Environmental Science Expo Set For Friday

The best of the Coachella Valley's minds on the environment, science and technology will come together Friday at the Environmental Science Education Expo at Cal State San Bernardino's Palm Desert Campus.

The 9 a.m. event in the Indian Wells Theater and the Indian Wells Center for Educational Excellence Building will feature award-winning science fair projects from students from all three Coachella Valley school districts.

"The partnering of the university setting with local government and high school students to develop a living, sustainable plan for the community will be a first for the Coachella Valley,” said Greg Pettis, expo coordinator and director of the Palm Springs Institute for Environmental Sustainability at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus.

Students ranging from kindergarten through the 12th grade as well as college students are expected to participate. Local green industry leaders and university researchers are also slated to be there, according to CSUSB's Palm Desert spokesman Mike Singer.

CSUSB faculty will demonstrate recent research on environmental science, and representatives from local green industries will be on hand to encourage students to learn more about working in green science fields, he said.

The expo’s keynote speaker will be Boykin Witherspoon, geospatial research manager at the Water Resources Institute at Cal State San Bernardino, according to Singer. 

Funding for the expo was partially provided by U.S. Bank.