UCSF Brings Hands-On Science to the Community During 2019 Discovery Day at Oracle Park

Annual Event Caps the Bay Area Science Festival

By Mike Billings

Tens of thousands of people of all ages took to the field and upper levels of Oracle Park on Saturday to participate in hands-on science experiments for the annual Discovery Day organized by UC San Francisco.

Discovery Day is the culmination of the 2019 Bay Area Science Festival’s nearly 50 events held around the Bay Area. On a sunny Saturday, scientists, clinicians and students from UCSF staffed nearly 40 health science-themed booths. More than 100 organizations, including NASA and Chevron, offered a range of other STEM activities.

The two-week-long Bay Area Science Festival is organized by UCSF and produced by the Science & Health Education Partnership (SEP) at UCSF along with a core group of science institutions.

SEP fosters interest in science, builds scientific literacy, and advances diversity and inclusivity in science by connecting the scientific community and the public. The program offerings include partnerships between UCSF volunteers and K-12 teachers, courses for teachers, and several programs that connect high school students with mentors to conduct scientific research in a university environment.