Links on CCSTEM Resource pages to other websites are provided for information only and do not imply endorsement by CCSTEM.  Please submit corrections and/or suggestions for additions to Resources Coordinator Walter Reil.

This page provides insight into selected STEM education related events on the Central Coast.  This information is meant to be used in conjunction with the CCSTEM Event Calendar for dates and times of an events.  Scroll down the page for the selected events.

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Central Coast Science Fair
Vandenberg Middle School

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Date:  Friday, May 31st – Saturday, June 1st
Location:  Vandenberg Middle School
Sponsor:  AIAA Vandenberg Section

Witness educational STEM in energizing action at the 28th annual Central Coast Science Fair at Vandenberg Middle School on May 31st and June 1st, as junior high students from around the Lompoc area compete for awards and prizes, displaying their science and engineering projects for judges who are highly experienced technical military personnel.  There is no better way to excite students than having their projects studied in detail by professional scientists and engineers asking probing questions while providing insightful comments and uplifting reviews.

Judging for the Science Fair will take place from 5-8 PM on Friday and 8:00 AM until noon on Saturday.  The public is eagerly invited to attend the showcase of exciting STEM outreach of Air Force scientists and engineers along with local students, parents and teachers.  There will be an Estes rocket launch competition.  Students will be able to build their own rocket, launch and recover it.  The rocket competition will occur at 10 AM on Saturday.  Hobby Award Prizes will be awarded at the Award Reception Saturday evening.

In addition, on Saturday, the Orcutt Academy High School Spartatroniks Robotics team will hold a robotics demonstration.  The Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services will also provide a glance into the world of real-life CSI by demonstrating fingerprinting and DNA collection

The Central Coast Science Fair culminates with the Saturday Awards Reception where over $400 in cash and plaque awards will be presented.  The keynote speaker will be Vandenberg Air Force Base 30th Launch Group Commander Col. Shahnaz Punjani.  The 30th Launch Group’s mission is processing, testing and launching boosters and satellites; providing mission assurance; protecting critical launch resources; performing launch operations; providing mission integration; and preparing future launch leaders.  She will discuss Vandenberg’s launch mission and provide an interesting presentation at the Awards Reception.

The event’s primary sponsor, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), is the world’s largest technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession.  In addition, other major contributors include the  Endeavour Institute, General Dynamics Systems Development & Integration Services, Indyne, Inc. and the System Safety Society’s Center California Chapter and the NASA Kennedy Space Center.

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Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Coastal Discovery Center at San Simeon Bay
Discover Your Central Coast Lecture Series

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These FREE public lectures introduce the community to their local marine environment.  Experts from NOAA’s Monterey bay National Marine Sanctuary and it’s partner organizations present topics covering many different earth science topics from the atmosphere to the depths of our oceans to our fragile ecosystem.

Date:  2013 Lecture Series:
May 03
— A Sea of Change: From Atmosphere to Zooplankton
May 10
— Gray Whale Behavior and Genetics
May 17
— Japan Tsunami Marine Debris: Disaster Debris and Existing Problems
May 24
— Steelhead Trout and Habitat Restoration on Santa Rosa Creek
May 31
— Adventures from Down Under: Fascinating Tales of 40 Years of Diving Research
Time:  6 PM – 7 PM
Location:  Cambria Veterans Hall, 1000 Main Street, Cambria
On-Line Info:  Website  /  2013 Flyer

Also FYI:  Check out the Your Sanctuary TV series of videos.

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Pub Science Night

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This periodic community event is for adults to get together at a local bar, restaurant or winery for an evening of food, relaxation and stimulating STEM education.  Each event features a discussion or presentation by a local or visiting STEM subject-matter-expert (SME), usually an educator, scientist or engineer.

People attend to enjoy visiting with friends, having drinks and maybe a meal, and gaining insight into various fascinating aspects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Next Pub Science Night:

Topic:  Limbless Reptiles “Reach Out” Through Research
Date:  Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Time:  Discussion begins at 6:30 PM
Host Location:  Mother’s Tavern, 725 Higuera Street, SLO
Entrance Fee:  $5.00, includes $3 off your order that night only
Speaker:  Cal Poly Biological Sciences reptile researcher and lecturer Julius “Tony” Frazier
Event Info:  Spend an evening as a “lounge lizard” to hear about these fascinating, and often misunderstood, creatures.  Tony will discuss recent research and findings and inform how using snakes and other reptiles are effective tools for community outreach!  Take this opportunity to meet other reptile enthusiasts … or become one!

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San Luis Obispo Mini Maker Faire

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The FREE public San Luis Obispo Mini Maker Faire, first held in SLO in 2013, is a family-friendly celebration dedicated to viewing and experiencing Do-It-Yourself science, technology, sustainability, unique hand-made crafts, and educational exhibits.

A Maker Faire is about learning, doing and making.  It’s not about the finished product.  It’s a place to share and show off what people are making and learning.  It’s a place to celebrate the fun and freedom of being an amateur scientist, engineer or inventor.  Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters to homesteaders to scientists to garage tinkerers.  They are of all ages and backgrounds.  The aim of Maker Faire is to entertain, inform, connect and grow this community, and share the energy of STEM education in all forms.

The SLO Mini Maker Fair is modeled after the huge Maker Faire held in San Mateo, CA.  In 2012 the San Mateo event celebrated its seventh annual show with some 800 makers and 110,000 people in attendance.  World Maker Faire New York, the other flagship event, has grown 500+ makers and 55,000 attendees.

Next San Luis Obispo Mini Maker Faire:

Date:  Saturday, May 11, 2013
Time:  11 AM – 3 PM
Location:  San Luis Obispo Mission Plaza, 989 Chorro Street
Host:  San Luis Obispo Museum of Art

UPDATE 5/12/13:

The first-ever SLO Mini Maker Fair was a big success.  It was gorgeous weather and maybe upwards of 2,000 or 3,000 visitors, including lots of families with small children.  Absolutely perfect!

Event Photos:
>> By Jamie Foster
>> By Dennis Eamon Young (via Cal Coast News)