Science for Everyone!
Explore interactive science exhibits, learn about cool science jobs, and have your questions answered by scientists! Family Science Days are FREE and open to all.
This free community science showcase features hands-on demos, shows, and other activities appropriate for K-12 children and their families. The event features a broad range of educators and scientists promoting an interest in science among the general public.
Family Science Days Stage Schedule
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Saturday |
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Sunday |
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11:30am |
Clams and Catastrophes
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11:30am |
Science Cheers |
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12:00pm |
Penelope Boston
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12:00pm |
Why I chose to be a scientist instead of an astronaut! |
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1:00 pm |
Why I Love Weather |
1:00 pm |
Furry Logic Matin Durrani |
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1:30pm |
Why (and How) I Tell Gross Science Stories on YouTube |
1:30pm |
Author and Illustrator Panel
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2:00pm |
Meet an Astronaut |
2:00pm |
Author and Illustrator Panel |
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2:30pm |
The Great Jelly Bean Fitness Challenge |
2:30pm |
Amazing! Astonishing! Atmospheric Science! |
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3:00pm |
Makin' Brain Electricity (Waves) with Makey-makey and Scratch! |
3:00pm |
Family Science Exhibitors
American Chemical Society Northeastern Section
@AmerChemSociety
www.nesacs.org
The Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society is a large section with over 7,000 members. This local section has a vibrant Younger Chemists Committee, a very active medicinal chemistry subgroup, a dynamic Education Committee and an engaged Public Relations Committee which oversees a variety of public outreach events – including the Cape Cod Science Cafe, STEM Journey (a K-12 and beyond public event), semi-annual chemistry themed events at the Museum of Science, Boston and the Boston Children's Museum – and participates annually at the Cambridge Science Festival's Science Carnival and Robot Zoo.
American Meteorological Society
@ametsoc
www.ametsoc.org
Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society is the nation’s premier scientific and professional organization promoting and disseminating information about the atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrologic sciences. Our more than 13,000 members include scientists, researchers, educators, broadcast meteorologists, students, weather enthusiasts, and other professionals in the fields of weather, water, and climate.
Beyond Benign, Inc
@beyondbenign
www.beyondbenign.org
Green chemistry is the science of creating safe, energy efficient, and non-toxic processes and products that provide sustainable solutions for the environmental problems facing society today. Beyond Benign is a nonprofit whose mission is to support all educators, scientists, and citizens globally with the scientific tools to teach and practice green chemistry in order to create a sustainable future.
Boston University Neuroscience Graduate Student Organization
www.bu.edu/neuro/graduate/
The Neuroscience Graduate Student Organization is composed of Ph.D. candidates working in the neurosciences at Boston University. Our mission is to establish personal and professional relationships among students and to engage in scientific outreach with the local community. We hold monthly meetings to discuss topics in neuroscience and learn practical skills relevant to our field. Our outreach group designs activities and lab sessions for young students interested in the brain. We have previously held labs at the Museum of Science, Boston, the Lincoln School in Brookline, and Boston University.
Cambridge Science Festival
@CambSciFest
www.cambridgesciencefestival.org
We take curiosity to a new level! The Cambridge Science Festival is an annual 10-day celebration of science, technology, engineering, art, and math in Cambridge, Massachusetts and New England. Every spring, the Cambridge Science Festival makes science accessible, engaging, and fun for everyone through multifaceted, multicultural events. Our founding collaborators are MIT, Harvard University, the City of Cambridge, and the Museum of Science.
Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS)
@ISS_CASIS
www.iss-casis.org
The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space has a mission to manage and provide access to the first and only National Laboratory in space, demonstrating to U.S. citizens and the world that space-based research is accessible, affordable, and capable of supporting research for far more than space exploration.
Chemistry Immersion Program, University of Missouri
@Mizzou
www.chip.missouri.edu
The Chemistry Immersion Program at the University of Missouri is an NSF-funded two-week program with the goal to increase student interest in STEM careers and boost retention in STEM disciplines by enhancing students' comfort levels in collegiate chemistry and biochemistry.
Dartmouth School of Graduate and Advanced Studies
@DartGRAD
www.graduate.dartmouth.edu
The School of Graduate and Advanced Studies at Dartmouth supports research and inquiry across multiple disciplines in science and the arts. The close-knit community offers unparalleled access to state-of-the-art facilities and world-class faculty.
