TORONTO, May 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Over 300 free events will take place across Canada for the most ambitious edition of Science Rendezvous to date on Saturday, May 13, 2017.
Science Rendezvous is Canada’s largest nation-wide science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) festival. This year’s festival will celebrate 10 years of Science Rendezvous and 150 years of Canadian science. It will launch Science Odyssey, a ten-day showcase of Canadian innovation that is put on by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).
“We’re excited to once again take the lab to the streets – and introduce some bold, new activities across the country,” says Science Rendezvous Executive Director Katie Miller.
“Each explosion and experiment helps spark the curiosity of the next generation of great Canadian innovators.”
Science Rendezvous is taking over the country from St. John’s to Vancouver, Yonge-Dundas Square and five city blocks of downtown Toronto, and most research institutions in Canada. The festival specializes in giving the public one-of-kind experiences with STEM including: edible liquid capsule creations, augmented reality, robotics, solar-powered race cars, exploding fruit, and Science Chase – an Amazing Race-style competition.
In addition to the hands on activities, Science Rendezvous will host NSERC's Innovation Showcase at festival sites across Canada in an effort to bring current Canadian innovation to the public, and demonstrate what can be achieved by collaboration between industry leaders and top Canadian researchers.
NSERC is the largest investor in science and engineering research and innovation in Canada. As a convener, they connect universities and colleges with industry partners to enable innovation-driven activities – allowing scientists and engineers across the country to develop world-leading discoveries and work with companies to turn these discoveries into inventions and products that will benefit Canadians.
The NSERC Innovation Showcase will be presented by the researchers involved and will be at selected Science Rendezvous event sites across the country. They are free and open to the public, with most taking place between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2017.
For more information about Science Rendezvous events and the NSERC Innovation Showcase in your city visit: http://www.sciencerendezvous.ca/event‐sites/ http://www.sciencerendezvous.ca/category/nserc/
Science Rendezvous is an annual nation ‐ wide science festival dedicated to science outreach. Founded in 2008, it has grown to include over 300 simultaneous events in partnership with 40 of Canada’s top research institutions, 6,000 innovators and 122 community organizations across the country. www.sciencerendezvous.ca
This year’s Science Rendezvous activities will launch the ten-day Science Odyssey series in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). http://www.sciod.ca/
Science Rendezvous is an annual nation ‐ wide science festival dedicated to science outreach. Founded in 2008, it has grown to include over 300 simultaneous events in partnership with 40 of Canada’s top research institutions and 122 community organizations across 30 cities. www.sciencerendezvous.ca
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
This is only a sample of participating venues. See http://www.sciencerendezvous.ca/event‐sites/ for more details
ALBERTA
Cybermentor - Telus Spark (Science Centre) (10am – 3pm) Enjoy a fun engineering design activity, guest speakers, industry panel, planetarium live show and reception lunch. Last year, participants designed and built LED “thunder cloud” umbrellas. This year there is an outer space theme. Take a look at the future solution to our fresh water requirements and desalinate water with bicycle power.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Kwantlen Polytechnic University – Langley Campus (11am – 3pm) KPU Langley will be transformed into a family-friendly science festival where the public will get a chance to participate in hands-on experiments, magic shows, tour high-tech patient simulator nursing labs and the state-of-the-art craft brewing lab (19+). Check out the robots, dancing fire display, face painting and walk the campus labyrinth as part of World Labyrinth Day.
Simon Fraser University – Burnaby campus (11am – 3pm) Discover the seemingly bizarre behaviour of gases and how they fit in our natural world at the science magic shows. Celebrate International Astronomy Day with tours of Trottier Observatory, astronomy presentations and astronaut photo shoots. Come get your hands on hundreds of other exciting activities including Let’s Talk Science’s game show, Science Chase, liquid nitrogen ice cream making, molecular viewers and more.
Let’s Talk Science with the University of British Columbia – The Old Barn Community Centre (10am – 2pm) Join UBC’s Let’s Talk Science for a hands-on day of science discovery. Make edible DNA and DNA bracelets, and finish the day off with slime. Discover the future of touch screens, the foldable technology, and a glimpse into the future.
INUVIK
Aurora Research Institute at East Three Schools (11am – 3pm) Meet with researchers and conduct hands-on experiments while discovering science in a whole new way. Learn about greenhouse composting and build your own flashlight! Check out harpoon-throwing, 3D printing, flying drones, fish dissections and meet visiting scientists at Science Rendezvous’ northernmost participating site. Complete the Science Chase passport to enter for a chance to win one of our exciting prizes.
MANITOBA
University of Manitoba, Fort Garry Campus , Science and Engineering Bldg (11am – 4pm) Sprint across a vat of corn starch and water to experience a non-Newtonian fluid, take home a balloon sculpture of all your favourite biomolecules and micro-organisms, scream as you test out the bed of nails, then scream some more for instant ice-cream (with just a touch of liquid nitrogen), jam out with a keyboard made of fruit, or play the piano with your feet as you run up and down a flight of stairs. The University of Manitoba is partnering with the Université de Saint-Boniface, Science First, and H2O CREATE to reveal the science all around us.
University of Winnipeg (11pm – 3pm) Watch the Chemistry Magic Show, walk on non-Newtonian fluid and spot critters with your high powered scopes. Meet Batmen and Batwomen on campus as they try to save their species. The Prairie Climate Center will explore climate science with all.
NEWFOUNDLAND
Memorial University (11pm – 3pm) Discover glow-in-the-dark crystals, explore microscopic pond life, make slime, and solve puzzles. There might even be an explosion or two. Participants will get a chance to do fun and safe hands-on science activities. Plus, there’ll be a marine animal touch tank. Come and see what scientists are up to at Memorial University.
