South Side Science Festival aims to raise awareness, trust in science
Hyde Park residents Randall Mcauley and Celia Paris have brought their three kids to the South Side Science Festival every year since they “serendipitously” stumbled upon it after moving to the area.
Their kids — Ilsa, 6; Soren, 3; and 6-month-old Quins — have built DNA strands and observed liquid nitrogen demonstrations along their way to their intended destination: the robotics demonstrations.
“I feel like every single year we come and learn a little bit more,” Mcauley said. The kids are "just immediately captivated.”
Saturday's event at the University of Chicago in Hyde Park was the third annual science showcase, where youth can meet those devoting their lives to studying the subjects they’re presenting. The event features interactive demos led by UChicago students, panels with top scientists discussing topics such as artificial intelligence and opportunities to learn about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education and jobs.
Mcauley said Ilsa is interested in programming and robotics but was sidetracked Saturday when she saw dinosaurs, which also covered her dress. She wasn’t the only one invested, as Mcauley saw it as a learning opportunity.
“That’s stuff that’s so far from what I do,” Mcauley, a pediatrician, said. “I’m just thinking about what’ll be relevant for her and her interactions with technology; robotics and AI will be huge.”
Ilsa said her favorite part was finding a tooth — which she thinks may have belonged to a saber-toothed tiger — at the table with a mock archaeological dig site.
The parents, who live in Hyde Park, also saw some of what they missed in their graduate school experiences, saying they never had a chance to present their studies or get much practice with outreach.
“Science can be so many different things,” Paris said. “That’s what’s embodied by this event; anyone can do science, and it makes it feel really expansive, which is awesome for kids to be exposed to.”
Co-founders Sarah King, an assistant professor in the university's chemistry department, and Maanasa Raghavan, an assistant professor in the human genetics department at UChicago, said that’s the intent — the event’s tagline is “Science is for everyone.”
The two created the event based on a European festival called the Long Night of Science with the idea of making science accessible for everyone, including parents and young adults.
Part of their aim is to bridge the gap between scientists and the public.
“During COVID, we were stuck on Zoom and we wanted to do something that interacted with the local community about science,” King said. “Public trust in science has been shown to be directly tied if people know scientists.”
The organizers said the first year was a struggle, but they’ve hit their stride and now have an abundance of volunteers.
Looking ahead, they want to see the festival grow even more — even if that means relocating to a different part of campus — or helping other institutions set up their own versions.
“The staff, faculty and students have really taken over through the years, and it’s safe to say there’s a sustainable future for this,” Raghavan said.
“We’re becoming obsolete in the best possible way,” King added, with a laugh.