Facetopo
@facetopo
www.facetopo.com
Facetopo is a global citizen science project to map the diverse faces of the world in an effort to advance our understanding of variation in human facial features.
FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)
@FIRSTweets
www.firstinspires.org
FIRST® is more than robots. K-12 programs engage students in exciting, mentor-based, research and robotics programs that help them become science and technology leaders, as well as well-rounded contributors to society. Participation is proven to encourage STEM education and careers, inspire tomorrow’s innovators, and enhance 21st century work-life skills. The progression of programs is: FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. (ages 6-10); FIRST® LEGO® League (ages 8-14); FIRST® Tech Challenge (ages 12-18); and FIRST® Robotics Competition (ages 14-18).
Gique
@giqueme
www.gique.me
Gique is a nonprofit organization that inspires and educates youth in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) through community educational programs. Gique targets students with limited access to STEAM education and resources and designs experiential, hands-on learning experiences. By embracing the intersection of art and technology, students learn to identify and apply their skills and passions in real world environments, leading to higher academic engagement and career opportunity. Over time, we hope to provide ArtScience education to students around the world – building a STEAM-powered community full of the next great thinkers, leaders, and makers.
Harvard Museum of Natural History/Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
@HarvardMuseum
www.hmsc.harvard.edu
The four Harvard Museums of Science and Culture offer permanent galleries, special changing exhibitions, and public programs for all ages. Explore thousands of specimens from around the globe, from the 42-foot-long Kronosaurus and whale skeletons to exquisite Glass Flowers in the Harvard Museum of Natural History; massive Mesopotamian and Egyptian monuments in the Harvard Semitic Museum to finely calibrated scientific instruments acquired by Benjamin Franklin at the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments. See Arts of War and The Legacy of Penobscot Canoes or join a student-led tour at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.
iRobot
@iRobotSTEM
www.irobot.com
iRobot designs and builds robots that empower people to do more. Its home robots help people find smarter ways to clean and accomplish more in their daily lives. Its remote presence robots enable virtual presence from anywhere in the world. iRobot's portfolio of solutions features proprietary technologies for the connected home and advanced concepts in navigation, mobility, manipulation, and artificial intelligence.
Journal of Emerging Investigators
@JEInvestigators
www.emerginginvestigators.org
The Journal of Emerging Investigators is a free online journal that publishes the scientific research of middle and high school students. The journal is run by graduate students at Harvard University, and these graduate students serve as editors and reviewers to guide middle and high school students through the exciting process of publishing their research.
Linguistic Society of America
@LingSocAm
www.linguisticsociety.org
You use language all the time, but do you know how it actually works? See what speech looks like and how scientists study the sounds of language. Learn how the human mind processes the meanings of words and sentences. Discover the science behind your everyday communication. This booth is staffed with working language scientists from around the country and is partly supported by the National Science Foundation.
Mass Audubon
@MassAudubon
www.massaudubon.org
Mass Audubon protects 36,500 acres of land throughout Massachusetts, saving birds and other wildlife and making nature accessible to all. Mass Audubon is a nationally recognized environmental education leader, offering thousands of camp, school, and adult programs that get over 225,000 kids and adults outdoors every year. With more than 125,000 members and supporters, we advocate in Boston and beyond, and conduct conservation research to preserve the natural heritage of our beautiful state for todays and future generations. We welcome you to explore a nearby sanctuary, find inspiration, and get involved.
McLean Hospital
@kochinstitute
www.ki.mit.edu
The MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research brings together biologists and chemists along with biological, chemical, mechanical, and materials science engineers, computer scientists, clinicians, and others to bring fresh perspectives and an interdisciplinary approach to advancing the fight against cancer. Our mission is to develop new insights into cancer, as well as new tools and technologies to better treat, diagnose, and prevent the disease.
MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center
@MIT
www.psfc.mit.edu
MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center is known internationally as a leading university research center for the study of plasma and fusion science and technology. Additionally, its Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory Division is recognized for its advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and nanoscience condensed matter physics. Our research and development programs are principally supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Fusion Energy Sciences and by the National Institutes of Health.
