Leveraging Science Festivals for Year-Round Engagement

Science festivals are public outreach efforts that have experienced a recent surge in interest in the United States over the past five years. Over two-dozen science festivals will be held in the US in 2012, up dramatically from the small handful of science festivals held in 2007. Distinct from the traditional science fair, science festivals feature robust schedules of events, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, over a period of one or two weeks, and in venues throughout a region. By featuring many events in many places and presenting science and technology in novel ways, these large celebrations of science and technology are able to reach new audiences that do not typically engage in science education activities. A distinctive feature of science festivals is the direct involvement of scientists and engineers in this public outreach. Research conducted by the Science Festival Alliance has found that the most important factor determining a positive learning outcome for festival attendees is direct interaction with a scientist. Given this context, several US science festivals are currently involving students at the secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels in solving real-world problems in science, technology, and science communication. These programs engage students in fields that otherwise may not hold interest for them, and often place them into situations that allow the development of extended relationships with accomplished scientists. Showcasing the products of these programs in a science festival schedule can provide an added urgency and meaning to these projects.