March 2017 Maine Science Festival partner events
- Feb 28, 2017
- 6 min read
Science doesn’t stop in Maine. Our partners have a number of public science events taking place outside of the MSF. See what’s happening near you and remember that #scienceiseverywhere.
See you March 16th-19th at the 3rd Annual Maine Science Festival!
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March 4, 11:30am – 2:00pm: Teen Science Cafe: Location Is Everything: Using GIS to Map, Analyze, and Assess Real-world Problems. What would you do if the Machias dike washed out in a storm? How would you get an ambulance to the hospital? How would you get to the grocery store if you lived in East Machis? Continuing on the First Responders/Emergency Management themes we began to explore at the Zombie Apocalypse, Dr. Tora Johnson will lead us on a mission to plan routes if a disaster happens in Washington County.
No fee; registration begins at 11:45am followed by lunch. Presentation and activity with Dr. Tora Johnson will be in the GIS Lab in Torrey Hall.
University of Maine, Machias, Kilburn Commons Dining Hall, 116 O’Brien Ave, Machias
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March 6, 5:00 – 6:00pm: MDI Science Café: Nanotechnology and the Futurist Green Material, Nanocellulose. Entrepreneur Nadir Yildirim, Ph.D., will talk about the potential of microscopic wood fibers called nanocelluloses to transform Maine’s forest products industry.
Pre-registration not required, but recommended.
Center for Science Entrepreneurship, MDI Biological Laboratory, 159 Old Bar Harbor Rd Bar Harbor
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TED TALKS @ LUNCH 12:00 – 1:00pm: Bring your lunch and enjoy a Ted Talk. These talks will pave the way for the Exploring Human Origins Exhibit coming in April. A member of the library staff will moderate a discussion after each podcast. Tuesday, March 7: A Dig for Humanity’s Origins Tuesday, March 14: In Search of Humanity’s Roots Tuesday, March 21: Why Are There 32 Symbols Found in Ancient Caves Tuesday, March 28: Bring Back the Woolly Mammoth
March 29, 6:00 – 7:30pm: Bangor Reads Book Discussion Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin. Why do we look the way we do? What does the human hand have in common with the wing of a fly? In Your Inner Fish, Neil Shubin tells the story of evolution by tracing the organs of the human body back millions of years, long before the first creatures walked the earth. By examining fossils and DNA, Shubin shows us that our hands actually resemble fish fins, our head is organized like that of a long-extinct jawless fish, and major parts of our genome look and function like those of worms and bacteria. BangorReads seeks to get everyone in the community reading the same book at the same time and discussing it. Read the book, come discuss! Moderator Dr. Frank Bragg
All events held in Crofutt Community Room, 1st Floor, 145 Harlow Street, Bangor
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March 4, 11:00am – 5:00pm: Bangor Camp Fair. Come check out the Bangor Camp Fair and see camps of all kinds (including Science and Technology camps) that you can go to this summer! More information http://www.mainerobotics.org/camp-fair.html.
Bangor Mall, 663 Stillwater Ave, Bangor
March 25, 9:00am – 3:30pm: Introduction to LEGO® Robotics. Take this opportunity to become an instant veteran of the LEGO robotics system! This basic workshop is designed to cover getting familiar with using the LEGO MindStorms kit. Children will build a LEGO Robot and modify it during the day to complete different tasks. The software environment is 100% graphic and allows you to build a flow chart styled program that controls the robot. This year’s theme is NATURE’S FURY and focuses on issues relating to hurricanes, storms, floods, tsunami’s, earthquakes, tornadoes, and volcanic eruptions! It’s all about brainstorming, creativity, and teamwork. More information at http://www.cumberlandmaine.com/community-recreation/files/2016-2017-winterearly-spring-brochure
Ages: 9-14 (Adults are welcome to register too!); $60 Res / $70 Non-Res
Cumberland Town Hall Council Chambers, 290 Tuttle Road, Cumberland
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Regular public programs are available on Friday evenings at 7pm (Asteroid: Mission Extreme) Sunday afternoons at 2pm (One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure). More information https://astro.umaine.edu/events/
March 2, 2017, 7:00pm: Wireless Leak Detection for International Space Station Dr. Ali Abedi will share the results from the first UMaine science payload launched to ISS back in December of 2016. It has been installed and collecting data to help NASA with a variety of future missions. This program is a partnership with the Maine Science Festival.
