Paws-On Science: Husky Weekend

At Pacific Science Center April 5-7, 2013

• Friday, April 5, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Saturday, April 6, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
• Sunday, April 7, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Huskies of all ages are invited to join UW scientists and researchers for fun, interactive activities and exhibits. From building a racecar to controlling underwater robots, Paws-on Science offers something for the whole family. UW students, faculty, staff, alumni and their guests will enjoy a 20% discount on general exhibit admission. Just show your Husky Card or your UW Alumni Association Member Card.

Here's what we have planned:

Who Studies Computer Science?
Saturday
Use an avatar to explore a virtual classroom! See how stereotypical cues can influence who chooses to study computer science.

Diseases in DNA Discovered
Friday
Find out what your DNA can tell you about your risk of disease. View real DNA and chromosomes under a microscope!

Balancing Act
Friday
Test your balance on a wobbly board while flying a plane with virtual reality goggles!

Nurse for the Day
Friday & Saturday
Learn how to be a nurse! Find out how to use a stethoscope, discover how many germs are on your hands using dark light equipment, learn how to prevent falls, and study sleep patterns.

Music and Science
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Can music help you learn about science? Come watch several science music videos and find out!

Worms Up Close
Friday & Saturday
Learn how earthworms make soil better for plant growth. Plus, look at earthworms under a microscope!

Hearing and Seeing Languages
Friday & Saturday
At birth all children are "citizens of the world" and able to distinguish sounds of all languages! Find out how your experiences shape your brain's perception.

Watch Your Head!
Friday & Saturday
What should you do if you have a concussion? How do you know when you've recovered?

Tiny but Mighty
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Discover why science is so important -- even at the tiniest level.

Solely Powered by Solar Power
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Build solar-powered racecars and learn how light is used as energy!

Senior Point of View
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Travel through time and view the world as if you were 65 or older. Explore ways for seniors to use technology to stay active, healthy and connected.

Millions of Microbes
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Learn how microbes inside plants can help them grow better and examine these microbes in petri dishes.

Hairy Hearing
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Discover how the tiny hair cells in your ears affect your hearing.

How Would You React?
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Participate in a hands-on activity to learn about post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mini Pharmacy
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Crush pills! Neutralize acid! This hands-on experiment will teach you how to use medicine effectively and safely.

Brain Waves
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Check out your own brain waves! Use a brain wave monitor to see if your brain wave patterns change while participating in an activity.

Speed Racer
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
"Test drive" and explore an environmentally friendly racecar.

Fish Robots: Technology Used to Save Lives
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Control an underwater fish robot and learn how emergency teams use this technology in search and rescue missions.

All Mixed Up
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Learn about the tools chemists use to separate chemicals from mixtures. Then see if you can separate chemicals on our mass spec racetrack!

Science for Everyone
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Anyone can pursue a career in science. Explore accessible science equipment for people with disabilities.

Science with Bees
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Bees help us understand other questions in biology. Learn how bee science students conduct science with bees while learning about beekeeping.

CO2 & You
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
How does CO2, the gas we breathe out, impact the Earth in different ways?

Splish, Splash: Life in the Water
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Come see live animals! Plus, discover ways to protect native stream and pond animals in the state of Washington.

Finding a Cure
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Can a virus be used to cure a disease? Learn about muscular dystrophy and how we're working on a cure.

Healthy Minds, Healthy Planet
Saturday
Learn how our brains make sense of the world around us, or discover the role microbes play in keeping our planet healthy.

Make It Rain
Saturday
Discover local weather variations and climate changes. Plus, make it rain all over Washington state!

Germ Hunters
Saturday
Germs are everywhere! Learn what good and bad germs look like and how to find them in your everyday world.

Microbes Everywhere
Saturday
You can't see them with your bare eyes, but microbes are everywhere. Find microbes living in the ocean, lakes, forests, hot springs and even your own body!

Small Fish, Big Ocean
Saturday
What's it like to be a fish? Experience the challenges young fish face and learn about the future of fish.

Preventing Cancer
Saturday
Create a comic book filled with healthy ideas to actively prevent cancer

Shake It Up
Saturday & Sunday
Jump and see how big of an earthquake you can create! Measure your "earthquake" with a working seismometer.

Animals and Your Health
Saturday & Sunday
Explore how the health of animals and human beings is connected!

Mad about Math
Saturday & Sunday
Solve colorful math puzzles and uncover opportunities to help you prepare for college.

The Brain, Speech and Stuttering
Saturday & Sunday
Discover how the brain controls the muscles that are used for speaking and how this process fails to work smoothly in children and adults who stutter.

Incredible Chemicals
Saturday & Sunday
Learn about catalysis in this fun experiment and see how research in catalysis can help create a more sustainable future.

How Do Chemicals Affect You?
Saturday & Sunday
Learn about the effects of toxic chemicals on people and the environment.

Beat of My Heart
Saturday & Sunday
Learn how scientists construct heart tissue. Create your own cardiac patch.

Seeing Heat
Sunday
Measure the temperature of water and other objects (like your nose!) with thermal cameras.

Nano-medicine
Sunday
Discover how scientists use nanoparticles - tiny particles up to one million times smaller than an ant - to deliver medicine to the body.

Keep exploring with these additional hands-on activities:

Investigating Arctic Ice Melt
Saturday - Various times
Meet the featured scientists and discover what they are learning about climate change and Arctic sea ice.

Next-Generation Genetics
Saturday & Sunday - Various times
Meet local genetics researchers to explore how they use genes to learn more about human health