Two Fun Events at Fermilab This Week

Fermilab is the numero uno particle physics laboratory in the United States, which means we have a reputation for being pretty smart. So smart, in fact, that people may find both the lab and the science it does a little intimidating.

Well, speaking as a non-scientist, I can see why people feel that way. It’s one of the reasons we organize so many family events here – we want our neighbors to see that our scientists are regular people, and our science is exciting and actually understandable. And we want students to think of science and research as something they can do, something that could lead to a career one day.

If you have (or you are) a high school student interested in this kind of work, you’re going to want to come to our STEM Career Expo on Wednesday, April 10. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math, and we’ll have professionals on hand here at the lab from all of those career paths.

Students will be able to talk to those pros one on one, and ask them questions about their workdays, what skills they needed to learn, and how they obtained their jobs. This isn’t about recruitment; this is a chance for high schoolers to interact with people doing the jobs they may one day want to pursue.

The expo is free, and runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the atrium of Wilson Hall.

If you’ve got younger kids, you may also be interested in something else we’re doing this week. It’s our annual Wonders of Science show, aimed at kids between the ages of 7 and 12, and it’s on Sunday, April 14, at 1 p.m.

The Wonders of Science show is organized and performed by an award-winning group of high school teachers called Weird Science. They’ll demonstrate eye-popping chemical and physical science experiments, in ways that will have your kids wide-eyed and gasping with joy. It’s a great time, and it’s also a good way to get younger kids hooked on science.

Tickets for the Wonders of Science show are $4 per person, and they can be ordered online here.

Hopefully, through these and other events like them, we’re showing that science isn’t scary or intimidating. It is, in fact, fascinating and fun, and can make for a challenging and rewarding career. And hey, maybe the kids attending our Wonders of Science show this year will be the students coming to our STEM Career Expo when they’re in high school, and going on to work here at Fermilab someday. How neat would that be?

Andre Salles is the media and community relations specialist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. He can be reached at asalles@fnal.gov, or 630-840-6733.