Encourage youth, fill the skills gap: Participate in the USA Science and Engineering Festival

The USA Science and Engineering Festival, April 26 and 27, aims to excite youth about expanding the knowledge, use, and application of science and technology.

By Mark T. Hoske, Jordan Schultz February 10, 2014

Youth need to be excited about science and technology. Attending a world-class science and engineering festival can help. Larry Bock is the founder of Science Spark – the festival’s sponsoring non-profit organization.

 He discussed the growth and benefits of and intense interest in the USA Science and Engineering Festival, this year to be April 26 and 27, at the annual business meeting of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), Robotic Industries Association (RIA), Automated Imaging Association (AIA–Advancing Vision + Imaging), and Motion Control Association (MCA).

Here are some key takeaways about the USA Science and Engineering Festival:

  1. Society gets what it celebrates, Bock said. If a society values music and art, it will celebrate them, encouraging more – a mutually benefiting cycle. The goal is to get kids there and expose them to more science and engineering.
  2. The USA Science and Engineering Festival is the largest science, technology, education and mathematics education event in the United States, according to Bock. Last year, there were nearly a half million attendees – one of the largest events on the National Mall, ever.
  3. The goal for the festival is shock and awe, Bock said. Last year, one presenter drank toilet water out of a high-tech straw filter on stage. Event organizers aim to make engineering exciting for youths, removing jargon without dumbing down the message.
  4. This year, the event boasts nearly 1,000 participating organizations with 3 paid employees, Bock said. With hands-on exhibits and demonstrations like robotic surgery and marshmallow construction, young attendees will have the chance to be scientists and myth busters – save the world.

For more information, including registration information, see: https://www.usasciencefestival.org 

– Mark T. Hoske and Jordan Schultz, CFE Media, Control Engineering, Plant Engineering, and Consulting-Specifying Engineer, mhoske@cfemedia.com and jschultz@cfemedia.com.