AUSTIN (KXAN) — Beginning Friday, the University of Texas at Austin will host science enthusiasts at the Texas Science Festival.
The festival is two weeks packed with scientists, science communicators and other science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) fields. The festival ends March 6.
“From on-campus adventures to dazzling talks to ‘science night out’ events at locations around Texas, the program has a wide range of offerings for all ages,” organizers said.
Jaimie Davis, a UT professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and interim director of the School of Human Ecology, spoke with KXAN about the event.
Davis said the festival kicks off with a seminar on how school and community gardens can improve health and academics.
“It teaches kids how to grow their own food,” Davis said. “Growing your own foods in school and communities can increase preference and willingness to try those foods.”
She said the seminar talks about setting kids up to make lifestyle changes that last into adulthood and encouraging them to eat healthy, whole foods instead of processed foods.
Davis said it would also help people learn where their foods come from and learn about eating healthy, which she said has long-term health impacts.
“I think if a child can plant a seed and grow it, they’re much more likely to want to try it,” Davis said. “So, that’s the first step to kind of setting these long-term life habits.”
Davis said it’s important to teach people about science and how it can improve their health and technology.
“A lot of what we teach kids is not only where their food comes from and how to eat it, but environmental stewards concepts — like how to grow their own food using systems like hydroponics,” Davis said.
Most festival events are free and open to the public; however, some events require tickets and two events are for audiences over 21.
STEM Girl Day
On Saturday, Feb. 22, UT will also host a STEM Girl Day, which gives students a chance to explore STEM through hands-on activities hosted by scientists, engineers, astronomers, mathematicians and other STEM enthusiasts.
“It’s really encouraging being a female scientist to encourage young girls to be curious,” Davis said. “The theme of the festival is ‘Fusing Curiosity With Discovery,’ and I think that’s a really important thing to get girls interested in asking the questions on why and challenging it because we don’t want everybody thinking the same. We want new ideas to improve health and technology.”
Despite the event’s title, students of any gender can attend. According to the university, 10,000 students from kindergarten through eighth grade are expected to attend, as well as 180 STEM activists and demonstrations.
This is UT’s 24th annual STEM Girl Day, and the event runs from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at UT’s main campus.