ONTARIO
Ryerson University at Yonge-Dundas Square ( 10am – 4pm) Come celebrate Science Rendezvous' 10th event in the heart of downtown Toronto. Ryerson’s Science Rendezvous event takes place in Yonge-Dundas Square, on the south-east corner of Yonge and Dundas in downtown Toronto, one of Canada’s liveliest public areas. Our event offers hands-on activities, demonstrations and stage shows in robotics, water science, energy, engineering, architectural science, and many other scientific areas. This year Ryerson's Faculty of Science is launching the first North American Soapbox Science. The award-winning science outreach platform, created in the UK in 2011, promotes women in science. We have activities for young children, teens and adults. Spend the day with Canadian scientists and innovators and get connected with science.
University of Toronto St. George campus (11am – 5pm) Science Rendezvous at the University of Toronto (St. George Campus) will feature numerous exhibits that integrate science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and human ingenuity. Shutting down large sections of St. George St, this event offers visitors of all ages and backgrounds a chance to interact with world-class researchers, witness awe-inspiring demonstrations, partake in hands-on experiments and, above all, have fun while discovering science in a whole new way. Come and see robots, solar cars, and 3D worlds, build bridges and arches, solve math tricks, identify Earth’s minerals, observe tabletop river bedforms, make slime, extract DNA, meet with zebrafish, leeches, and hissing cockroaches. Get in your time machine and conquer the ultimate Science Chase to be crowned the Science Rendezvous Time Travelling Hero of 2017.
Science Odyssey Funfest (10am-4pm) Science Odyssey Funfest in Ottawa is a celebration and learning experience to spark youth’s interest in science and technology. Join us for family-friendly fun with hands-on science and research activities led by federal government departments, universities and external partners. The event will take place right across the street from Dows Lake, which is also where the Canadian Tulip Festival will be held.
Queen’s University at Rogers K-ROCK Centre (10am – 3pm) The Rogers K-Rock Centre becomes a giant Science Discovery Centre with something for everyone. Participate in the Math Midway, make a kaleidoscope, be a mathemagical sculpture, explore space inside a Planetarium, see Canada's first Green Chemistry Magic Show, and meet the “real” Batman! There will be special presentations throughout the day inside the Rogers K-Rock Centre and outside on The Tragically Hip Way. The first 1000 families will receive a booklet filled with experiments that can be done at home and passes to local museums.
University of Guelph-Humber (10am – 3pm) The Science of YOU: Learn about your body from the inside out. Begin with a peek inside our cells, basic anatomy and the science behind our brains. Explore the science of fitness, health and how the mind and body are connected.
University of Ontario Institute of Technology & Durham College (10am – 3pm) Come learn how to make an indicator out of cabbage in our colorful chemistry lab. Explore the rainbow with an exciting dry ice experiment. Discover the magnetic properties of cereal. Uncover visually what is really in those tasty treats you love to eat. Hands-on workshops will allow you to experience being a real scientist. Solve a CSI Oshawa mystery using forensic techniques, play biodiversity bingo, create soap sculptures, flaming gummy bears and much more. GRAND FINALE CELEBRATION (2:30-3pm): music, cake and prizes in celebration of Science Rendezvous' 10th anniversary, Durham College's 50th anniversary and Canada's 150th Birthday.
University of Toronto Mississauga and Let’s Talk Science at the Central Library (11am – 4pm) Join Let's Talk Science and scientists from the University of Toronto Mississauga at the Central Library for a day of fun science experiments for all ages. Learn about and get your hands on the innovative research happening in your city.
University of Waterloo and Let’s Talk Science (9am – 4pm) Come celebrate Canadian innovation at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market, and get your hands on science with fun activities for the whole family. Waterloo Public Library, Main Branch is also hosting activities from 11 — 11:45am.
Western University (2pm – 11pm) Activities include making slime, panning for gold, programming mini-robots with color coded lines, solar observing, building Mars rovers to traverse the Martian landscape, and measuring action potentials in muscles. Take part in an action packed Science Chase and be dazzled by the Science stage show that will showcase engaging demonstrations from various science disciplines!
University of Windsor Campus and Let’s Talk Science (10am – 4pm) The Science Carnival will once again feature many exciting demonstrations and hands-on activities, including: astronomy demos, Science Photo Booth, robots, Chemistry Magic Show, Phunky Physics Show and much more.
York University at Main Street Markham Farmers’ Market (10am – 3pm) Science Rendezvous will be combined with the grand opening of the annual Farmers’ Market (starting at 8am). Activities include squishy circuits, constellation tattoos, vortex smoke cannon, Art of Bubblology, DNA jewelry and so much more.
QUEBEC
24 heures de science 24 Hours of Science is Science Rendezvous’ French sister festival – a full day of activities related to science and technology for audiences of all ages starting on Friday at noon, ending at noon on Saturday. Multiple events across Quebec in French and English ( http://www.science24heures.com/programme/index.php ).
SASKATCHEWAN
University of Saskatchewan and Let’s Talk Science (10am – 3pm) Take a walk with the dinosaurs, explore the science of dark matter, design your own rockets and Lego robots. Tours of the Natural Science Museum and Rayner’s Dairy Barn will be available.
University of Regina (11am – 3pm) The University of Regina is hosting the Canada-Wide Science Fair on May 15 – 20, 2017 and will be open to the public May 20, 2017 from 9am-12pm.
CONTACT: Kathleen Miller, Executive Director, Science Rendezvous 331, 60 St. George Street, Toronto ON. M5S 1A7 Tel. 647 447 7559 | Fax. 416 978 3936 Kathleen.Miller@sciencerendezvous.org (Images, video, and interviews available)
