Festival Celebrates Science for All

Festival Celebrates Science for All

Longfin eels, drones, handmade rockets and solar pancakes are all part of an exciting week-long extravaganza of science events and activities planned for the upcoming ‘Celebrate Science with Cawthron’ festival next week, 23 to 29 November.

Now in its third year, the free event is bigger than ever. The festival includes fun activity days for schools around the region, film nights in Nelson, Richmond and Motueka, and a family fun day at Victory Community Centre with the Science Roadshow.

“Celebrate Science with Cawthron is designed to share the excitement of science with people of all ages and abilities - it’s a fantastic event for the whole family,” Cawthron Institute Community Educator Cristina Armstrong says.

“We hope to enthuse our community with the science that is around us. Not everyone will become a scientist, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy it. Science is everywhere; it’s all about understanding the way the world works. Celebrate Science with Cawthron aims to showcase science in a fun and exciting way, accessible to all.”

The event is organised by Cawthron Institute in partnership with Victory Community Centre. A range of national and regional organisations are supporting the festival including the Science Roadshow, Otago University, Waimaori Stream Care, and Nelson Provincial Museum.

What’s on offer at Celebrate Science with Cawthron?

Film nights

‘Long Fin’ is a documentary film about the epic journey of the endemic New Zealand freshwater eel. We will be showing the film at three different locations around Nelson and Tasman:

• Monday 23rd: Jester House 7.30-8.30

• Wednesday 25th: Richmond Library 6:30-7.30

• Thursday 26th: Victory Community Centre 5:30-6.30. Bring your own cushion/beanbag. Free popcorn!

Eel experts will be available to answer questions after the film. This is a free event but bookings are required for all screenings. To book, please contact Victory Community Centre, phone (03) 546 8389.

Motueka Schools' Day at Parklands Primary School, Tuesday 24th November

Around 200 year 5 to 8 students from eight different schools will experience hands-on science activities presented by local scientists and teachers. Activities include latest ways to monitor river health using drones, food health, rockets, ocean acidification and more.

Nelson Schools’ Day at Victory Primary School, Thursday 26th November

Around 150 hundred students from schools around Nelson will be exposed to hands-on science, with a focus on Cawthron’s aquaculture, food testing and environmental science. Students will see world-first footage of New Zealand scampi, and get to design their own scampi pots. They will learn about the challenges of ocean acidification and how understanding food labelling can help us make informed choices for good health.

Family Day at Victory Community Centre, Sunday 29th November, 10am to 4pm

A free event where people of all ages can engage with science. The Science Roadshow will fill the Victory Community Centre with a fantastic range of interactive exhibits, plus a 10-minute show will be performed every hour starting at 11.00am. Engaging, educative and fun, the Science Roadshow tours the country offering unique, informal, hands-on learning opportunities to broaden our knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. There will also be presentations by local scientists on river ecosystems and healthy food, and a chance to make your own rocket and solar pancakes. Mr. Science (aka Sterling Cathman) will also be on hand with some crazy fun science sure to wow everyone.

For further information visit the event’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CelebratesciencewithCawthron) or contact Cristina Armstrong: 03 5482319 ext 357.

ENDS

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