The sixth annual Nebraska Science Festival – presented by the University of Nebraska Medical Center and scheduled for April 19-28 – is around the corner. And, with a multitude of science- and technology-related activities in communities across the state, it’s not too early to plan your SciFest schedule.
You’ll find the entire festival schedule (with details and registration links) on www.nescifest.com, including these activities of interest in the Kearney, Grand Island, Hastings and Marquette area:
Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney – April 19-28
—Cranes Taking Flight – In honor of the annual sandhill crane migration through Central Nebraska, the Museum of Nebraska Art in Kearney will showcase artwork that pays tribute to this natural phenomenon. From painting and sculpture to prints and photography, artists have been inspired to render striking imagery depicting the literal and spiritual significance of this recurring spectacle. Free.
—Nebraska Now: Angie Seykora, Sculpture and Installation – While retaining the inherent nature of prefabricated, synthetic, industrial and everyday materials, Angie Seykora creates objects, installations and "paintings" that revel in the idea of possibility, and focus on form and texture. Free.
Stuhr Museum, Grand Island – April 19-28
—Hornady Family Arbor – Ten-foot wide paths wind through the picturesque environment you’ll find in the Hornady Family Arbor, just east of the museum’s Fonner Rotunda. Complemented by a pond, windmill, wooden bridges, flower gardens, shrubs, picnic tables, and open, grassy spaces, this tree-filled haven is a peaceful, relaxing sanctuary. Regular admission.
—Railroad exhibit – See Union Pacific Engine 437, a boarding car and caboose. Regular admission.
Hastings Museum – April 19-28
—Nature Nook – Explore Nebraska’s environments up close: prairies, wetlands, rivers, agricultural habitats and more through an interactive journey! Albie the Squirrel will welcome visitors to the Hastings Museum's Nature Nook and then guide them through their expedition as they investigate the human impact on nature in both rural and agricultural settings. Kids also will be able to "pop up" onto the prairie for an eye-to-eye experience with animals that hide in the tall grasses. Regular admission.
—Planetarium "Black Holes" – Discover how the immensity and power of black holes inspire wonder and curiosity. Free for members; included in museum admission for non-members.
—Solar Observing – April 28 from 11 a.m. to noon
Use a specially equipped telescope to get an up-close – and safe – look at the star at the center of our solar system! Free on the front patio of the museum.
Kearney Library – Multiple dates, activities
See website for Lego event, "storybook walk" and "creation zone" activity with STEM toys. Registration required for some events.
Prairie Plains Resource Institute (near Marquette, Neb.) – April 19
Take a guided hike through a Prairie Plains Resource Institute land preserve, Sherman Ranch, in the Platte River Bluffs northwest of Marquette, Neb. The 9 a.m. tour will go through prairie and river frontage. Participants will need to be able to walk leisurely for one- to two-hours. Bill Whitney, founder and director of the institute, will guide the tour, which will be followed by an optional trip to Gjerloff Prairie – just a five-minute drive from Sherman Ranch – for refreshments and a tour of the institute's Education Center. Free.
Sigma Xi Science Café, Kearney – April 23
Michael Moxley, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, will present "Contemporary biochemical kinetic modeling – enzyme kinetics to systems biology." Science Cafés help the public connect with science. Dr. Moxley will informally share his research during a conversational exchange in a friendly setting. Free.
Presented by the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the Nebraska Science Festival is a collaboration of organizations and individuals interested in the advancement of science literacy. In addition to UNMC, other sponsors, to date, are the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, Metro Credit Union, NEST 529 College Savings, Metropolitan Community College and media sponsors KETV and the Omaha World-Herald.
In addition to NeSciFest.com, you will find SciFest updates and information on Twitter (@NESciFest) and Facebook (NE SciFest).