THE LAS VEGAS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FESTIVAL makes science fun, accessible and engaging, and it highlights the great science taking place right here in our own community. This favorite spring event is back on April 23-25, 2021 and has gone completely virtual to help keep our community safe.
Las Vegas Science & Technology Festival
Kick off Event – Gitanjali Rao,
Student, Author & STEM Promoter
Please join us as Gitanjali shares a little about her inventions and achievements, followed by a Q&A session.
Gitanjali Rao was recognized as America’s Top Young Scientist and received an EPA Presidential Award for inventing her device “Tethys” – an early lead detection tool. Gitanjali is also the inventor of “Epione” – a device for early diagnosis of prescription opioid addiction using genetic engineering, and “Kindly” – an anti-cyberbullying service using AI and natural language processing.
She was honored as Forbes “30 Under 30 in Science” in 2019 and TIME’s “Top Young Innovator” and “Kid of the Year” for her innovations and STEM workshops she conducts globally, which has inspired over 38,000 students in the last two years across four continents.
Slooh Vegas Valley Family Star Party
Fri, Apr 23, 6:30pm
Are you and your family interested in an evening of excitement and wonder? Join Las Vegas local Dr. John Boisvert, Slooh’s Director of Curriculum, and Paul Cox, Slooh’s Chief Astronomical Officer, for a Family Star Party where you will enjoy real-time views through Slooh’s array of telescopes located at our observatories in the Canary Islands and Chile. During the live event, we will embark on a hunt for the Milky Way’s doppelganger! You will learn how humanity determined that the Milky Way is one of billions of galaxies, discover the different types of galaxies in the Universe, and together we will find the Milky Way’s twin. If time permits, we’ll explore some of the beautiful celestial gems currently visible through Slooh’s telescopes. Since our telescopes are streaming in real-time, we might catch a meteor, or even a satellite, in the telescopes on our journey through the cosmos!
While this hour-long event is geared for middle and high school students, students of all ages (including their families and educators) are encouraged to join. Sign-up today at scifest.vegas or slooh.com! Register early if you want to join the Zoom Webinar to interact with our hosts, but you can also watch the live Star Party on YouTube and Slooh’s social channels, facebook.com/SloohLive and twitter.com/Slooh! There’s space for everyone!
April 25 is Science is Everywhere Day
STEM & A Story, The Smart Scarecrow
Sun, April 25, 10am
Join us for an interactive 45 minutes and let’s go and visit the SMART Scarecrow and his farm. Follow along with us and learn how to build a smart scarecrow and see how much fun is a farm where technology helps us to work and have fun.
Bring an open mind, have a Chromebook or laptop as this session is interactive and you will have the opportunity to try out some cool stuff! Appropriate for ages five through eight years old.
Robots or AI?
Sun, April 25, 11am
Join us for an interactive 45 minutes and let’s learn about robots and AI! How can we program robots and how can we “teach” AI 1s to help us in everyday chores, be our companions and keep us safe?
Bring an open mind, have a Chromebook or laptop as this session is interactive and you will have the opportunity to try out some cool stuff! Appropriate for ages eight years through Adult.
City of Las Vegas Strong Future Technology Training Center
Sun, April 25, 830am
Take a virtual tour of the newly opened Strong Future Technology Training Center where students ages 16-24 will gain skills in technology to prepare them for in demand tech careers. Through work-based training, youth participants will be able to get certificates or stackable credentials in categories such as coding, app development, esports, cybersecuirty and more.
National Atomic Testing Museum Live Virtual Tour
Sun, April 25, 12pm
The Smithsonian-affiliated National Atomic Testing Museum will be hosting a live virtual tour of their main gallery. During the walk-through, the Museum will also be featuring three demonstrations, including the “Molecule Maker” and “Nevada Test Site Crater Painting” activities. The NATM will end this event with an exclusive Q&A session.
Majestic Wonders
Sun, April 25, 1:45pm
SeaQuest brings the majestic wonders of our planet, ranging from rainforests and deserts to exotic marine life. Join us for an up close interaction with a few animal friends from around the world!
Nevada State Museum
The team at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, will lead you on an all-access tour of their behind-the-scenes collections area. From fossils to photographs, hear from experts about fascinating objects not generally seen by the public.
Springboard Video Series
Sun, April 25, 330pm
The Springboard Series provides experiential, science-based education opportunities through virtual, real-time interaction with conservation and water resource experts, scientists and naturalist from the Springs Preserve. (3 different videos)
Sign Science Techie Tour at the Neon Museum
Sun, April 25, 2pm
Join us for a virtual tour using 3D scans of the Neon Boneyard. Explore the science and technology of electrified signs while learning how neon, incandescent, and LED lights have illuminated the world-famous Las Vegas skyline. This free program is recommended for families with children in third grade and older.
DISCOVERY Children’s Museum
Sun, April 25, 1pm
Join DISCOVERY educators for some virtual learning experiences at home, with simple science experiments, artistic inspirations, and exciting story times!
