Science doesn’t stop in Maine: MSF partners help us keep the focus on science year-round. See what’s happening near you this month and remember that #scienceiseverywhere.
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April 4th – April 28th: Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean To Be Human? The Bangor Public Library is one of only 19 libraries across the U.S. hosting this traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution. The exhibition is based on a popular exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and was organized by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in collaboration with the American Library Association. Exploring Human Origins explores the process of scientific investigation by shedding light on what we know about human evolution and how we know it. BPL is offering a range of public events for all ages. These discussions and workshops are led by scientists and other scholars from the Smithsonian; clergy, scholars and community leaders from the Bangor area; and Library staff and volunteers. We hope the exhibit, events and workshops, along with the suggested resources in this exhibit guide, give you a reason to contemplate our origins and on what it means to be human.
Full guide and schedule of events: http://www.bpl.lib.me.us/pdffiles/guide.pdf
Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow Street, Bangor
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April 7, 5:00 – 10:00pm: University of New England Brain Fair. Join UNE for a family friendly educational fair (elementary school and up) that aims to educate about the brain and brain safety, but also includes other STEM activities to engage the brain! All events are free and open to the public. More information at http://www.une.edu/calendar/2017/brain-fair.
University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford (Harold Alfond Forum)
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April 24, 8:00am-6:00pm: 2017 UMaine Student Symposium: Research and Creative Activity. At the University of Maine, students inspire creativity and lead in the discovery of knowledge that makes a direct difference to the people of Maine. Come meet undergraduate and graduate student researchers and scholars, see their posters and exhibits, hear their presentations and view short performances. Celebrate student achievement in research and creative activities and discover the value of Maine’s only public research university. The day-long event will feature the work of over 1200 University of Maine undergraduate and graduate students. The event is free and open to the public – pre-register online at www.maine.edu/research/symposium. All ages welcome, best for high school to college.
Cross Insurance Center, 515 Main Street, Bangor
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April 27, 6:00pm – 7:30pm: Manufacturing Business Showcase. Join the Manufacturers Association of Maine for this Maine Science Festival Pop-Up, highlighting technology, innovation and science at four manufacturers in the Biddeford area. All ages welcome, best for middle school and high school students and their parents.
Biddeford High School (Little Theater), 20 Maplewood Avenue, Biddeford
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April 8, 11:30am – 2:00pm: Teen Science Cafe: Staying Connected: How to Get the Word Out by Apps, Radio and other Communications in an Emergency. How do First Responders keep in touch in an emergency? How do you make sure you have enough fire fighters on the front lines of big fire? Who is in charge and who let’s the public know what’s going on? Continuing on the First Responders/Emergency Management themes we began to explore at the Zombie Apocalypse, Daisy Mueller of Maine Emergency Management (MEMA) will lead us through the necessity of communications in First Responders and emergency management.
No fee; registration begins at 11:45am followed by lunch. Presentation and activity with Daisy Mueller will be in the Science Building Room 101.
University of Maine, Machias, Kilburn Commons Dining Hall, 116 O’Brien Ave, Machias
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April 3, 5:00 – 6:00pm: MDI Science Café: On Defining Old Age: The Relationship Between Health and Longevity Across Species. How do we define old age? Why do some people lead healthy, productive lives well into old age, while others age prematurely? What can research in animals tell us about extending healthy human lifespan? What steps can individuals take to prolong their lifespans? MDI Biological Laboratory post-doctoral fellow Jarod Rollins, Ph.D, will discuss these and other intriguing questions in aging science at this café.
Pre-registration not required, but recommended.
Center for Science Entrepreneurship, MDI Biological Laboratory, 159 Old Bar Harbor Road, Bar Harbor
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Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions
April 3, 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Dams and Fish: Understanding our impouded legacy. Dams affect fish species in some obvious ways. These effects, and their proposed solutions, are often simplifications of complex systems that ignore more subtle effects. This talk by Joseph Zydlewski (Professor, Wildlife, Fisheries, & Conservation Biology; Assistant Unit Leader, USGS Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit), will explore six ways in which dams can influence fish and fisheries, drawing on the Penobscot River impoundment and modifications as a case study.
April 10, 3:00pm – 4:00pm: From magnifying glass to microscope: the new National Water Model. In August 2016 the National Weather Service launched the new National Water Model, which continually forecasts the flow in 2.7 million stream reaches covering 3.2 million miles of rivers and streams of the continental United States. From atmosphere to the oceans, from coast to coast, water is now forecast just like weather – at local scale, and in near real-time. David R. Maidment, from the University of Texas at Austin, will describe how the National Water Model came about, what it does, and what it may mean for the future of water resources science and management in the United States.
April 17, 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Taking an integrative view of the Mexico City sustainability challenge. There is much to be gained from taking a much more integrative view of the sustainability challenges of mega-cities like Mexico City, and designing projects accordingly. Three ‘conundrums’ for sustainable development (SD) can be articulated: 1) The Socio-Ecological Complexity Conundrum; 2) The Varying Temporal/Spatial Scales Conundrum; and 3) The Stakeholder Diversity Conundrum. Timothy Downs, Associate Professor of Environmental Science & Policy, Clark University, will discuss how these conundrums can be addressed.
April 24, 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Let’s get emotional about wildlife conservation! Humans are the underlying factor in conflicts concerning how wildlife should be managed. For management planning to be effective, government agencies require an understanding of how different human populations interact, value, and are affected by and affect wildlife populations. The management of a species, such as black bear, can cause different interest groups to disagree about appropriate management protocols. Conflicting values concerning wildlife management can also be highly emotional due to more commonly researched cognitions and experiences. However, a relatively new area of study is that of emotions as they relate to human-wildlife interactions. Emotions have been stated as the heart of human attraction to, and conflict over, wildlife and the findings in this area of research are fragmented and limited at best. Carly Sponarski, from the University of Maine Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology department, will discuss these areas of research.
