Science outreach activities

Engaging future scientists early on, and connecting with the general public around science insights and educational opportunities is a lot of fun. With our outreach events, we particularly participate in events in underserved communities. We annually participate in several science fairs organized by UCSD CREATE, namely the Barrio Logan Science and Art Expo in Spring and the Southeast San Diego Science & Art Expo in August. The San Diego Air & Space Museum also organizes the San Diego Air & Space Museum’s 17th Annual Space Day, and UCSD CREATE is also organizing a college fair termed Comienza con un Sueño / It Begins with a Dream in which we annually participate. In all of these, our research group teams up with the Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (RPL) and Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) in hosting a large science booth themed Space Research at UCSD.

The outreach efforts are partly supported by the NSF projects SWQU: Composable Next Generation Software Framework for Space Weather Data Assimilation and Uncertainty Quantification and Goal-Oriented Variable Transformations for Efficient Reduced-Order and Data-Driven Modeling where we are advancing modeling and computational capabilities for, among others, space weather.

Below are the events where you can find us (or where we have been already!)

Barrio Logan Science and Art Expo (April 16, 2022): The Barrio Logan Science & Art Expo is an inclusive and annual art, science, and culture fair that welcomes families from around southern San Diego. It is a joined effort by the Barrio Logan Association, the San Diego Festival for Science and Engineering, UC San Diego, and community partners that highlights science, art and culture in the world around us. Prof. Kramer's research group joined forces with the Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (RPL) and Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) to host a booth themed Space Research at UCSD. The event was an enormous success, with hundreds of visitors ranging from ages three to ninety-three. Displays included an eighteen-foot rocket tested by SEDS, rocket engine components, circuit boards, and space weather illustrations. Visitors played our "Wheel of Fortune" and won MAE pens, RPL/SEDS shirts, UC San Diego totes, astronaut trophies, and planet-themed stress balls. This will be the first of many outreach events of that kind. Stay tuned!

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San Diego Air & Space Museum’s 17th Annual Space Day (May 21, 2022): The annual space day event at the museum is another fantastic opportunity to reach out to the general public and young (potentially future) scientists! Although our group missed the event due to the SOCAMS conference the Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (RPL) and Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) to host a booth themed Space Research at UCSD held down the fort and ran the science both. It's great to have good colarobators, and we'll certainly participate next year.

The Comienza con un Sueño / It Begins with a Dream is an annual free college conference at UCSD that provides important information and resources to parents, middle school and high school students. The day consists of welcome speakers, workshops, campus tours, hands-on STEM demonstrations and an educational resource fair. Breakfast and lunch are included for all participants, volunteers and guest speakers. There are typically around 1,000 prospective students and parents who are interested in exploring pathways to higher education and access to college at all levels. UC San Diego’s Early Academic Outreach Program and TRIO Outreach Programs are organizing a STEM RESOURCE FAIR that takes place within the Comienza Conference. The goal of the fair is to provide hands-on science demonstrations, for UCSD faculty and students to talk to prospective students about why science is important and highlight the various clubs and resources for science learning at UCSD.

Impressions

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