Then, join DISCOVERY’s Science Guy, Chris Lucas, as he provides an engaging tour through all of the Museum’s gallery spaces. Take a 3D VR tour of DISCOVERY Children’s Museum without even leaving your house. Join this exciting virtual reality tour and explore our three floors of heart-pumping, brain-boosting, curiosity-quenching fun, adventure and DISCOVERY!
Worlds Without End
Sun, April 25, 3pm
Dr. Steffen will talk about NASA’s Kepler mission and the discovery of planets orbiting distant stars.
Dr. Steffen is an Assistant Professor of physics at UNLV. He has worked in a variety of fields including dark matter, dark energy, gravitation, exoplanets, and airline passenger boarding. Dr. Steffen was a scientist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago, a research faculty at Northwestern University, and was a member of the science team for NASA’s Kepler mission. For that mission he contributed to the discovery and characterization of hundreds of distant planets.
The Bacteria All Around Us
Sun, April 25, 5pm
Join members of the Boo Tseng Lab of UNLV to learn about how bacteria – the good guys and the bad guys – are everywhere! We will learn about how bacteria talk to each other to form their own “hidden” cites and how you can use good bacteria to make yogurt at home. Then we will show you how to kill the bad bacteria you touch every day. Earth is a microbial world; join us to learn more about it!
Boo Tseng Lab, School of Life Sciences, UNLV
Ages 6+, with adult supervision for activity
Supply list:
· Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
· Yogurt supplies (adult supervision required):
o 1 Liter of whole milk
o 5 Tbsp full fat yogurt
o Saucepan
o Thermometer
o Oven that can be set below 120˚F
* Or you can use a cast iron pan, warm location, or a thermos
DRI Science Distilled
Wed, April 28, 730pm
Greater than all of us is the environment that sustains life, offers its beauty, and has worth beyond any dollar value we could place on it. But if our reverence for nature does not acknowledge the care taken by the present and past stewards of the places we live, work, and play, our celebration lacks a heartbeat.
This event brings together a group of these stewards, who bring their talents in storytelling, science, organizing, and educating to the topic of protecting the desert. As we mark Earth Day this year, we explore Indigenous and Western perspectives on preservation of species such as the Lahontan cutthroat trout and the Las Vegas bearpoppy, as well as sacred sites such as Pyramid Lake and the Colorado River system. Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples have ancestral roots in the deserts of the Great Basin and Southwest. What does it take to acknowledge this important place on the land and in history?
Join Science Distilled for a watch party of Surviving: The Story of the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout and a panel of talented experts as we discuss the beauty of our landscapes, the importance of wildlife, and big questions related to recognizing Indigenous homelands today.
Click here to register for the event.
Esports Tournament
Sun, April 25, 630pm
Experience the excitement of our pre-recorded live-streamed Esports Tournament and Wellness Fair at the Strong Future Technology Training Center. The skills showcased in this shortened stream, such as graphic design, video production and editing, and esports casting, will be taught at the Strong Future Technology Training Center!
City of Las Vegas
Predicting the Weather in the Desert…
Mon, April 26, 6pm
Curious what meteorologists do every day? They predict the highs, the lows, and the chance of rain right? Actually, that’s only one part of the job that a meteorologist does. What do they do with the forecast once it’s made? Who gets it? What tools do they use to make it? Do all meteorologists do the same thing across the country? Sign up for this virtual presentation and learn more about the meteorology of Las Vegas, the southwest United States, and the science of meteorology in general!
Minexperience
Sun, April 25, 9am
Come and experience the mine experience, aka the “Jewel of the Desert,” at the McCaw School of Mines. You will learn about mining, the history of mining and the importance of mining in Nevada.
McCaw School of Mines
Ologist Night
Thur, April 29, 6pm
Budding science lovers will get an opportunity to meet real scientists from several different fields. Join us to see what they do in their particular field of science and ask these scientists questions during a live Q&A session.
City of Las Vegas Innovation Center
Virtual Tour
Sun, April 25, 6pm
Come along on a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our Innovation Center. The City of Las Vegas International Innovation Center located in downtown Las Vegas is a multi-purpose facility that is home to several startups and entrepreneurs who are working hard to grow their business in Las Vegas. Its 10,000 square feet of configurable, modular workspace offers a mix of private offices, meeting rooms, and hot desks to facilitate connections and encourage collaboration.
City of Las Vegas
Rockets, Robots & Reality: There’s More to Space Exploration than Meets the Eye!
Fri, April 30, 6pm
Join the CSN Planetarium team as we explore space exploration from every angle, not just what is displayed on television and in the media. Learn how missions like NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover go from concept to engineering and successful touchdown on the red planet, and the scientific discovery that continues beyond the landing. As human curiosity continues to push the boundaries of science and technology, learn how you too can be a part of the future of space exploration. This will be a live virtual event with a Q&A session after the presentation.