107 Norman Smith Hall, Mitchell Center – University of Maine, Orono
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Regular public programs are available on Friday evenings at 7pm (Natural Selection) Sunday afternoons at 2pm (Life of Trees). More information https://astro.umaine.edu/events/
April 4, 10:00am – 11:00am: Magic Treehouse: Space Mission.
April 6, 7:00pm: Meteorites and the Origin of the Solar System Dr. Henning Haack an Associate Researcher at the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum in Bethel, and teacher at ScienceTalents in Denmark, will provide a selection of spectacular meteorites – the rocks that document the birth and early evolution of our Solar System.
Tickets for planetarium programs are $6 for Adults, $5 for UMaine Students/Veterans/Senior Citizens, and $4 for children under 12.
Emera Astronomy Center, 167 Rangeley Road, University of Maine, Orono
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April 8, 10:00am – 5:00pm: Get ready for Earth Day! Activities throughout the day. MDM admission is free for members; $7.50 general admission; visitors age 12 months and under free.
April 13, 5:30pm – 7:00pm: Curiosity Studies. Do you need time to create? Feeling frustrated with the same still life arrangement? Come be inspired by our most amazing specimens for artistic motivation. Bring your own supplies—paint, sewing needles, charcoal, pencils and we provide the inspiration. No admission charge for Curiosity Studies; please bring your own art supplies; ages 16+
April 17 – 21, 8:00am – 4:00pm: April Vacation Camp. Five different days of discovery, for ages 5-12. More details about each day can be found at https://mainediscoverymuseum.org/Programs/Summer-Camps/April-vacation-Camp.aspx. $50 per child/day for non-members; $45 per child/day for members.
April 27, 5:30pm – 7:00pm: Curiosity Studies. Do you need time to create? Feeling frustrated with the same still life arrangement? Come be inspired by our most amazing specimens for artistic motivation. Bring your own supplies—paint, sewing needles, charcoal, pencils and we provide the inspiration. No admission charge for Curiosity Studies; please bring your own art supplies; ages 16+
Maine Discovery Museum, Main Street Gallery, 74 Main Street, Bangor
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April 27, 12:00pm – 1:00pm Brown Bag – Harbingers of Spring. It’s been a long winter with short, cold days and much snow to shovel. But, the days are much longer and warmer now and signs of spring are in the air! Come refresh your memory on some of the spring wildflowers and returning bird species that we haven’t seen in almost a year. Schoodic Institute’s Bird Ecology Director Seth Benz, and Forest Ecology Director Nick Fisichelli lead this fun and informative talk.
Moore Auditorium, Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, Acadia Drive, Winter Harbor
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April 22, 9:30am – 4:30pm: FREE Teacher Day. We are offering a free trip to explore and learn more about the programs we offer through the Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership. If you are a teacher or administrator who would like to learn more about our professional development programs, school programs, and summer programs, we want you to come visit for the day! Teachers: while we are a perfect location for science programs, we offer interdisciplinary offerings merging history, art, math, and English into our programs and we would be happy to work with you to tailor a program to your needs. Administrators: we offer a rejuvenating retreat location for you and your staff to work on the issues that matter most to your school. Whether you just need a place to get away and focus or you would like professional facilitation, we work with you to meet all of your needs. Our educator day this year is on April 22nd (Earth Day) and all you need to do is get yourself to and from our office in Rockland. We will take care of the rest!
Hurricane Island, Rockland
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April 13, 6:00-7:00pm: Summer Camp Preview Night. If your child is entering grades K-3, 2-4, 4-6 and 6-8, bring them to Challenger and see what summer camp is all about! Meet our Camp Directors! Try activities! Register for a summer they’ll never forget!
April 17 – 21, 8:00am-4:00pm: April Vacation Camp. Five different days of science fun, for grades K-5. More details about each day can be found at https://www.astronaut.org/parents-public/camps/april-camp/. $50/day
April 26, 3:30 – 4:30pm: First of six week session for Afterschool Design Squad Global. In Design Squad Global (DSG), students explore engineering through fun-packed, high energy, hands-on activities, such as designing and building an emergency shelter or a structure that can withstand an earthquake. $60 for the six week session, to be paid upon acceptance confirmation.
Challenger Learning Center of Maine, 30 Venture Way, Bangor
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Final weeks: ends April 30: Dinosaurs Unearthed Be transported to an era 65 million years ago – an era when dinosaurs walked the earth. IN THIS EXTRAORDINARY EXHIBIT Dinosaurs Unearthed shows far more than just fossils. State of the art technology and research has allowed for visitors to see how dinosaurs looked, moved and sounded when they roamed the planet. With more than a dozen animatronic dinosaurs that roar and rouse, there is plenty of action at every turn. The exhibition also features full-sized skeletons, fossils, an excavation site, and plenty of interactive activities that will unleash every visitor’s inner paleontologist. Final Day is April 30th. Great for all ages, but focused on K-8 students
7 days per week. Entry times: Mon – Thurs 10:00am – 6:00pm; Fri & Sat 10:00am – 7:00pm; Sun 11:00am – 6:00pm. Exhibit closes 1-hour after last entry. Adults ($19.50), 65+/College/Military ($17.50), Child 3-12 ($14.50), Children under 3 (Free). Book as a group of 10 or more and save 20-50%. Group discounts only offered by calling 207-812-3848 or emailing groups@portlandsciencecenter.com.
Portland Science Center, 68 Commercial Street, Portland. 1 pier over from Casco Bay Lines.