Each spring, Olin College of Engineering holds two public events to showcase the work of its students:

• Olin Spring Exposition, May 8 (10AM-3PM):  First-, second-, and third-year students present their projects in poster sessions, oral presentations, and artistic performances. The list of presentations and performances will be available on the expo site the week before the event, but you can see last semester’s list here.  Register by May 7.  For information, email expo@olin.edu.
• SCOPE Summit, May 9 (9:30AM-3:30PM):  Seniors present the results of their year-long, corporate-sponsored Capstone projects via rocket talks and poster sessions.  Register to attend.

STEM Pathways — a Boston University/MIT outreach program for synthetic biology — will host its spring Dinner & Dialogue at BU on May 10, 4:30-7PM to “bring together teachers and administrators with the region’s STEM outreach programs, universities, industries, and resources for impact discussions and networking.”  The organization seeks input to ensure that high-school graduates have access to synthetic biology programs at Boston University and MIT, and that industry has a workforce that is skilled and technically competent for projected needs. Admission is free, but you must RSVP here by 10PM on May 8.  For more information, email connect@stempathways.org.

There must be thousands of photos and videos online of the thousands of people attending the March for Science – Boston yesterday, in concert with many, many more people in similar marches around the world that day.  In Boston, MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito spoke to the crowd, saying:

In the ’60s, the President galvanized America under a dream of science. This time, we have an attack on science.  We shouldn’t take that attack and cower in fear. We should take it as a challenge, as an opportunity.  We have all these people who care about science, marching all over the world.  It’s not only our opportunity — it’s our obligation — to take advantage of this energy to come together.  If you’re a scientist, or even if you’re not a scientist, reach out to the people who are not here today, who aren’t excited about science. Don’t argue with them. Share your passion. Get them to join the team. We have to come together under a passion for science, rather than fear, fighting, and arguing. And I think we can do it.

Registration is now open for two Saturday-morning sessions of Science on Saturday, on May 20 at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory (244 Wood Street in Lexington).   The topic will be The Sound of Science.  All children (5-17 years) must be escorted by an adult, and every adult must be escorted by a child or children.  Children under 5 are not admitted.  Admission is free but each person attending must be registered.  Space is limited, so register online soon for either Session 1 (9AM to 10:30AM) or Session 2: 10:45AM to 12:15PM). Register an adult first, then a child, then others. Adults must bring government photo identification.  See other rules on the registration pages.

The Russian School of Math will host its Spring Math Carnival on April 29, 5-8PM — free and open to the public — at its headquarters (200 Wells Avenue, Newton). It will feature games, exhibit booths, math puzzles, and math art for the entire family.

On May 6, 12:30-3PM, the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair will showcase more than more than 300 of the “best of the best” high-school science fair research and design projects from across the state, at the Johnson Athletics Center at MIT. $500,000 worth of scholarships and prizes will be awarded at a ceremony at 3:30PM. MIT notes that parking will be especially difficult that day, so take public transportation or leave extra time.

The Cambridge Science Festival is the national leader in its field, with over 160 activities and events spanning 10 days, April 14-23.  You can filter this year’s online schedule of events by date or by age (family/teens/adults) — and browse the list of recurring programs and events, Museum of Science activities and exhibits, and week-long youth workshops. Some events require pre-registration or tickets, and most are free, including:

• The opening-night symposium on April 14, 7:30-9:30PM at Harvard’s Sanders Theater:  Are We Alone? Exploring the Possibility of OTher Intelligent Life in the Universe
• The Science Carnival and Robot Zoo on Saturday, April 15, 12-4PM at the Cambridge Public Library and Rindge & Latin High School

It’s too much to keep in your head.  You can print out the 30-page program (PDF) or use the guidebook app for your iPhone or Android device.