Kansas Science Festival is a new initiative on a mission to co-create STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) experiences that spark excitement and curiosity in learners of all ages.
“Science is part of all our lives whether we realize it or not. We hope to show science is not only occurring at academic institutions, but instead something the entire community participates in,” says Hannah VanLaanen, a medical writer based in Manhattan that serves as the treasurer of the Kansas Science Festival Foundation. “Most importantly, though, we hope all that join the activities will have fun.”
The inaugural Kansas Science Festival has been in planning for over a year and was scheduled April 20-30 with a series of free activities. “We have spent a lot of time listening to representatives of diverse communities across our state to better understand their needs when it comes to access to STEAM education and careers”, says Michi Tobler, a K-State Biology professor that serves as the president of the initiative. “One of the most important things we have learned is that there is no one solution that serves everybody. That’s why there is a series of events that hopefully brings together different communities around science”.
The signature event of this year’s Kansas Science Festival is a street festival at Downtown MHK, which happens on Saturday, April 30 from 1-5 p.m. Researchers and other STEAM practitioners from across the state will share what they think about and do on a daily basis through activities suitable for families and learners of all ages. In booths spread along Poyntz Ave, the County Plaza, and the Manhattan Public Library, visitors will be able to explore a model of a Mars rover, learn about mighty microbes and the science behind historical events in Kansas, or they can build and take home their own microscope.