All posts by newtonstem

Girl Scouts Seek Presenters and Workshops for ‘Geek is GLAM’ Event, Oct. 14

The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, in partnership with Worcester Polytechnic Institute, will host the fifth annual Geek is GLAM STEM expo for girls in Grades 4-8 on Saturday, October 14, 8AM-5:15PM on the WPI campus. They are now seeking participants for:

  • Hands-on, interactive workshops
  • Career-panel workshops
  • Exhibits and demonstrations

as well as donations and sponsors for the event. Sign up soon, so you can be included in the Geek is GLAM publicity when registration opens in late August. More details about participating are in this form, which you can indicate your interest. For more information, email Tammy Breen at TBreen@gscwm.org.

Midsummer Nights’ Science: Free Lectures on Genomics and Medicine at Broad Institute

The Broad Institute hosts Midsummer Nights’ Science, an annual lecture series on genomics and medicine that is free and open to the public.  Registration is required.  This year, the following lectures will be offered on Wednesdays, 6-7PM, at 415 Main Street in Kendall Square, Cambridge:

  • July 12:  Who we are and how we got here:  Ancient DNA and the new science of the human past.  Sold out.
  • July 19:  Pre-malignancies and the prevention of cancer.  Register.
  • July 26:  Precision medicine in diabetes.  Register.
  • August 9:  Robots vs. disease:  How microscopes are aiding the discovery of new medicines.  Register.

Inflatable Planetarium at Newton Free Library STEAM Expo, July 15

The Newton Free Library will hold its 4th annual STEAM Expo for all ages on Saturday, July 15, 12-3PM.  Last year, over 1,500 attended this free gathering of tech enthusiasts, traditional crafters, artists, musicians, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, museums, engineers, and students. This year’s Expo will include Blue Star Planetarium, a giant inflatable planetarium in which four different shows will be presented, with space for 25 people for each show.  Sign up at the planetarium 30 minutes before each show.

  • 12:15PM:  In My Backyard (Grades K-2)
  • 1PM:  Oasis in Space (Grades 3+)
  • 1:45PM:  Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity (Grades 6+)
  • 2:30PM  Totality: Lunar and Solar Eclipses (All Ages)

Newton Free Library STEM Events in July

The Newton Free Library will host the following STEM events in June. Except as noted, space for these events is limited, and you must pick up tickets 15 minutes beforehand at the Children’s Desk.

KIDS 4 CODING Summer Tech Program, July 3 – Aug. 18

KIDS 4 CODING is offering its summer tech program, with various weekly courses held during July 3 – August 18, at Lesley University in Cambridge.  Space is still available.

  • Ages 7-8: Minecraft + Engineering + Programming
  • Ages 8-9: Game Design + Programming, Minecraft (Mt. Everest Intrigue) + Robotics, Minecraft (Modding) +  Robotics
  • Ages 9-11: Build/Code Drones + Game Design
  • Ages 10-11: Minecraft (Modding) + (JavaScript) Programming, Game Design + Programming (Python)
  • Ages 11-13: Minecraft Gets REAL
  • Ages 12 – 15: Game Design & Programming, Mobile App Design + Python Programming
  • Ages 13 – 15:  3D Design (Architecture), Web Development  (Design & Code Your First Website)

STEAM Expo at Newton Free Library, Saturday, July 15

The Newton Free Library will hold its 4th annual STEAM Expo for all ages on Saturday, July 15, 12-3PM.  Last year, over 1,500 attended, and this year’s Expo is expected to be even bigger. This STEM + Arts Expo is a gathering of tech enthusiasts, traditional crafters, artists, musicians, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, museums, engineers, and students. This year’s Expo includes a giant inflatable planetarium, LED light-up necklaces, an augmented-reality sandbox, and much, much more.

Newton Free Library’s Design Squad: 6 Summer Tuesday Evenings for Grades 5-7

The Newton Free Library is recruiting tweens entering Grades 5-7 for Design Squad Global, to be held on six summer Tuesdays evenings (July 11, 18, 25, August 1, 8, 15) at 7PM in second floor Teen Area.  Each week, the Design Squad will take on a new engineering challenge, some of which will involve designing solutions to global problems.  There will be lots of problem-solving, creativity, thinking outside the box, and hanging out with other like-minded kids.  The Library is partnering with similar clubs in South Africa and Swaziland to share videos back and forth, share design ideas, and get to know each other over these six weeks. Register online for all 6 sessions.