U of T a host for public, city-wide science celebration
Science Rendezvous takes place May 10
We celebrate our planet on Earth Day and the arts during Nuit Blanche, but the joy of science has been overlooked - until now. The University of Toronto is taking part in one of North America's first science festivals, Science Rendezvous, a city-wide event that is designed to raise awareness about the importance of science while making it fun for youngsters and more accessible to the general public.
Science Rendezvous will run all day on Saturday, May 10 and will offer dozens of science-related activities at 10 different locations across the Greater Toronto Area. Ten departments and faculties at UofT's St. George campus and U of T Mississauga are participating in the festivities and have engaging events planned.
Nobel laureate John Polanyi of chemistry is a featured speaker in the St. George campus' Great Science for a Great Future lecture series, which is geared towards adults. Teenagers will also get the chance to learn more about science through an Amazing Race-style game along College Street, complete with a mock chemical spill. Younger children will enjoy the Science Carnival, featuring a lead-testing booth, science buskers performing experiments and the opportunity to handle 1,000-year-old artifacts. Finally, INVENTours will let visitors discover U of T's state-of-the-art labs.
UTM will host a series of displays, demonstrations and experiments, including a station for testing how well your sunglasses protect you from ultraviolet radiation. There will also be public research and technology lectures by UTM professors, including Marla Sokolowski's discussion of the influence of DNA on behaviour, world-renowned dieting expert Janet Polivy's explanation of why change is so hard and Bruce Schneider's exploration of how aging affects communication. Most of UTM's activities are suited for children aged seven and up.
Science Rendezvous is the brainchild of U of T chemistry and physics professor Dwayne Miller who was inspired by a similar event in Berlin four years ago called Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften (All Night Science).
"In Europe they really recognize the importance of science," said Miller, "I think what's missing in North America is the same kind of appreciation for the scientific community." Miller hopes that "Science Rendezvous will showcase science in a way that will change people's attitude."
He plans to expand the scope of Science Rendezvous to other cities in Ontario and eventually across Canada. To find out more about times and locations, visit www.sciencerendezvous.ca or to volunteer, e-mail rendezvous@optics.utoronto.ca