Vandal Science Days: Engaging the Public with Hands-on Activities and Unique Experiences at UI’s College of Science

The University of Idaho’s College of Science is hosting Vandal Science Days, a free event that welcomes the public to engage in hands-on activities, workshops, and presentations. Taking place on Friday and Saturday, April 19th and 20th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Integrated Research and Innovation Center, attendees can expect food, prizes, special presentations by faculty, and unique experiences like fossil digging and comet making.

This event intersects with the Lional Hampton Music Festival happening throughout the week, offering participants the chance to learn more about UI’s science program while enjoying music performances. Workshops will cover topics such as arsenic usage in beauty products and archaeochemistry.

On Friday, presentations will be held throughout the day. The schedule includes a showcase of “Virtual Reality Demos” by students at 11 a.m., a presentation on “Arsenic For Health and Beauty and other dubious practices” by Claire Qualls at 1 p.m., and a “Geology Top Model” fashion show by geology undergrads at 2 p.m.

Saturday’s presentation will begin at 11 a.m. with John Anderson presenting “Virtual Realities for Sustainable Future: XR Application in Planetwalking Science.” This will be followed by a presentation at 1 p.m. by Melia LaFleur on “From Yellow Powder to Black Power and Archaeochemical Journey.”

In addition to Vandal Science Days, the Lional Hampton Jazz Festival will be hosting various workshops that explore the connections between science and music. Some of these workshops include discussions on the mathematics behind music scales, how instruments create musical tones through standing waves, and an exploration of gravitational waves.

Vandal Science Days is an excellent opportunity for people of all ages to engage with scientists and learn about UI’s science program in a fun and interactive way.