• Education

2014 Bay Area Science Festival's Grand Finale Draws Crowds

Ten days of the Bay Area Science Festival activities culminated in the Discovery Days event at AT&T park, a huge display of science interactive exhibits, experiments, and games. About 30,000 people attended the free science extravaganza.

The event was filled with over 150 different booths and exhibits, staffed by volunteer UCSF scientists and students eager to share their science with the public. Children and their families could see and handle pieces of animal brain to learn about neuroscience, watch a partial dissection of different sea creatures, pilot an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and take part in experiments to learn about basic science concepts like the effects of heating and cooling on water. 

This year marks the 4th annual Bay Area Science Festival, which was created by the Bay Area’s scientific, cultural, and educational institutions, including Science & Health Education Partnership (SEP) at UCSF.

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kids in goggles

Future scientists don goggles and lab coats for this demonstration on hemoglobin activity, which uses marshmallows and fluids to represent different parts. Photo by Marc Fiorito

Children and families watch a harmonics demonstration about the physics of waves, which are represented by strings

Children and families watch a harmonics demonstration about the physics of waves, which are represented by strings. Photo by Marc Fiorito

Rachel Care, a neuroscience grad student, shows a young participant and her brother how digestion works using stocking as a model for the esophagus

Rachel Care, a neuroscience grad student, shows a young participant and her brother how digestion works using stocking as a model for the esophagus. Photo by Elisabeth Fall

A mom assists her child as he tests different buoyancy strategies for his foil "boat."

A mom assists her child as he tests different buoyancy strategies for his foil "boat."  Photo by Elisabeth Fall

Rebecca Smith, co-director of SEP, Chancellor Sam Hawgood, University of California President Janet Napolitano, and Bay Area Science Festival Director Kishore Hari check out the science interactives and exhibits.

Rebecca Smith, co-director of SEP, Chancellor Sam Hawgood, University of California President Janet Napolitano, and Bay Area Science Festival Director Kishore Hari check out the science interactives and exhibits. Photo by Marc Fiorito

UCSF dental students demonstrate different types of teeth using animal jawbones.

UCSF dental students demonstrate different types of teeth using animal jawbones. Photo by Elisabeth Fall

University of California President Janet Napolitano examines a brain at a science booth staffed by UCSF graduate students.

University of California President Janet Napolitano examines a brain at a science booth staffed by UCSF graduate students. Photo by Marc Fiorito

Bay Area Science Festival's Discovery Days at AT&T Park

About 30,000 people attended the Bay Area Science Festival's Discovery Days at AT&T Park, visiting more than 150 interactive science exhibits, experiments and games. Photo by Marc Fiorito

a child checks out a cockroach as part of a biology booth hosted by Tree Frog Treks, a local science summer camp program.

An enthused participant checks out a cockroach as part of a biology booth hosted by Tree Frog Treks, a local science summer camp program. Photo by Marc Fiorito

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