The 2014 North Carolina Science Festival is a statewide celebration of science and technology, and this year’s theme is “Life is Your Lab.” For two-and-a-half weeks at the end of March and beginning of April, there will be a myriad of events across the Tar Heel state.
At UNC Charlotte, organizers have planned seven public science lectures, a four-event film series and a star party to accompany the third Science and Technology Expo, the University’s grand finale for the festival.
This year’s expo will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, April 13, at the UNC Charlotte Student Union Plaza; it will feature a greatly expanded set of acts, including robotics, motorsports engineering, rocketry, virtual people, exotic plants and high altitude balloons. Designed for the science-curious of all ages, it will offer 100-plus hands-on activities and presentations in chemistry, physics, geology, computer science, engineering and biology developed by the University and a host of industry and community organizations.
Also returning is the N.C. Science Festival Star Party, which will be at 8 p.m., Friday, April 4, at the UNC Charlotte Observatory.
The UNC Charlotte Public Science Lecture Series will usher in the festival with a visit from N.Y. Times science columnist Carl Zimmer. The renowned science writer will conduct two, free public visits on the festival’s opening day, Friday, March 28.
Zimmer, who is the author of 12 books about science, has written hundreds of articles for magazines such as the Atlantic, National Geographic, Time, Scientific American, Science and Popular Science. He is considered one of the world’s leading writers on the marvels of modern biology. At 3 p.m., March 28, he will lead the discussion “What’s Coming in Genomics?” with UNC Charlotte bioinformatics scientists Anthony Fodor, Dennis Livesay and Jessica Schlueter in EPIC, Room G256. That evening, at 8 p.m., he will deliver “You Are Thousands of Species: Discovering the Life Within You” at UNC Charlotte Center City. This lecture is co-sponsored by the N.C. Science Festival and will be followed by a reception and book signing.
UNC Charlotte faculty members also will offer engaging, public talks. They include:
- Mary Lou Maher, professor and chair of software and information systems, who will present “Tangible Creativity” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 1
- Michael Walter, a faculty member in the Chemistry Department, who will deliver “Juice It Up: The Earth-abundant Approach to Converting Sunlight into Usable Energy” at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 3
- Thomas Gentry, assistant professor of architecture and director of the Laboratory for Innovative Housing, will discuss “Architectural Agriculture: Science, Technology and Math in Sustainable Communities” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 8
- Ian Binns, assistant professor of science education, will present “Defending Science Education in the Tar Heel State” at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 10
All lectures will be in the Bioinformatics Building, Room 105.
Spaceflight historian Amy Shira Teitel also will be part of the N.C. Science Festival; she will give a talk at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 2, in EPIC, G256. A science journalist and historian, Teitel writes the blog “Vintage Space” for Popular Science. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the history of science and writes about space for such outlets as Discovery News Space, Al Jazeera English, Universe Today and AmericaSpace.
Organizers have added a Science Film Series to UNC Charlotte’s offerings in recognition of the role that movies play in creating public interest in science.
“Contagion” will be shown at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 29, at UNC Charlotte Center City. Co-hosted by Discovery Place, the film medical thriller concerning a deadly, rapidly spreading epidemic was widely touted on its release for its scientific accuracy. Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion featuring real-life epidemic tracker and professor of bioinformatics Daniel Janies; Karen Garloch, Charlotte Observer health reporter; and Ian Binns, assistant professor of science education.
Classic science-fiction film “The Invisible Man,” starring Claude Rains, will be screened at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 30, at UNC Charlotte Center City, followed by a discussion facilitated by Greg Gbur, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Optical Science, and chemist Marcus Jones.
At 3 p.m., Sunday, April 6, in EPIC, Room G 256, “Jurassic Park” will be shown. This film, from 1993, excited the public’s imagination about the possibilities of genomics. Panelists Susan Peters, a vertebrate biologist and ecologist; Adam Reitzel, an evolutionary biologist; and Jennifer Weller, a genomic researcher; will examine the film’s speculations and its possible truths.
The film series concludes with “Chasing Ice” at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 9, in EPIC, Room G256. This critically acclaimed documentary looks at the controversial topic of climate change. Matthew Eastin and Martha Eppes, associate professors in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, along with meteorologists John Wendel and Meghan Danahey will give their takes on the film’s evidence and facilitate a broad discussion of the topic.
More information on UNC Charlotte’s N.C. Science Festival offerings is on the Web. Events are sponsored by UNC Charlotte in association with the N.C. Science Festival. University sponsors are the Office of Research and Economic Development, the College of Computing and Informatics, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the College of Education, the College of Health and Human Services and the Graduate School. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Discovery Place are community partners, and WFAE 90.7 FM is a media partner.