Olin College Spring Expo, May 14 and SCOPE Summit, May 15

Events

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

  • Olin Spring Exposition, May 14 (10AM-3PM):  First-, second-, and third-year students present their projects in poster sessions, oral presentations, and artistic performances (see program). Register here.  For information, email expo@olin.edu.
  • SCOPE Summit, May 15 (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.

Learn about ‘Skywrite Newton’ Augmented Reality, May 16

Events

The Newton Festival of the Arts is sponsoring Skywrite Newton, an installation of augmented reality (AR) art in the skies above 13 sites in Newton, May 5-31. Instructions for viewing the installation with a smartphone are here. The artist, Prof. Will Pappenheimer of Pace University, will discuss this work in a free event at the Newton Free Library on May 16, 6:30-8PM. Win a prize by emailing SkywriteNewton@NewtonCommunityPride.org with your answer to: “What do the 13 Skywrite phrases have in common?”

FSU Talk: How to Hold a Dead Star in Your Hands, May 18

Events

The Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University will host a multimedia presentation, How to Hold a Dead Star in Your Hands, on May 18, 6PM by Kimberly Kowal Arcand of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, MA. The program is recommended for ages 14+ and does not include a planetarium show. Pre-registration is strongly recommended.  The event is free, and a suggested donation is $5 welcome.

Newton South HS Science Dept. Open House, May 31

Events

Newton South HS’s Science Department will hold its annual Open House on May 31, 3:30-6:30PM.  Current and future NSHS students and their parents — and the general public — are invited to come talk with science faculty and students to learn about their work.  Featured exhibits and activities include:

  • Open classrooms, with displays of student work, including:
    • Family Chemistry Poster projects
    • A.P. Biology projects
    • Honors & ACP Biology energy projects
  • DaVinci STEAM projects, including:
    • Engineering projects:  Kinetic Sculpture Meets Biology
    • DNA through art and engineering
  • Technology & Engineering displays
  • Fun With Chemistry demonstratons for kids, by A.P. Chemistry students
  • Student speakers presenting their original work
  • Departmental awards ceremony

Empow Studios to Open STEM Enrichment Center in Newton

Events

Empow Studios will open its new, year-round studio space in Newton at the Nexus Mall (180 Needham Street) with a Grand Opening and studio tours on June 12, noon to 4PM, followed by an Open House and Student Showcase on June 23.  Families with children in Grades 2-8 are invited to register for the Open House in one of four time slots (12PM, 12:30PM, 1PM, 1:30PM) for a tour and preview of programs:  Summer Camps (June 25 – August 31), STEM After School Club, STEM Clubs and Classes (Weekday & Weekend), and Birthday Parties.

A Great Year for the Day Dragons!

Accomplishments

It’s been a busy and successful year for Newton’s Day Dragons FIRST Lego League (FLL) team, consisting of four students from Day Middle School and two from Pierce Elementary.  The team won a spot in last week’s FLL World Championships in Detroit.  To prepare for the event, the team completely redesigned, rebuilt, and reprogrammed its robot after the state competition — and had its work reviewed by the LigerBots — and was thus able to achieve significantly higher scores and greater consistency in the World competitions. At the event, the Day Dragons were honored to share their experiences in agile development as part of an Agile FIRST expert panel.  With the help of the law firm of Mintz Levin, the team applied for a provisional patent for its innovations. In addition to community work (e.g., demonstrating its robot at the Lincoln Eliot science fair), the team also visited a Harvard University robotics lab. In the upcoming off-season, the team is preparing for next year and plans to work with the LigerBots in promoting FIRST, STEM, and robotics in the Newton community.