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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March 9, 2017, 5:30pm – 7:0pm: *Curiosity Studies: Skulls. Bring your own supplies—paint, sewing needles, charcoal, pencils and we provide the inspiration.
March 23, 2017, 5:30pm – 7:00pm: *Curiosity Studies: Fur. Bring your own supplies—paint, sewing needles, charcoal, pencils and we provide the inspiration.
March 25, 1:00-3:00pm: Guild of Natural Science Illustrators. Come learn from the masters- create fantastic creature illustrations with the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators! Bring your sketchbooks to draw amazing natural specimens from our museum collections with friendly instruction. All ages are welcome; no admission charge.
*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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March 6, 7:00pm – 8:00pm: Climate Change & Northeastern Forests, presented by Maria Janowiak, Deputy Director of the USFS’ Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science and the coordinator for the New England Climate Change Response Framework. This presentation will draw on examples from across the region that describe anticipated climate change impacts and adaptation actions with relevance for woodland owners, conservation organizations, and those interested in forests.
March 16, 2017, 12:00pm – 1:00pm Brown Bag – Conserving Vulnerable Fish & Wildlife. Amanda Shearin, a Wildlife Biologist and the Habitat Outreach Coordinator at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, will discuss Maine’s Wildlife Action Plan, a ten-year statewide approach to conserving Maine’s most vulnerable fish and wildlife species. Amanda will talk about which species are most at risk and some of the challenges, such as climate change and habitat fragmentation, facing these species. We also will focus on what each of us, from recreationalists to large landowners, can do to help ensure the future of Maine’s fish and wildlife.
9 Atterbury Circle, Winter Harbor.
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March 20, 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Frankenfood or Farm Fresh? Communicating Aquaculture’s Promises and Perils. Laura Rickard, Assistant Professor, Communication & Journalism, at University of Maine will explore the implications for communicating about aquaculture with public audiences, and the next steps for applying lessons learned to the context of Maine.
March 27, 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Enhancing Biodiversity in the Corn Belt to Improve Environmental Quality and Crop Production. Matt Liebman, Professor of agronomy, H.A. Wallace Endowed Chair for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University will discuss his research addressing the impacts of diversification on agroecosystem performance.
107 Norman Smith Hall, Mitchell Center – University of Maine, Orono
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Maine State Science Fair
March 25, 9:00am-12:00pm: High school students share their original research and engineering projects with judges and the general public. Visit www.maine-state-science-fair.org for more information.
Colby College, 4000 Mayflower Hill Dr, Waterville
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Wednesdays in March, 3:30pm – 4:30pm: Lego Afterschool Club for grades 2-5. More details, and a sign up form can be found at https://goo.gl/VgQlPk.
$50/4 week session
Challenger Learning Center of Maine, 30 Venture Way, Bangor
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Until April 2017: 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)
Prices: Adults ($19.50), 65+/College/Military ($17.50), Child 3-12 ($14.50), Children under 3 (Free)
Ages: Great for all ages, but focused on K-8 students
Times: 7 days per week. Entry times are Mon – Thurs 10am to 6pm, Fri & Sat 10am to 7pm, Sun 11am to 6pm. Exhibit closes 1-hour after last entry.
Portland Science Center, 68 Commercial Street, Portland. 1 pier over from Casco Bay Lines.
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Educate Maine and Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance have recently been named the Code.org Regional Partner for Maine. As a result, Maine middle and high school teachers can benefit from free professional development to implement computer science (CS) courses at their schools.
The Code.org Professional Learning Program includes:
TeacherCon, a five-day summer training in Philadelphia taking place July 30 – August 4, 2017, which will fully prepare you to utilize Code.org CS Discoveries or CS Principles curriculum and teacher supports. Code.org provides airfare, lodging, and meals during the conference, and you will receive a gift card to cover incidentals.
Four, one-day local workshops during the school year (normally on Saturdays), during which you’ll join teachers from Maine for ongoing training and just-in-time support.
If you’re interested in joining this community of practice, expanding your knowledge of CS, and teaching CS Discoveries or CS Principles this coming school year, please apply here by March 17th.
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