinson added.