Join more than 70,000 San Diegans for a week of innovation, creation, and STEM. Event schedule includes the expansion of the STEM in Your Backyard series in the communities of Vista, Barrio Logan, Chula Vista, Alpine, and Lakeside
Join more than 70,000 San Diegans for a week of innovation, creation, and STEM. Event schedule includes the expansion of the STEM in Your Backyard series in the communities of Vista, Barrio Logan, Chula Vista, Alpine, and Lakeside
What do you get when you put science, technology, engineering, math, and kids in a major league baseball stadium? You get innovation! The team at the Biocom Institute Festival of Science & Engineering, San Diego, presented by Illumina Foundation, is preparing for its highly anticipated EXPO DAY before its traditional Festival Week. Now in its ninth year, EXPO DAY will occur Saturday, March 4, 2017 at PETCO Park with the festival following from March 5-12, 2017 at various locations throughout San Diego County. EXPO DAY is the official kick-off celebration of festival week and gives attendees a major glimpse of what’s to come at area businesses, schools, libraries and museums through Sunday, March 12, 2017.
One of the largest STEM festivals in the U.S., EXPO DAY and Festival Week features interactive demonstrations, hands-on activities and dynamic speakers to engage kids, adults and families in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. More than 70,000 are expected to participate.
A program of the Biocom Institute and presented by Illumina Foundation, the festival aims to encourage and engage kids in STEM, and to increase our region’s reputation of being a leader in the science industry. This festival, presented by Illumina Foundation, also helps continue to increase our region’s reputation of being a leader in the science industry. By hosting events and activities throughout the region, the festival demonstrates how science and engineering opportunities are in our own “backyard,” and are for science lovers of all ages. In fact, the STEM in Your Backyard series will now expand to East County, including the communities of Alpine and Lakeside. The series will also return to Barrio Logan, Chula Vista, and Vista.
Additionally, festival organizers plan to expand the 21 and up series for adult science enthusiasts to continue and share their passion for STEM with others. STEM education never stops and adults have the same fascination with science, technology, engineering, and math as kids do. Festival organizers are putting the final touches on the series and more information will be announced in the New Year.
“As STEM education continues to soar in San Diego, we feel it is important to continue our reach into the neighborhoods by providing family-friendly activities that not only excite the young learners, but also open their eyes to the possibilities right in their own backyards for schooling and career pathways in science, technology, engineering, and math,” said Sara Pagano, managing director, Biocom Institute Festival of Science & Engineering, San Diego.
“Additionally, we are excited to bring back the 21 and up series in partnership with Fleet Science Center as it was a huge success last year for our young professional crowd all the way through retired STEM enthusiasts, proving that the sparks of science fly at all ages,” said Pagano.
After EXPO DAY the fun continues with Festival Week (March 5-12) – eight days of learning, interaction and behind-the-scenes opportunities for students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade, adults and families to ignite their passion for STEM education. Many events are free and open to the public. Visit www.lovestemsd.org for festival week details.
In 2016, 65,000 kids, parents, scientists, educators and community members participated throughout the week, with 24,000 children, parents and STEM enthusiasts that attended EXPO Day at PETCO Park.
Sponsorships are available for the 2017 EXPO DAY and Festival Week. For more details, visit https://www.lovestemsd.org/content/become-sponsor or contact Sara Pagano, managing director, at spagano@lovestemsd.org.
Below is a list of preliminary events hosted and organized by the Biocom Institute Festival of Science & Engineering San Diego. The entire 2017 Festival Week schedule will be finalized in mid-January with additional venues hosting more than 60 events throughout the week for budding scientists and their families. Visit the festival website at www.lovestemsd.org for more information. Schedule subject to change.
EXPO DAY
Saturday, March 4, 2017
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
PETCO Park
100 Park Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101
Ticket Cost: FREE
Now in its ninth year, the Biocom Institute Festival of Science & Engineering San Diego involves hundreds of businesses, corporations, sponsors, and nonprofits in a weeklong celebration of STEM education in San Diego County. Presented by Illumina Foundation, EXPO DAY at Petco Park is the Festival’s signature event providing interactive, hands-on science, technology, engineering and math exhibits, and activities to budding K-12 science lovers. In 2016, more than 24,000 children, parents and STEM enthusiasts attended EXPO Day, and more than 65,000 people participated in festival week events. There will be an MVP Luncheon (registration required) at 11:30 a.m. TEDxKids El Cajon will also be the premier feature all day on the Dugout Stage and for families, the Pre-K Zone is back again!
STEM In Your Backyard:
Ticket Cost: FREE
See Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) come alive at our “STEM In Your Backyard” event, a series now in its second year for the 2017 Biocom Institute Festival of Science & Engineering. Join us for interactive experiments, hands-on demonstrations, and the opportunity to meet a scientist or engineer. There will be a student project showcase and exhibits from local industry, research institutions, and universities all designed to engage in the entire family in STEM…in your own backyard! Dates and locations include:
STEM In Your Backyard: Alpine
Thursday, March 9, 2017
3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Alpine Branch Library
1752 Alpine Blvd.
Alpine, CA 91901
STEM In Your Backyard: Lakeside
Saturday, March 11, 2017
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Lakeside Community Center
9841 Vine St.
Lakeside, CA 92040
For more information on the STEM in Your Backyard series, visit www.lovestemsd.org/stem-your-backyard.
About the Biocom Institute Festival of Science & Engineering, San Diego
The mission of the Biocom Institute Festival of Science and Engineering, San Diego is to engage kids in science and engineering. By doing this, the organization expands the general public’s understanding of the relevancy of science and engineering in everyday lives, illuminates why the United States must maintain its leadership role in science and technology, and work with parents and teachers to inspire today’s students to become tomorrow’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) innovators.
About the Biocom Institute
The mission of the Biocom Institute is to support life science innovation and success in San Diego by providing our community with K-12 student and teacher STEM outreach, innovative industry-vetted professional development programs and key veteran focused mentorship and internship programs. In pursuit of this mission, we support: mentorship that ensures diversity; science and technology information that mobilize communities; corporate social responsibility campaigns that strengthen the bottom line and a culture of collaboration that maximize resources. For more information, visit https://www.biocom.org/s/Biocom_Institute.
