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Written by Sarah Sell, University Communications and Marketing
St. Petersburg Science Festival and Marine Quest return with more hands-on activities than ever, including a traveling aquarium, a seagrass maze, and a virtual reality shark show. This event aims to inspire creativity, stimulate curiosity, and deepen knowledge about science and art.
The event, which will take place on Saturday, February 10th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the waterfront of the USF St. Petersburg campus and outside the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish and Wildlife Laboratory, will attract 15,000 people. The following are scheduled to participate. The two events will be held in parallel in downtown St. Petersburg, and participants will be able to walk from one to the other.
This collaborative festival brings together scientists, environmental organizations, cultural institutions, and the public through immersive exhibits and hands-on demonstrations in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM).
“We are fortunate to have STEAM professionals working on local issues that have national and sometimes international implications. It is critical to the future of society,” said Alison Barlow, co-chair of the St. Petersburg Science Festival and executive director of the St. Petersburg Innovation District. “We are incredibly fortunate that these professionals recognize the importance of teaching our youth and their families about work.”
The experts presenting their work come from the USF College of Marine Sciences, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Weather Service, the Florida Aquarium, and more.
“Science is relevant to our everyday lives. This event will bring scientists out of the lab and allow them to ask questions, generate ideas, and talk about their research with the public. , humanizes science,” said E. Howard Rutherford, St. Petersburg USF vice president of development. He is also a co-founder of the St. Petersburg Science Festival.
New interactive and immersive exhibits for the 2024 festival include:
- A mobile aquarium with a variety of fish and marine life.
- A touch track exhibit where guests can explore a variety of city vehicles, airplanes, and sail drones. A sail drone is an unmanned water vehicle designed to go where ships cannot go and built to withstand dangerous conditions at sea.
- A seagrass maze where you can travel through seagrass meadows and collect creatures to build a food web.
- Shark exhibit with real skeleton, jaw, and skin. You can also take part in a virtual reality experience, including a shark show and tell.
On Friday, February 9, around 1,100 schoolchildren will get a glimpse of the St. Petersburg Science Festival and Marine Quest on an organized field trip. During the preview, students will learn about his involvement in the STEAM field and various career paths.
The festival will also feature a Junior Scientist Program, where middle school and high school students can work with science experts. Growing interest in STEAM subjects and career opportunities for students was the main reason for establishing this festival.
Learn more about the St. Petersburg Science Festival and Marine Quest.
This year’s festival sponsors are:
- Bayfront Health St. Petersburg
- St. Petersburg city
- outdoor clear channel
- duke energy
- Eckerd College
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
- Tampa Bay Women’s Defense Branch
- Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
- mad science
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Pinellas County Schools
- St. Petersburg Innovation District
- science festival alliance
- sear rise
- Tampa Bay Estuary Program
- tampa bay times
- tampa bay water
- United States Geological Survey
- USF College of Marine Sciences
- USF St. Petersburg
- Wedu
- W.M.N.F.
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