September 30, 2022 Newsletter
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Hello from the Office of Science Outreach!
We hope the start of the school year - and the Fall season - is going well for everyone!
In this issue, please read about upcoming events at Penn State, starting with the return of our Haunted-U! It will be held the same weekend as the Pumpkin Festival at the Arboretum and AstroNight at Davey Lab. Also, check out events celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, save the date for ENVISION, and learn more about the invasive spotted lanternfly!
We hope to see you soon at Haunted-U!
Haunted-U is coming soon! Join us at the University Park campus on Saturday, October 8, 2022 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. for this FREE family-friendly science event! We have several Penn State scientists ready to share some "spooky" science demonstrations and activities with families*! Plus, there will be "haunted" lab tours to attend. Enjoy some pictures below from our last Haunted-U in 2019!
Haunted-U will be held in the Osmond and Whitmore buildings on campus. These locations are circled in purple on the map. The HUB and Eisenhower parking decks, shown in green diamonds, will be the closest and most convenient. Parking for non-permit holders will be just $1 per hour. Payments can be made at kiosks or via the ParkMobile app.
Davey Lab, shown with the blue star, is the location for AstroNight! Read more about that event below!
*Please note that all children should be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian (18+ years old). Thank you!
AstroNight 2022
In conjunction with the Penn State Parents and Families Weekend, The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics will present AstroNight! There will be exciting astronomy presentations, planetarium shows, 3D shows, and demonstrations on a variety of topics including life in the universe, results with the new James Webb Space Telescope, black holes, and more. There will also be stargazing through our rooftop telescopes if the weather is clear. This event is appropriate for guests of all ages and will take place on the 5th Floor of Davey Laboratory at 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 8.
2022 Pumpkin Festival
The Arboretum at Penn State has announced its annual Pumpkin Festival and jack-o'-lantern contest!
The Arboretum will be giving away a thousand pumpkins to contest entrants on Sunday, October 2, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. To register for the contest, bring a jack-o’-lantern to the Overlook Pavilion in the gardens from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 7.
Jack-o’-lanterns will be lighted and displayed from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Friday, October 7, and on Saturday, October 8 from 3:00 to 8:30 p.m. On Saturday, you can also view fall displays and enjoy activities and crafts, followed by live music and entertainment. Food vendors will be on site both nights. Thanks to the Vargo family for making this community event possible. Festival parking is sponsored by Selma Harris.
From September 15th through October 15th, Penn State and the Eberly College of Science is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring the historic background, culture, heritage, and many influences of the Hispanic community in our college, at Penn State, and beyond!
Throughout the month, the College of Science will be featuring Eberly's Latinx faculty and graduate students. This effort aims to inform and inspire others by shining a light on these individuals’ experiences, their accomplishments, and their motivations for pursuing a career in science.
Furthermore, Eberly College of Science will be hosting an undergraduate research poster exhibition on Thursday, October 6th from 5–7 p.m. In addition to celebrating the accomplishments of our undergraduate researchers, the exhibition will highlight the contributions of the college’s Latinx faculty and students.
There will also be events throughout the month at University Park, organized by the University’s Hispanic Heritage Month planning committee, with the theme “Nuestra Música: Identity, Culture and Resistance.”
SAVE THE DATE! On Saturday, February 25, 2023, students in grades 6-12 will be invited to the University Park campus for a day at ENVISION: STEM Career Day Supporting Young Women! Plans are underway to find Eberly College of Science students to be Keynote Speakers who will share inspiring and authentic science stories, and several Penn State researchers are eager to provide hands-on activities with participants and talk with them about careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. Click the button below to see the workshops that were held last year and mark your calendar for this full-day STEM event! Registration for ENVISION will open after the new year and will be announced in future issues of this newsletter.
Oh no! Spotted lanternflies!
This invasive species of insects is being seen more and more across the Northeast. A Penn State entomologist, Julie Urban, recently shared information with CNN about the damage these speckled, red bugs can cause. Everyone needs to help stop the spread of spotted lanternflies, especially when traveling, to protect our plants and trees. As the experts say, "If you see it, squash it." Read more about them and the harm they can do in the article below.
Meet our team!
Our Office of Science Outreach staff members are happy to assist you with any questions related to Science Outreach. Bookmark our website at https://science.psu.edu/outreach for more information or email us at outreach@science.psu.edu.
We'd love to hear from you!
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