Rowan offers world of Philadelphia Science Festival activities

Rowan University hosted a sea of science seekers Sunday, April 22, when the University opened the campus for hours of activities for kids (and adults) of all ages as part of the 2018 Philadelphia Science Festival.

More than 1,500 guests descended on campus for Family Science Sunday to observe the sun, watch ice cream being made, explore the Garden State and much more. The University was a silver sponsor – and the New Jersey hub – of the Philadelphia Science Festival, the nine-day celebration (April 20-28) established by The Franklin Institute in 2011 to highlight science and technology.

Family Science Sunday at Rowan included showings in the Edelman Planetarium of  the Dynamic Earth, which explores the inner workings of the Earth's climate system; solar observations with Rowan’s Astronomy Club; sessions on the thermodynamics of ice cream with Rowan’s student chapter of the American Chemistry Society; a chance to program a robot with members of the Association for Computing Machinery; a crack at the STEAM Challenge obstacle course, seeing how fast visitors could solve science, technology, math, art and engineering problems while tackling obstacles; a visit to the largest map of New Jersey in the world to learn more about the state while playing interactive games with Rowan's Department of Geography, Planning & Sustainability and the New Jersey Geographic Alliance; watching a Pololu Zumo Sumo Bot match staged by Rowan’s student branch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers; and more.

The University also sponsored a star party on Friday in the Edelman Planetarium and the 4th floor observatory in Science Hall and other events during Philadelphia Science Festival.

The Philadelphia Science Festival, with more than 80 events spread throughout the Delaware Valley, aims to inspire not only the next generation of scientists and engineers but also to create homegrown citizen scientists.

The grand finale is the free daylong Science Carnival on the Parkway, Saturday, April 28. Last year the massive outdoor science carnival attracted more than 50,000 visitors.

To learn more, visit fi.edu/psf. #GetNerdyPHL.