The University of Idaho’s College of Science is hosting Vandal Science Days, a two-day event that offers science-based activities, opportunities to interact with professors and students, and insights into UI’s science program. The event takes place on April 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Integrated Research and Innovation Center. It is free and open to the public of all ages.
On Friday, guests can enjoy food, win prizes, participate in hands-on activities like fossil digging and comet making, and attend special presentations on topics such as arsenic in beauty products and archaeochemistry. The schedule includes presentations throughout the day starting with students demonstrating “Virtual Reality Demos” at 11 a.m., followed by Claire Qualls presenting “Arsenic For Health and Beauty and other dubious practices” at 1 p.m., concluding with geology undergrads showcasing a “Geology Top Model” fashion show at 2 p.m.
Saturday will feature presentations starting at 11 a.m., including John Anderson discussing “Virtual Realities for Sustainable Future: XR Application in Planetwalking Science,” followed by Melia LaFleur’s presentation on “From Yellow Powder to Black Power and Archaeochemical Journey” at 1 p.m.
In addition to Vandal Science Days, the Lional Hampton Jazz Festival will offer workshops exploring the connection between science and music. Professor Mark Nielsen will discuss “Math in the Music Scale” and the 12-tone scale in music on Thursday and Saturday at 10:15 a.m., while Professor Christine Berven and Marty Ytreberg will lead a workshop on “Making Music with Waves” on Thursday at 1:30 p.m., followed by Professor Zack Etienne’s presentation on “Gravitational Waves: Jazz from the Cosmos” on Saturday at 3:15 p.m.
Overall, Vandal Science Days promises to be an engaging event that combines scientific exploration with fun activities for people of all ages!
