Microbes, minerals, mechanics and more! NCDHHS' State Laboratory of Public Health and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner hosted dozens of K-12 students for a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fair on Tuesday, April 14. This free, interactive event invited budding scientists of all ages to explore the lab as part of the annual NC Science Festival, commonly known as SciFest, sponsored by RTI International.
Visitors joined NCDHHS' Division of Public Health staff and partners from Wake County Fire Services and the NC Department of Justice State Crime Lab for hands-on activities that showcased the important work taking place each and every day. The annual festival hopes to encourage students to pursue science education and related career fields.
“SciFest helps young people see that science is a powerful way to understand and improve the world around them,” said Dr. Scott Shone, Director of the State Laboratory of Public Health. “We enjoy sharing an inside look at the important work our public health teams do every day to protect the health and safety of North Carolinians and hope it inspires the next generation of scientists to do the same.”
Participants could try their hand at forensics, meet and greet scientists, identify microscopic organisms and perform their own experiments. A fan favorite was the “elephant toothpaste,” a messy demonstration that creates a large, foamy explosion by combining hydrogen peroxide and dish soap with a catalyst like potassium iodide.
Participants also learned about proper protective equipment usage, how to use scientific instruments and more about the many different science-related career fields. Public health staff were able to answer questions about their daily activities and share more about the importance of science, technology and math in their jobs and how their work helps keep everyone safe and healthy.
See photos and a video from the event below.
