Call For Makers! MSU Science Festival

[Carl Raymond]

Michigan State University will be hosting the first Science Festival on the MSU campus, running from April 12-21, 2013. From http://sciencefestival.msu.edu/:
"The first ever MSU Science Festival invites you to an exploration of the science that touches our everyday lives.
There will be hands-on activities for the whole family, plus demonstrations, discussions, lectures, and tours on topics
from astronomy to music to zoology."

Lansing Makers Network will be there. We've booked some tables in the Expo Tent, and will be showing off some of our stuff. But we have room for more, and we want you.  If you have  something to show off, or a hands-on activity to demonstrate, please join us.  Email us at bo...@lansingmakersnetwork.org.

Here's some of the other Expo Tent events (tentative):

Whats Bugging My Stream? - Participants will learn about stream water quality, invertebrate and fish inhabitants, and how to identify land areas that may impact streams, through the use of computer decision support programs.

The Fungus Among US -Over 80% of land plants are associated with mycorrhizal fungi, beneficial fungi that can improve erosion control, tree growth, and tree survival.   These fungi may be very important in restoring eroded and deforested areas by infecting trees’ roots and improving tree growth and survival by increasing nutrient uptake and providing disease resistance.  In return, trees provide sugar/energy to the fungi to grow and survive.  But the importance of these fungi may depend upon multiple factors.  Hands on activities will examine the two types of mycorrhizal fungi associated with trees, how fertilizer applications commonly used in restoration affect the fungi, and how much commercially-available fungi may help restoration efforts. 

The Secret Life of Trees - Kids will construct Mini Greenhouses using recycled water bottles and soil. Seedlings (grown by the tree Research Center) will be planted in them for the kids to take home. …

Forests and Greenhouse Gasses - hands-on activity with tree seedlings. A poster and slide presentation of the role forests play in the global carbon cycle.

Details: We have tables in the Expo Tent on both Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00am to 3:00pm.  You don't have to be there all four days, or even the whole day.  We can switch in and out.  If there's something appropriate for school-age children, we can get space on Friday, the 19th, when they'll have schoolchildren present.  A background check will be needed for participants.