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Largest STEM selfie with Bill Nye the Science Guy and Ben Dickow, Space Center Executive Director.
By Tammye McDuff
The Greater Los Angeles science community, including over 100 science, culture and education partners will celebrate the ‘City of STEM throughout the County the entire month of April.
“Los Angeles is an innovation incubator — a place where the world comes to develop new ideas and pioneer groundbreaking technologies,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “City of STEM is an opportunity for L.A. to showcase a science, technology, and engineering ecosystem that is creating new opportunities every day and putting L.A. at the center of a global movement to envision tomorrow and build it today.”
The month-long, community-focused celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) has created over 120 events taking place all over Los Angeles County. It all kicks off with the enormous City of STEM Festival on April 4that the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey.
“Downey is thrilled to once again host the City of STEM Festival at our very own Columbia Memorial Space Center,” said Mayor Blanca Pacheco. “This is a wonderful opportunity for children and families to experience the world of science and participate in activities that will help spark their interest in STEM education.”
Exhibitors representing organizations around Southern California, such as the Aquarium of the Pacific and SpaceX will be featured. Last year, the kick-off welcomed over 10,000 people and Bill Nye!the Science Guy.
The 2020 festival will feature a main stage of STEM personalities and music; live demonstrations; food trucks; panel discussions of STEM professionals covering topics such as ‘How to Raise a STEM Child’ and ‘Diversity in STEM’. Mobile museums; technology demonstrations; a STEM car show featuring the engineering inside DIY customs and Tesla cars; a 50-foot Space Shuttle jumper and a special presentation of the City of STEM Icon Award to science media personality Alie Ward.
An exciting addition to this year’s event is the “STEM Career Lounge” powered by DeVry University, where the public can relax, engage, and ask questions to STEM professionals provided by DeVry about jobs and career paths. The day also integrates the activities of the international “Yuri’s Night, KIDS!” which will presenting a “Meet-a-Scientist” Lounge where visitors can talk with real scientists and engineers from across LA.
Throughout the rest of the month, City of STEM highlights STEM events and activities happening every day in April for all ages. These events cover Greater Los Angeles and include a weekend of marine science activities by organizations in San Pedro, a science-in-a-pub night, a “How Girls Museum” camp at the La Brea Tar Pits, a series of shark encounter nights at the Aquarium of the Pacific, a science day at Cal State Long Beach, and a Girls in STEM summit at Caltech. Also, City of STEM, in collaboration with SoCal Gas and Carrot, Inc., has launched an Innovation Challenge, inspiring all middle school age students in Greater Los Angeles to share their visions for a sustainable future of our region.
Finalists will present at the City of STEM festival on April 4 and judges will select a winner. The Challenge is inspired by this year’s 50th Anniversary of Earth Day in April, one of the City of STEM themes in 2020.
City of STEM is Greater L.A.’s own, homegrown and original science festival. Organized by the Columbia Memorial Space Center, bringing organizations from education, civic and business sectors to work for the common cause of strengthening the STEM identity and access to resources of all the people of Greater Los Angeles, while making it fun!
“City of STEM is a platform to unite the diversity of Greater Los Angeles, rallying the public around science and drawing attention to the region’s continued national importance in research, education and industry, from aerospace to biotech,” said Ben Dickow, City of STEM organizer, and President of the Columbia Memorial Space Center. “We will bring STEM activities to a variety of audiences, opening access to STEM throughout the region.”
For more information and a calendar of events visit www.cityofstem.org