Molecular Jig Games, LLC
@MolecularJig
www.ScienceGameCenter.org
Molecular Jig Games makes video games that teach science, focusing on molecular biology games. We also maintain ScienceGameCenter.org, where players, teachers, scientists, and game developers can find science games by topic and age group.
Museum of Science, Boston
@museumofscience
www.mos.org
One of the world's largest science centers and New England's most attended cultural institution, the Museum of Science introduces about 1.4 million visitors a year to STEM via programs and interactive exhibits.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
@usnistgov
www.nist.gov
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. NIST is one of the nation's premiere research institutions for the physical and engineering sciences and, as the lead Federal agency for technology transfer, it provides a strong interface between government, industry and academia. As the national metrology institute for the U.S., NIST's mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology. From the smart electric power grid and electronic health records to atomic clocks, advance nanomaterials, and computer chips, innumerable products and services rely in some way on the technology, measurements and standards provided by NIST.
New England Aquarium
@NEAQ
www.neaq.org
The New England Aquarium is a global leader in ocean exploration and marine conservation. With more than 1.3 million visitors a year, the Aquarium is one of the premier visitor attractions in Boston and a major public education resource for the region.
Northeastern University Center for STEM Education
@Northeastern
www.stem.neu.edu
The Center for STEM Education at Northeastern University seeks to build and support a community of educators, researchers, and students with the collective goal of strengthening the K-20 STEM educational ecosystem. Our vision is to: increase student interest and persistence in STEM by designing, supporting, and implementing academic and extracurricular programs; expand opportunities for traditionally underrepresented students to pursue STEM studies; strengthen the mentoring and support of students involved in STEM disciplines; and support the field of STEM education by encouraging cross-institutional collaboration, leveraging resources, and sharing research findings within and beyond the institution.
Science Club for Girls
@SCFG
www.scienceclubforgirls.org
Science Club for Girls was founded in 1994 as a grassroots organization by Beth O’Sullivan and Mary McGowan, two parents in Cambridge, Massachusetts who were concerned with issues of gender equity in math, science, and technology. We bring professional and student scientists and engineers and girls together in free after-school science clubs and challenge teams that focus on technical skills and inquiry learning. The clubs give young girls an opportunity to get involved in science and engineering activities in a fun, nurturing, interactive environment, an opportunity they might not otherwise receive.
SciStarter and the Science Cheerleaders
@SciStarter
www.scistarter.com
SciStarter is the place to find, join, and contribute to science through more than 1,600 formal and informal research projects and events. Ground-truth satellite data, track species migrations, discover new galaxies, and more. This database of citizen science projects enables discovery, organization, and greater participation in citizen science. The Science Cheerleaders will help you get started. These professional cheerleaders are scientists, too!
Society for Neuroscience
@Brain_Facts_org
www.brainfacts.org
BrainFacts.org seeks to share neuroscience with the general public through engaging articles, images, videos and more. The brain is the most complex biological structure in the known universe. Neuroscience is a topic rich with exciting new discoveries, continuing profound unknowns, and critical implications for individuals, families, and societies. BrainFacts.org is a public information initiative of The Kavli Foundation, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, and the Society for Neuroscience. The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system.
The Discovery Museums
@DiscoveryActon
www.discoverymuseums.org
The Discovery Museums' mission is to inspire enduring curiosity and love of learning through interactive discovery, hands-on inquiry, and scientific investigation. The Museums offer a unique combination: a children’s museum with a strong program in science and a goal to provide interdisciplinary experiences in the arts, sciences, and humanities, fostering creativity and curiosity while inspiring a lifelong love of learning. The Museums reach 42,000 children in field trips and traveling science workshops annually. Creating accessible learning opportunities and reducing achievement gaps (particularly in the sciences), through meaningful partnership with community-based agencies, is a critical part of our mission.
The Open Notebook Science Storytellers
@open_notebook
www.theopennotebook.com
Get to know some of the scientists at the AAAS meeting by becoming one of The Open Notebook's Science Storytellers! The Open Notebook is the place to meet the people who write the science stories you read. With tips from these pros, head out to talk with some of the scientists at the AAAS meeting, then create your own science stories to share.
Tumblehome Learning
@TumblehomeLearn
www.tumblehomelearning.com
Tumblehome Learning works to excite kids about science through high quality books, both fiction and nonfiction, and related learning activities. We help kids think of themselves as scientists and engineers.