Cool Science at UCCS 2009 a HUGE Hit

Saturday November 7th 2009 was a big day for hands-on science fun as 2,500 kids and family filled the University Center on the UCCS campus for Cool Science at UCCS 2009. After the success of last year's event (~700 kids and family), we had planned and hoped for a bigger day this year, but were absolutely blown away- and overwhelmed- by the huge turnout! Fortunately there was plenty to see and do with two standing-room-only Chemistry Magic Shows and 35 different hands-on activity stations ranging from baby diaper dissection to a life-sized space shuttle simulator. By all accounts everyone- kids and adults- had a terrific time [read one satisfied parent's blog entry], took home lots of cool stuff to continue their science experiments at home, and it was all absolutely FREE! If you were there, thanks for helping to make it our biggest and best Cool Science event ever! If you missed it, be sure to put Saturday September 18, 2010 on your calendar as we'll try to out-do ourselves once again next year! [The final date may change, so if you haven't already, sign up for our Cool Science Newsletter to keep informed about all of our programs and events.]

A big thank you goes to all who helped make the day possible. Cool Science has sponsored this annual event- in various forms- since 2003 with help from the UCCS Student Members of the American Chemical Society (SMACS). This year about 40 SMACS students staffed the activity stations, along with volunteers from the UCCS chapter of SWE (Society of Women Engineers), students from Palmer and Rampart (??) high schools, the Colorado College Cool Science Club (our spin-off organization), IEEE (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and of course our own Cool Science volunteers. [Find out more about how you can volunteer for this and other Cool Science programs.] In a wonderful display of community support, representatives from 14 local companies and nonprofit organizations also participated, providing their own hands-on science activity stations (see a full list below). Thanks also to Professor Ron Furstenau from the U.S. Air Force Academy (and Cool Science founding Board Member) for performing both of the Chemistry Magic shows.

Finally, much of the success was due to the planning and financial assistance of UCCS's Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education (CSTEME), our co-sponsor for this year's- and next year's- event. CSTEME's support in particular allowed Cool Science to focus on what we do best, making science fun and less intimidating for kids (and adults).

Here's a full list of the activity stations and participating organizations (check back, as our plan is to soon link each of these to instructions and background science info for teachers to use in their classrooms):

1. Sound & Waves I: Wine Glasses and Chinese Spouting Bowl

2. Sound & Waves II: Ringing Spoons, Singing Rods and Talking Strips*

3. Colorado Springs Children's Chorale: Vocal Cords & Human Sounds

4. Colorado Springs Youth Symphony: Musical Instruments & Sound Analysis

5. Colorado Springs Utilities: Electricity and Natural Gas Safety

6. Light & Optics I: Lasers, Lenses, Mirrors and Fiber Optics

7. Light & Optics II: Colored Shadows and Phosphorescence

8. Electric Charges: Balloon Buddies, Field Detectors and Pop Can Racers

9. Electricity & Magnetism I: Electric & Magnetic Fields & Lenz' Law

10. Electricity & Magnetism II: Really Simple Electric Motors*

11. Imagination Celebration: Coloring in 3D- Parallax & Dispersion*

12. Neuroscience of Senses: Gummy Bear Taste Test & Soda Pop Sweetness*