4-Day Science Celebration at Orlando Science Center
4-Day Science Celebration at Orlando Science Center – Otronicon has evolved with Spark STEM Fest coming to Orlando Science Center! Spark STEM Fest builds on Otronicon’s success with capturing the public’s imagination through a fast-pasted, multi-day celebration, but focuses on the entire STEM field, not just technology. Presented by UCF Office of Research, Spark STEM Fest resides at the crossroads of inspiration and engagement, stimulating fascination with STEM careers, encouraging meaningful interactions between the public and STEM professionals and creating dreams of a bright, new future.
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What:
This 4-day event, from February 17 to February 20, features multiple exhibitors, workshops, and dynamic demonstrations, led by STEM experts to engage visitors of all ages, including the following eye-popping opportunities.
- John Collins is a master paper airplane builder and has amazed audiences on Conan O’Brien and shared his secrets with Wired Magazine. He has studied both origami and aerodynamics to design planes that set world records. He will be showing guests how to build many of his designs, including the one that broke the Guinness World Record by flying 226 feet 10 inches.
- World Renowned Juggler and Engineer Greg Kennedy weaves science, engineering and art gracefully into a live show illustrating the physics at work during his kinetic creations. This show makes physics approachable through relatable stories and captivating demonstrations.
- Flip for science by enjoying this live acrobatic show that is the perfect blend of education and fun! Watch as the duo from WeFlip teach basic science concepts and then demonstrate how they put them to work with acrobatics! They climb five stacked chairs and test Newton’s Second Law by dropping objects from great heights!
- Discover all about sharks, our ocean and how you can help protect both with the passionate marine biologists from Minorities in Shark Sciences. They will display shark jaws, skin, skeletons and other specimens plus hosts games and activities to learn more about sharks and marine conservation. Check out shark dissections at scheduled times throughout the event.
- UCF’s Neuroscience Alliance will be hosting hands-on workshops and presentations, which will include sheep brain dissections as they explore the fascinating mystery that is brain science. Presentations touch on related areas like psychology, biotechnology, chemistry, philosophy and more.
- From LITERALLY cool liquid nitrogen demonstrations and massive foam explosions to animal encounters and meet and greets, enjoy shows and presentations from the creative minds behind our most popular events like Mess Fest, Astro Fest, and Science Night Dead.
- Ready Player One? Race down Rainbow Road or join the Super Smash Bros Tournament during Spark STEM Fest with Powder Keg Games! Visitors can enter for a chance to win cash prizes and be proclaimed champion as they compete in various video games tournaments.
Spark STEM Fest will also feature opportunities to…
- See demonstrations of dynamic projection mapping on a moving object and learn its secrets, thanks to the experts at 7thSense. We have all now seen amazing projection mapping on a building and seen it change before our eyes to become something or be somewhere else. What if this object that we were projecting on was moved? What if the movement was not predicable?
- Meet the digital imaging geniuses behind FARO, an imaging company that imagines a better, more insightful and capable world through 3D digital means and measurement technologies. They believe that if it can be dreamed, it can be measured, and if it can be measured, it can be realized. Explore their vision as they share how they created a full life-sized a scan of our famous T-Rex Stan.
- Meet Dr. Joshua Colwell, a physics researcher with the University of Central Florida, who has led experiments that have flown on the Space Shuttle, suborbital rockets, parabolic airplane flights, and been performed on the International Space Station. He also developed a CubeSat for launch in 2019 and was a comet advisor, and an actor, in the movie “Deep Impact” and has appeared as a walker in “The Walking Dead.
- Learn about the Artemis Program and other current and upcoming NASA missions launching from our own backyard on the Space Coast. Act as an engineer in KSC’s Exploration Ground Systems program and work with your team to build your own Mobile Launcher tower that can withstand the winds experienced on the launch pad.
- Unlock the possibilities waiting for you in the world of coding! Led by Disney programmers and engineers, workshop participants will design their own software while discovering the essentials of computer science and software design.
EXPLORE NEW EARTH MATTERS EXHIBIT DURING SPARK STEM FEST
Earth Matters, presented by the VoLo Foundation, features thought-provoking and fully interactive opportunities to explore topical themes such as biodiversity, rising global temperatures, and carbon emissions across an informative journey that will inspire visitors to find new answers to big questions. Earth Matters is created by the renowned Scitech in Perth, Australia and produced by Imagine Exhibitions.
Where and When:
SCIENCE NIGHT LIVE IS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Adults can also enjoy Spark STEM Fest after hours on Saturday, February 18 – without the kids! From 8 to 11:30 p.m., ages 21+ will enjoy a festive, adults only atmosphere during Science Night Live, which includes cash bars and food stations. Special programming that evening includes keynote speaker, Dr. Tracy Fanara, environmental engineer and research scientist with her presentation, “Protecting the Planet: How We Can Positively Impact our Changing World.” Fanara has appeared on the Science Channel, the Weather Channel, and FOX. She has also been featured in National Geographic, Marvel’s Unstoppable Wasp comic book and has her own comic, Seekers of Science. Science Night Live will also feature demonstrations by John Collins and his record-breaking paper airplanes, performances by the science acrobats of WeFlip, learn why dinosaurs will always be awesome with local expert Jimmy Waldron and so much more! Science Night Live is a separate ticketed event from Spark STEM Fest. Visit www.osc.org/snl to get tickets and more info.
HOURS, ADMISSION & MORE Spark STEM Fest welcomes all lifelong learners, from the simply curious to the seriously savvy. Regardless of your background, this event will engage your mind and spark your curiosity and ignite a passion for STEM learning. All Spark STEM Fest exhibits, demonstrations, workshops, speakers and activities are included with Orlando Science Center’s standard admission price of $24 for adults and $18 for youth (ages 2-11) and free for annual members.
Cost:
SCIENCE FOR ALL – General Admission Access Program: If you have an Access Florida EBT card with your photo on it, and a matching valid photo ID, please show it at the admissions desk to receive $3 admission per person for up to six individuals.
More Information:
Visit www.osc.org/spark to learn more and get tickets!
Don’t forget to check out the 2023 Florida Kids and Family Expo August 12-13, 2023 at the Orange County Convention Center. Tickets are on sale now! Click here for details.
Disclaimer: Events and information listed on this site are subject to last minute cancellations and changes which might not be reflected in this MyCentralFloridaFamily.com post. Please always confirm with this family-friendly business by calling or clicking the links for the most up-to-date information.
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